Goal machine who upset Liverpool had ‘seven day cocaine binge’ earlier than Prem transfer
Ex-Bolton Wanderers forward Mario Jardel once admitted to “staying awake for seven days” during a cocaine binge.
The former Brazil international, who signed for Bolton in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon for just over £1million, admitted he had snorted the Class A drug back in 2002 prior to signing for the Wanderers, who were then managed by Sam Allardyce.
Jardel, who turned 50 on Wednesday (September 18), admitted he would indulge in cocaine between playing seasons while away on holiday, stating in a TV interview he began to partake in the Class A substance while he was playing in Europe. He also claimed at the time he was free from of the drug, and that his involvement with it had largely been down to his wife.
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Jardel, who scored an astonishing 234 in 237 games during his time at Porto and then later Sporting, never got near the heights he reached in Portugal with Bolton, featuring only 11 times for Allardyce’s side, before going out on loan to then Serie A side Ancona. However, he scored one of his three Bolton goals against Liverpool at Anfield, when the Wanderers upset the Reds in a League Cup quarter-final.
Jardel opened the scoring before Danny Murphy equalised for the Carling Cup holders, only for a Jay-Jay Okocha free-kick to put the visitors back ahead. Vladimir Smicer’s spectacular effort levelled the scores late on, but a last-minute penalty from Youri Djorkaeff knocked out the Premier League giants and Bolton progressed all the way to the final, which they lost to Middlesbrough.
What do you make of Mario Jardel’s confession? Let us know in the comments section below
Speaking about his time taking cocaine, Jardel shocked viewers in Portugal on their version of Big Brother. He said: “In 2002 I had an overdose and was awake for seven days using cocaine. For those of you watching me, it’s no example. I hired women, I thought nothing was going to happen to me, that everything was okay.”
Jardel added: “This is a daily struggle. I’m very conscious of this problem I have. I fell and it took me a long time to get back up. I don’t have words to thank you for the opportunity you’re giving me. What’s important is that I’m alive and today I can say, ‘No to drugs.’” It’s not easy to fight against depression and the lack of friends after stopping playing.”
