Xuenou > Sports > El Hadji Diouf’s pizza cravings saw Senegal star flout law in gold Cadillac and supercars
El Hadji Diouf’s pizza cravings saw Senegal star flout law in gold Cadillac and supercars
El Hadji Diouf's pizza cravings saw Senegal star flout law in gold Cadillac and supercars,El Hadji Diouf cut a controversial figure both on and off the pitch for club and country Senegal, with his love of pizza leading to many run-ins with the law during his time in England

El Hadji Diouf’s pizza cravings saw Senegal star flout law in gold Cadillac and supercars

Former Senegal star El Hadji Diouf will be cheering on his nation against England in the World Cup – but we just hope he isn't driving to watch the game somewhere.

That's because Diouf was a serial parking offender during his time in the Premier League with the likes of Liverpool and Bolton. The 41-year-old would regularly flout the law to feed his pizza cravings.

Back in October 2009, the then-Blackburn Rovers forward was caught returning to his outrageous gold Cadillac Escalade after going for a spot of lunch in Manchester, having left the £53k motor in a loading bay.

READ MORE: Senegal's team band hope to blow England away with own versions of irritating vuvuzela

He managed to narrowly avoid a £70 fine on that occasion as the traffic warden's hand-held computer wasn't working. Diouf had been dining on a seafood pizza at the San Carlo restaurant, where he returned in December of that year to pick up four more for takeaway.

After ditching his £420k chrome Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren on double-yellow lines that time, he wasn't so lucky. Despite protesting that he'd been "just 25 minutes", Diouf was handed a parking ticket by a member of the public after it had been placed on his windscreen.

What's your score prediction for England vs Senegal? Let us know in the comments section.

El Hadji Diouf
El Hadji Diouf was caught parking illegally in October 2009 – one of many occasions (Image: Manchester Evening News)
El Hadji Diouf's gold Cadillac Escalade
Diouf had left his gold Cadillac Escalade in a loading bay (Image: Manchester Evening News)

His misdemeanors date back all the way to 2005, when he left his black Lincoln Navigator in a disabled parking spot while he went shopping for the afternoon in Manchester.

The repeated tickets unsurprisingly didn't deter him, as in January 2011 he parked his McLaren in a taxi rank outside the Radisson Hotel, again in Manchester.

El Hadji Diouf collecting takeaway pizza in Manchester after being given a parking ticket
Diouf's love of pizza earned him a parking ticket in December 2009 (Image: YouTube/Manchester Evening News)
El Hadji Diouf of Senegal in action during the France v Senegal Group A, World Cup Group Stage match played at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea on May 31, 2002
The former forward scored 24 goals for Senegal, who take on England in the World Cup last 16 (Image: Getty Images)

He did, however, get stung the year before for driving without a valid UK licence, which gave wardens a six-month break from handing him tickets.

Diouf had a letter from the Senegalese Embassy which said he held an international licence for 12 months – but used it for seven years after a mix up with the paperwork.

And the wardens had the last laugh in February 2012 as the McLaren supercar was repossessed after he failed to keep up with the payments.

Diouf, who was twice named the African Footballer of the Year, scored 24 goals in 70 appearances for his nation but was banned for playing for them in 2011. He'll no doubt be behind them, though, as they try to reach the World Cup quarter-finals by beating England on Sunday (December 4).

READ NEXT:

  • World Cup commentator brutally sacked at half-time – for mentioning ex-hero's name

  • Porn star promised 18-hour sex marathon if Netherlands were beaten at the World Cup

  • Fan watches World Cup through futuristic VR tech – despite being in the ground