A high point in his career as a footballer was when he was chosen to play international soccer for Wales, after the discovery that his ancestry qualified him; he even captained the side. Despite his Welsh name, it was considered ironic that someone so blatantly English could be selected for one of the other home countries; his reputation alone would have made him an unlikely choice for the England side.
Following the end of Jones' playing career, he found success as an actor, appearing in films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Vinnie Jones also appeared in a series of TV advertisments for Bacardi.
In December 2003 Jones was convicted of air rage offences committed on a flight the previous May. Following his conviction Bacardi withdrew the ads in which Jones appeared.