Colin Kazim-Richards, the well-traveled former Premier League footballer, recently shared a disturbing chapter from his time playing in Mexico, recounting a period when threats from a cartel made him consider drastic measures to protect himself. At 38, Kazim-Richards has journeyed through an impressive and unconventional career that’s seen him suit up for 18 different clubs across various countries, including Turkey, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Greece. After starting in England with Bury and later featuring for Brighton and Sheffield United—where he played during their 2006-07 relegation season—his path took him to Mexico, where his success on the pitch brought unexpected off-field challenges.
Kazim-Richards’ time in Mexico began positively, following a productive season at Veracruz that soon caught the attention of Pachuca, who signed him after he performed well against them. However, shortly after his arrival at Pachuca, the footballer’s life took a sudden and frightening turn when he began receiving unsettling messages on his phone. Speaking on the Broadtalks podcast, Kazim-Richards recalled the moments when those messages started coming in, seemingly from cartel members. Initially dismissive of the sender’s identity, he quickly recognized the gravity of the situation. “I’m in Mexico, and I’m getting messages on my phone from the cartel,” he shared, recounting how the tone of these messages became increasingly alarming.
The unsettling messages followed a familiar script: requests for money that escalated in tone, culminating in demands that made Kazim-Richards and his family feel genuinely threatened. He remembers the exact phrasing, a blend of intimidation and expectation, as he tried to make sense of why he was being targeted. Initially, he showed the messages to his wife, whose stress increased as the demands continued. The sender claimed affiliation with a cartel, consistently demanding $1,000—an amount that didn’t fit the typical profile of larger cartel operations, raising suspicions among Kazim-Richards’ friends.
With each message, the sense of urgency grew. Reflecting on his safety, Kazim-Richards admitted he began weighing his options, even considering buying a firearm to protect himself. This led him to discuss the situation with his coach at Pachuca, seeking guidance and ultimately informing the coach of his intent to purchase a gun. However, his coach, recognizing the situation’s volatility, advised caution. He asked for some time to investigate, and a few friends joined in, pooling their resources to dig deeper into the identity of Kazim-Richards’ would-be extorter.
Through some resourceful searches, Kazim-Richards soon discovered that the man sending these threats was, in fact, an ex-cartel member who had lost his cartel affiliation after committing an infraction. Notably, the individual was already in prison, attempting to use his limited reach to intimidate and extort money remotely, relying on the threat of cartel power rather than any real connection to it.
A local acquaintance put things in perspective, pointing out the improbability of a genuine cartel extortion attempt over such a small amount. Kazim-Richards recalls the individual’s blunt advice, essentially telling him that a cartel would hardly be concerned with a mere thousand dollars. The reassurance from locals and his coach helped Kazim-Richards realize that he likely wasn’t in any immediate danger.
Kazim-Richards continued his playing career, moving on from Pachuca in 2020 to join Derby County in England, where he made 63 appearances before later signing with the Turkish side Fatih Karagümrük. Despite a career rich with experiences across continents, this particular chapter remains a stark reminder of the realities athletes sometimes face when stepping into unfamiliar environments. Kazim-Richards has since left the Turkish league and, as of 2023, remains unattached to a club.
The story he shared serves as an insight into the unusual pressures and challenges professional athletes can encounter when their careers take them to regions where the lines between sport and survival can blur. Kazim-Richards’ candid reflections underline the sometimes unpredictable nature of professional football, especially for players whose careers lead them to environments far removed from the familiar comforts of Europe’s top leagues.
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