You're a Premiership footballer. You're young, exuberant and rich beyond the dreams of avarice. So what do you do? Yup, you treat yourself to the car of your dreams, and precisely because you're young, exuberant and rich, you wrap it around a lamp post at the first opportunity.
Here's a little gallery of football stars past and present who've done exactly that. If you're a fan of high-priced automotive exotica, you may want to look away now…
Nicklas Bendtner - Aston Martin DBS
Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner (recently out on loan to Sunderland) had a lucky escape when he ploughed his Aston Martin DBS into a tree in Hertfordshire. He walked away from the smash with a bruised shoulder and a grazed knee but, sadly, the Aston was a write-off.
Anderson - Audi R8
Man U midfielder Anderson was a passenger in this Audi R8 when it smashed through a wall and flew 100ft through the air before landing in a field. He had a lucky escape too, as he was dragged clear of the wreckage before the whole thing exploded.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Ferrari 599 GTB
Cristiano Ronaldo totalled his Ferrari 599 GTB in a tunnel near Manchester Airport in 2007. Police arrived on the scene to find Ronaldo crying on the ground, holding his knee. He denied the accusation that the crash was caused after he was dazzled by light reflecting off his own earring.
Cesc Fabregas - Mercedes SK55 AMG
It seems Arsenal players don't have the best luck when it comes to keeping their motors in one piece. Former Gunners Captain Cesc Fabregas drove his Merc SL55 AMG into the back of an Audi A3 in London, proving once and for all that, no matter what you drive, if you travel faster than the car in front, sooner or later you're going to hit it.
Jermaine Jenas - Bentley Continental GT
Tottenham Hotspur's Jermaine Jenas crashed his Bentley Continental GT into the back of a van, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Luckily no one was hurt, although we think it'll take a bit more than T-Cut to straighten the Conti out.
Ian Wright - Ferrari 360
Former Arsenal striker and 'TV personality' Ian Wright ran out of talent dramatically when he disengaged the traction control in his Ferrari 360 and subsequently drove down a bank in Croydon. Even more embarrassingly, the Fezza's tax disc had expired at the time of the incident.
Karim Benzema - Lamborghini Gallardo
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema was involved in an accident after a race between a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Porsche 911. Weirdly, it's unclear as to which car he was driving at the time. Maybe he wasn't sure himself. That would explain the crash.
David Seaman - Jaguar XK8
This was the state of David Seaman's Jag XK8 after the former England goalkeeper crashed it in Hertfordshire in 1998. An eyewitness claimed that after the accident Seaman still had "that big cheesy grin of his" on his face. We can't really see why, if we're honest.
Louis Saha - Ferrari 458
Everton striker Louis Saha totalled his Ferrari 458 after crashing into a fence in Wilmslow, Cheshire. It was a lucky escape - if the Ferrari had been a right-hand-drive model, Saha might have been killed, as a fencepost went straight through the windscreen into the passenger seat. Ouch!
Mario Balotelli - Audi R8
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli pranged his Audi R8 just weeks after signing for the club. Upon arriving at the scene, the police asked Balotelli why he had £5,000 in cash in his back pocket, to which he replied, "Because I am rich." Fair point. But Mario asks "Why always me?" You tell us, Mario.
