Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez was urged to act as a role model as he was banned from the roads for six months.
Tevez will begin a punishment of 250 hours of community service after admitting driving offences. The Argentinian was sentenced at Macclesfield Magistrates' Court in Cheshire on Wednesday after admitting he was guilty of driving while disqualified and without insurance when leaving a golf club on March 7.
The 29-year-old was caught driving a Porsche Cayenne by police, after an anonymous tip-off, and must complete his work in the community inside the next 12 months.
Probation Service officer Mike Boliver said in court, after speaking to Tevez: "He was very clear when talking to me this has been a very salutary lesson. I think the seriousness and significance of this type of offence, I think the likelihood of this happening again is very, very slim.
"Mr Tevez would welcome a chance to put something back into the community. Clearly, he is fit for unpaid work."
Passing sentence, chair of the bench Elizabeth Depares told the defendant: "Mr Tevez, you must realise you are a role model to thousands, if not millions, of fans but nobody is above the law. You should not have been driving. We have heard that you are sorry and it is now up to you to ensure you will not be brought back to court again."
Tevez was also fined £1,000 for having no insurance.
He entered his plea in his native Spanish with the aid of an interpreter, as he stood in the dock, answering "I am guilty" to the charges.
JPs heard that Tevez has not yet got a UK driving licence, partly because he has struggled to pass the theory test, which is conducted in English.
Gwyn Lewis, defending, said that Tevez had now applied for a provisional licence and "his intention" was to become a legitimate driver.
Source: PA
