Former Premier League striker is JAILED for a year for failing to pay £70,000 in alimony to his Miss Croatia ex-wife to support their three children

A former Premier League striker has been jailed after failing to pay £70,000 in financial support to his ex-wife. 

Ex-Croatia international Bosko Balaban was given a conditional sentence of one year and four years of probation in 2021 because of overdue maintenance money owed to model Iva Radic – who was named Miss Croatia in 1995.

Balaban was married to Radic for more than a decade before getting divorced in 2017 and the pair have three children together – two daughters and a son – but he failed to pay the total amount of alimony debts in the two year time frame he was given.

As a result, the 45-year-old – who played for Aston Villa between 2001 and 2003 – will now be jailed for one year in January, with four years suspended, according to Belgian outlet HLN. 

The report says a court in Zagreb handed down the sentence and that there is ‘no escape’ from prison time, saying that he would still be jailed even if he paid the overdue money.

Former Premier League star Bosko Balaban is set to serve one year in prison for failing to pay £70,000 in alimony to his ex wife

The former Aston Villa striker was married to model Iva Radic for more than a decade and had three children with her before divorcing in 2017

Radic has 113,000 followers on her Instagram account and can often be seen posting glamorous photos of herself in tropical locations. 

The model has also shown off her work alongside brands such as Paco Rabane, H&M Damiani, Chanel and Journal.  

Balaban, meanwhile, has worked as agent since retiring in 2015, guiding the careers of a number of young Croatian stars. 

He has notably represented ex-Leicester striker Andrej Kramaric and helped negotiate his £9m move from Croatian club Rijeka in 2015. 

Radic was named Miss Croatia in 1995 and has 113,000 followers on her Instagram account

Balaban joined Aston Villa in 2001 but struggled to make an impact as he failed to score a goal

Balaban started his professional career at Rijeka before moving to Dinamo Zagreb, impressing with 19 goals in his first season. 

He then joined Aston Villa for a fee of nearly £6million in 2001 but failed to make an impact – not managing to score in eight appearances before being sent back to Zagreb on loan the following season.

Balaban later signed for Belgian side Club Brugge, where he spent two years before finishing his playing days with Greek side Panionios and Malaysian outfit Selangor. 

He went on play 35 times for Croatia, scoring ten goals and made the squad for two World Cups in 2002 and 2006.