Football and poker go together like the tackle and the shin pad, like the through-ball and the dinked finish, like Tim Sherwood and memes. Often, when players have finished playing the most popular sport in the world for a living, they need something to replace the adrenaline rush that they’ve only ever felt when they score a goal.

That is where poker comes in. The rush of winning a big pot, the buzz of lifting a trophy, the strategy, mental training, atmosphere at the table and camaraderie outside the action – it’s a potent cocktail. Like Paul Gascoigne in 1996, footballers can’t help imbibing themselves of that cocktail.

The first of our three-part series looks at five British players who’ve swapped football boots for three-bets. They took one look at the biggest poker tournaments in the world and thought ‘I’ve played in the Champions League final – and I’m all-in!’

Teddy Sheringham