Ex-Juventus & Netherlands star recounts terrifying car crash after wrecking his €300k Lamborghini

Elia was involved in a serious three-car collision on the A4 motorway near Leiden on Saturday night. The 38-year-old’s €300,000 Lamborghini was declared a total loss after the crash, which took place at around 9:45 p.m. According to Dutch media reports, Elia’s vehicle collided with two others after traffic ahead of him suddenly came to a halt. Police temporarily closed the motorway for investigation and clean up, with debris littering the area.

Speaking to Omroep West, Elia described the frightening sequence of events that led to the crash, saying: “The traffic in front of me suddenly stopped; I couldn’t brake in time.” 

The former winger added that he had been driving on a quiet stretch of the motorway when the traffic unexpectedly came to a standstill. “I tried to brake, but I skidded,” he continued. Elia also revealed that a car ahead of him had failed to switch on its hazard lights, making it impossible to react in time. “The only thing I could do was avoid hitting the car directly behind me. I steered past it a bit, which caused me to hit it more on the side,” he said. “There’s only damage to the cars. That’s it. It could have been worse, anyway." 

The police questioned Elia and another driver at the scene as part of standard procedures. "Everyone was shocked, I told them [police] what happened and then I went home," he added.

Reports in the Dutch media have claimed that authorities are also checking whether alcohol could have been a factor in the collision, though no formal statement has been issued yet. The motorway reopened a few hours later after all vehicles were removed by tow trucks.

This isn’t the first time Elia’s luxury vehicles have been involved in a crash. Back in 2013, the former Netherlands international’s Bentley was severely damaged in another road incident. Reflecting on that earlier crash, Elia had said: “I was hit in that accident,” insisting that it was not his fault. Known for his flair both on and off the pitch, Elia owned several high-end cars during his playing days across Europe.

Elia retired from professional football in 2022 following an ankle ligament injury. During his career, he represented clubs including Juventus, Feyenoord, Twente, Werder Bremen and Southampton, where he scored twice in 17 appearances during his loan spell in the Premier League. Elia earned 30 caps for the Netherlands, scoring twice and featuring in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. Now 38, he lives in Netherlands with his wife Sanne and their three children.