Newspaper: The discovery of the 1986 World Cup player who lives in the streets of London and is consumed by crack

Living on the streets of London, ex-Canadian football player Paul James has discovered he is consumed by his addiction to crack. Now 59 years old and one of the greatest names in Canadian soccer history, James played in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1986 World Cup for the Canadian national team.

As a midfielder for the Canadian national team, he played 46 matches and scored two goals. The current situation of James was announced in a report published by the British Daily Mail.

In his brief statement to the English newspaper, James stated: “If I choose to end my life tomorrow, which I won’t, people will understand. Because it was a fucking monstrosity.”

Former Canadian soccer player Paul James in a match with the Canadian national team against France in the 1986 World Cup – Photo: Getty Images

James said he recently found shelter in a hostel in central London, but spends his days begging for money on the streets of the English capital.

Paul James was born in Cardiff, Wales, but moved to Canada at a young age, where he built much of his career. He played for teams like Toronto Blizzard, Hamilton Steelers, Doncaster Rovers and Ottawa Intrepid.

Former Canadian soccer player Paul James – Photo: Getty Images

Upon his retirement in 1993, he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Between 1998 and 2001 he was the coach of the Canadian under-20 national team, including being in charge of the team at one edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. He also holds a degree in football from the University of Liverpool.

While still living in Canada, James went public with his crack addiction in 2012. Over the years he campaigned on behalf of people who shared his addiction. However, due to lack of opportunities, he ended up returning to the UK.