Soccer stars & their cars

Cristiano Ronaldo

Audi R8

One of the benefits of being a Manchester United player is that the luxury cars tend to come to you. Hence Cristiano Ronaldo’s complementary Audi–part of the brand’s sponsorship deal with the team–which otherwise would have set him back $200,000.

Alessandro Del Piero

Fiat 500

Italian star Del Piero is the captain of Juventus, a team effectively controlled by the Agnelli family, who also owns Fiat. That may explain why Fiat offered Del Piero his own exclusive “No. 10” white Fiat 500 mini car last year. Del Piero wears the No. 10 shirt for Juventus, and Fiat gave him the tenth newly revitalized model to roll off the production line. The “cinquecento” first made its name as a cheap and cheerful model for post-war Europe.

John Terry

Bentley Continental GT

Former England captain and Chelsea star John Terry is not shy when it comes to spending money, and his $180,000 Bentley is a case in point. Unfortunately, his decision to leave it for two hours in a disabled parking space may have cost him the position of England captain this year.

Didier Drogba

Mercedes SL65

Chelsea’s classy striker may be struggling with injuries this season, but he can console himself with his $200,000 silver Mercedes. The SL-65 boasts a 604-horsepower V-12 engine and can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.

Rio Ferdinand

Bentley Arnage

The Manchester United player has run into trouble several times over his driving, but given his choice of wheels it is easy to see why. Ferdinand’s 6.8-liter Bentley Arnage was given a baptism of strawberry yogurt by his teammates when he bought it in 2005, a prank which apparently did not get too many laughs out of the player.

David James

Chrysler 300C

James’ choice of Chrysler’s classic sedan may seem unusual, but the England goal-keeper is a new breed of footballer. He spent $4,000 converting his Chrysler to run mostly on biofuels, which certainly sets him apart from his teammates. The only problem is, James told local media, the car broke down two months later.