Premiership footballers are the new targets for a group of self-styled “urban guerrillas” who campaign against the use of 4x4s in cities.

The three most popular cars among top-flight players are all large off-road vehicles that produce more than double the emissions of the average car, according to a survey.

The BMW X5, weighing 2.2 tonnes and using a gallon of fuel every 15 miles (24km), is the favourite. It is driven by 22 players, including Sol Campbell, John Terry and Danny Murphy. The 4.8-litre engine emits three times as much carbon dioxide per kilometre as small diesels such as the Volkswagen Lupo.

In second place is the Mercedes-Benz M-class, owned by Freddie Ljungberg, Ruud van Nistelrooy and 16 other players. It is slightly cheaper than the BMW X5 but just as polluting.

Third on the list, compiled by Nuts magazine, is the Range Rover, driven by 16 Premiership players including Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen and Jermain Defoe. It is the heaviest and thirstiest of the three, achieving fuel consumption of as little as 12 miles per gallon.

The Alliance Against Urban 4x4s has previously concentrated its efforts on the school run, issuing fake parking tickets and holding demonstrations to embarrass parents who take their children to school in them.

The alliance, which has 500 members, is now switching its focus to football teams, and is planning a series of raids on the training grounds of Premiership teams. Arsenal and Chelsea are the top targets because the alliance believes that their players have the least reason to drive a 4x4 because many of them live in London.

Sian Berry, co-ordinator of the alliance, said: “Footballers are setting a dreadful example by their choice of vehicle, and are influencing a whole generation of young people who aspire to be like them.

“How much room do they need to carry a kit bag? We will be targeting players at their training grounds to highlight their shocking disregard both for the environment and the safety of other road users. We intend to make driving a big 4x4 in town as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.”

Ms Berry said that footballers were partly responsible for making the 4x4 fashionable among many young people with high disposable incomes. Sales of 4x4s have more than doubled in the past decade to 187,000 last year. By contrast, sales of sports cars fell by 13 per cent last year to 64,000.

The most popular sports car among Premiership footballers is the Aston Martin, driven by ten players, including six in the England team: Ashley Cole, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Owen.

In terms of carbon dioxide emissions, sports cars can be more polluting than 4x4s. The Lamborghini Murciélago, driven by Robbie Savage and James Beattie, produces 500g of carbon dioxide per kilometre, compared with an average of 170g/km among new cars sold last year.

The Government is considering increasing vehicle excise duty from £165 to £200 for cars emitting more than 250g/km.

The survey also indicated that Chelsea players had the most expensive cars, with an average cost of £105,000. Arsenal trailed in second place at £88,000, followed by Liverpool at £86,000. Chelsea also came top in the speed league, with their cars capable of an average top speed of 192mph, followed by Birmingham at 175mph and Arsenal at 174mph.