From footballing prodigy to prisoner: the dramatic rise and fall of Quincy Promes
In short: Quincy Promes once dominated the Russian Premier League, earning titles and top scorer honors. Today, the former Dutch international faces a very different reality. After a career marked by brilliance on the pitch and controversy off it, his professional journey has reached a sudden, legal end.
Born in Amsterdam on 4 January 1992, Promes's career began with a significant setback. After being released by Ajax at age 16 due to behavioral issues, he was encouraged by his mother to continue playing. This led him to Haarlem and eventually to Twente, where he turned professional in February 2011. He initially joined Haarlem before moving to Twente in 2009. His professional contract was eventually signed in February 2011.
Promes reached his athletic peak during a highly successful stint with Spartak Moscow. After joining in the summer of 2014 for a reported €15 million, he became a central figure in the club's success. He helped secure the Russian Premier League title in 2017, a year in which he was also named Russia's Footballer of the Year and finished the 2017–18 season as the league's top scorer. He also earned a nickname, 'Promessi', during his time at Go Ahead Eagles. This period saw him become a fan favourite.
However, his career has been shadowed by legal turmoil. In 2020, he was detained following a stabbing incident, leading to an aggravated assault conviction in 2023. In 2024, he was found guilty of cocaine trafficking. Despite these issues, he continued playing until his arrest in the United Arab Emirates in 2024 at the request of Dutch prosecutors. He had previously played for Spanish side Sevilla in 2018. Later, he enjoyed a successful spell with his boyhood club, Ajax.
His professional career officially concluded on 20 June 2025, when he was extradited to the Netherlands. As of June 2026, Promes remains imprisoned while appealing his convictions for aggravated assault and drug trafficking. Following his extradition, he briefly joined Dubai United. His footballing journey has now reached a definitive conclusion.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Quincy Promes
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