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Former Arsenal and Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has a net worth of roughly $45 million
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Adebayor is Togo’s all-time leader in appearances and goals
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Read our profile on the Premier League legend
Starring for Arsenal, Tottenham, Real Madrid and Manchester City, Emmanuel Adebayor played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
While often delivering positive football betting results for his teams, the Togolese striker wasn’t always adored by his former fans.
He played for two of the biggest football rivals. He was the provocateur for an infamous moment in the Premier League.
It’s not unreasonable to describe him as a divisive character. There’s a lot to cover with Emmanuel Adebayor, so let’s get started.
Net Worth
Emmanuel Adebayor’s net worth is estimated to be $45 million. Adebayor spent a decade earning healthy Premier League salaries with Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Crystal Palace.
The money in offer with Turkey will have been decent, too. Into the twilight of his playing days, he also has edged towards a media career.
It’s a long time since Adebayor featured in Arsenal player ratings. Footballers have a wide array of options once their playing career concludes, and it will be interesting to see what he pursues.
His peak years a long way behind him at this point, but with such a vast net worth, the Togo international can be delighted with how his playing career worked out.
Clubs
Starting out with Metz in 2001, Adebayor moved to Monaco in 2003 before a 2006 transfer to Arsenal. He blossomed with the Gunners, scoring 62 times for the club.
A controversial, big-money move to Manchester City followed. As City continued to spend record amounts, Adebayor never really settled properly at the club and was soon surplus to requirements, leading to loans with Real Madrid and Tottenham.
He joined the north London club permanently in 2012, and put in some of his best seasons. That stint also faded, though, and he left the Lilywhites by mutual consent in September 2015.
A six-month deal with Crystal Palace came next in January 2016. Then, he embarked on a tour of the Turkish Süper Lig, starting with İstanbul Başakşehir. Two very short spells followed with Kayserispor and Olimpia.
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Metz 2001-2003 – 51 appearances, 17 goals
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Monaco 2003-2006 – 115 appearances, 26 goals
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Arsenal 2006-09 – 142 appearances, 62 goals
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Manchester City 2009-2011 – 45 appearances, 19 goals
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Real Madrid (loan) 2011 – 22 appearances, eight goals
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Tottenham 2011-2015 – 113 appearances, 42 goals
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Crystal Palace 2016 – 15 appearances, one goal
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İstanbul Başakşehir 2017-19 – 76 appearances, 28 goals
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Kayserispor 2019 – eight appearances, two goals
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Olimpia 2020 – four appearances, zero goals
Togo Attack
The Togo national team were victims of a terrorist attack while travelling by bus on the way to the 2010 African Cup of Nations.
A guerrilla group called Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed three and left nine injured.
Bus driver Mário Adjoua, assistant manager Améleté Abalo and media officer Stanislas Ocloo were the fatalities.
A high-profile member of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda, who is currently exiled, publicly stated that the attack was not aimed at the Togolese players or staff, but they were attacking the Angolan forces leading the convoy.
The bus was ambushed by 15 FLEC fighters just as it crossed into the Angolan exclave from Congo. When machine gun fire killed the bus driver, the team were trapped, forcing them to hide under their seats as a security team returned fire.
Emmanuel Adebayor suffered minimal injuries during the attack, leaving him to carry his teammates into hospital. He described the event as ‘one of the worst things I’ve ever been through’, a sentiment that was echoed by Thomas Dossevi.
Dossevi said, "It was a real hell. Twenty minutes of shots, of blood and fear."
Forças Armadas de Cabinda also claimed responsibility for the attack, with group leader Jean-Claude N'Zita saying Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda were no more than opportunists.
While arrests followed, the way the trial was handled was criticised.
Togo’s exit from the African Cup of Nations subsequently was muddled. An initial call to withdraw was partly walked back before the government ordered the team’s return home.
Ultimately disqualified, Adebayor also retired from international duty, though he made a comeback in 2011.
Celebration
When Manchester City hosted Arsenal in 2009, tensions were running high between Adebayor and his former club.
A boot to Robin van Persie’s face landed the Togolese striker a retrospective ban, and there was a misjudged challenge on Cesc Fabregas.
The most famous moment from the fixture, though, came after Adebayor nodded home to put City 3-1 up.
What briefly looked like a routine celebration quickly flipped. Adebayor wheeled away and unleashed into a full-tilt sprint to the other end of the pitch.
Sliding on his knees at the away fans, furious Arsenal fans rushed to the front of the stand, pelting anything they could get their hands on towards the pitch. It’s a unique image in Premier League history.
While Adebayor has tried to explain what led him to such an extraordinary celebration in the years that followed, the fallout was immediate.
Greater Manchester Police were critical, saying, "The player's goal celebration caused the opposition fans to be aggravated and there was a crowd surge. One of the objects that were thrown caught a steward and knocked him out…
"It was not the player throwing the missile, but the fans were reacting to him and his celebration. It was the Arsenal fans throwing the missiles, but it was the Manchester City player who was doing the celebrating."
Adebayor landed a suspended two-match ban and £25,000 for the celebration. Of course, this celebration will follow (or perhaps haunt) Adebayor for the rest of his career in football.
What is sometimes lost in the furore, though, is how he was immediately remorseful in his post-match interview.
He said, "Yeah for sure [I lost my head]. I think I could not do what I have done. But you know, it's like the emotion took over me.
"The frustration is out of me. I feel sorry for what I have done. But as a player, we just focus on what we're doing and scoring.
"The way people judge me for what I haven't done. Scoring goals again today made me feel free in my body. I think I do a little bit more of what I have to do but I'm very sorry for doing what I have done.
"We are all human beings, we have to do a mistake to be better tomorrow. I have done a big mistake today. And I think tomorrow, these things will never happen anymore."
Posting at @E_Adebayor, Emmanuel Adebayor has 1.1 million Instagram followers as of December 2021.
Having played for several teams that feature in Premier League odds, a lot of fan bases around England must have an interest in what Adebayor is getting up to now.
Honours
Never coming out on top in Premier League predictions, and finishing as a runner-up in the Champions League, League Cup and FA Cup, team silverware has often eluded Adebayor throughout his career.
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Copa del Rey – 2010-11
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2007 BBC African Footballer of the Year
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2008 African Player of the Year
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BBC Goal of the Season 2007-08
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PFA Premier League Team of the Season 2007-08
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 11th December 2021
