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Football has certainly seen its fair share of marriages that ended 'Happily Never After'.
Beyond the goals, tackles, and glory, there's so many reasons why we love the beautiful game.
It has also been a breeding ground for some of the messiest marriages known to mankind.
From cheating scandals to explosive divorces, many of football's biggest stars have seen their personal lives play out like a season of the most dramatic reality TV show.
If you thought the 90 minutes of football were wild, just wait until you dive into the untamed world of footballers’ marriages gone wrong.
In today’s gossip-packed exposé, Pulse Sports delves deep into the top 10 worst football marriages of all time
Heads up! If you’re looking for romance, I respectfully suggest you turn back now.
This list is an avalanche of betrayal, financial ruin, and marriages as fragile as a Cristiano Ronaldo dive.
From John Terry’s knack for scoring both on and off the pitch to Emmanuel Eboue signing away his fortune like it was a contract renewal he forgot to read, this list is a savage rundown mix of some marriages that crashed harder than we ever expected and others that are expected to fold in due time…..or not.
Top 10 worst marriages of all time involving football stars
1. John Terry and Toni Poole
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Look, you must respect him for the icon that he is in English football but his howler off the pitch is spectacularly noteworthy.
John Terry, Chelsea's legendary captain, once basked in the glow of being named “Dad of the Year” in 2009.
But in true footballer fashion, the Blues legend quickly undid his halo by scoring off the field with Vanessa Perroncel—who just so happened to be the girlfriend of his teammate (and supposed bestie), Wayne Bridge.
The betrayal was so scandalous that his own teammate refused to shake his hand during a Premier League game.
After this bombshell, Terry’s wife Toni Poole, wisely ran off on holiday with her mum, leaving JT to stew in the mess he made.
Interestingly, she later forgave him, JT’s permanent place in the doghouse hall of fame was already cemented.
2. Paul Gascoigne and Sheryl Failes
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Remember when Gazza was football’s golden boy? Yeah, neither does anyone else after his marriage to Sheryl Failes hit rock bottom faster than his post-playing career.
Gascoigne wooed Sheryl over with a limo full of roses and a “Will You Marry Me?” cake, making everyone swoon and even giving Romeo a serious run for his money.
But guess what? Two years later, the romance ended as quickly as Arsenal’s title push in the 2023/24 season and this is because Sheryl accused him of regular physical abuse.
Gazza’s fall from grace was swift, spiraling into addiction and despair, leaving his marriage in ashes and his reputation beyond repair.
3. Emmanuel Eboué and Aurelie Bertrand
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If there were a masterclass in “How Not to Handle Your Finances,” Emmanuel Eboue would be its unfortunate star.
Arguably the true contender for the no.1 spot in the list of the Top 10 worst marriages in football, Eboue was done dirty by his ex-wife.
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The former Arsenal defender was riding high with his career when he married Aurelie Bertrand, but little did he know that the real battle would come off the pitch.
Fast forward to their divorce, and Eboue found himself penniless after signing his assets away without a clue.
In short, the marriage turned out to be a romance scam in the flesh.
Worst part of this ‘How I married the devil’ episode was that Eboue's divorce happened when he was trying to pick himself back up from a one-year football ban after reportedly failing to pay a former agent.
The ex-Ivory Coast international trusted his wife so much that he signed any paper she handed him, including the ones transferring ‘everything’ into her name.
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This man literally lost it all, down to the mansion and luxury cars, leaving him with nothing but a subway card and an ocean of regret.
However, years later, he did say in an interview that he didn’t lose it all.
“When [people] say Emmanuel Eboue lost everything, it’s not nice," the 40-year-old said, as reported by Citi Sports.
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“Because I had a divorce [case] and they [court] said my wife won, they gave her all my properties – my two houses, money and the cars that I had in England.
“I wasn’t worried about it because I expected that she was going to use it to take care of my children.
“After that [divorce case], I left and returned back to Africa. I have my own properties in Africa and so I live with that," the former Ivory Coast international added.
“When I hear people say Emmanuel Eboue lost everything, I laugh. I have properties in Ghana, I have properties in my home country.
“I live very comfortably and I thank God. So when people keep talking and say Emmanuel Eboue doesn’t have anything, he can’t eat, doesn’t have a place to stay, it’s not true."
4. George Best and Angie MacDonald-Janes
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George Best might have been a legend on the field, but in the game of love, he was nowhere near prolific.
Marrying Angie MacDonald-Janes in Las Vegas should’ve been a glamorous affair, but instead, it was more of a joke.
Not only did he ‘lose the wedding ring’ on the way there…Yes, you heard right.
But after their wedding, he didn’t even consider the idea of a honeymoon — because why stay with your newly-wedded bride when you can go out drinking with your mates?
Angie didn’t need a second invitation to leave, and with that, George lost yet another piece of jewelry and a wife in one fell swoop, thanks to his no-brainer of an idea for a post-wedding festivities.
5. Odion Ighalo and Sonia Adesuwa
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If you thought divorces were messy? Wait until you hear about Odion Ighalo and Sonia Adesuwa.
These two were married for a decade before separating in 2019, only to patch things up two years later.
But here’s the kicker: Sonia ‘divorced him without his signature’ in 2022.
You might begin to wonder how that is possible right? We did so too.
The ex-WAG made several allegations against the former Manchester United striker including claims that he cheated on her with a Big Brother Naija star, a Nollywood actress, and a DJ.
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But Sonia didn’t stop there.
She publicly roasted him on Instagram consistently, accusing him of all kinds of shenanigans.
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Only days ago, Sonia shocked the world by tendering a supposedly heartfelt apology to the former Super Eagles no.9.
We all thought she was finally willing to let sleeping dogs but we were so wrong..dead wrong actually — because just hours after that apology, Sonia went on another rant and then demanded Ighalo collect back the bride price he paid when he asked for her hand in marriage.
6. George Best and Alex Pursey
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You know it’s bad when your second entry on this list is about another disastrous marriage.
George Best’s marriage to Alex Pursey was as violent as his temper on the field.
Alex accused him of punching her in the face, and although Best never denied the allegations, he somehow skated through the court proceedings with his drinking buddy acting as his defense.
Who needs a lawyer when you’ve got your barstool mate by your side, right?
The marriage crumbled, but Best’s reputation as football’s wild child lived on.
7. Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin
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Wayne Rooney’s marriage to his high school sweetheart Coleen McLoughlin has survived more scandals than an entire season of The Real Housewives.
From granny hookers to paying for threesomes, you have to respect Rooney for keeping the tabloids fed and watered with his antics.
Coleen, ever the forgiving wife, stood by him time and time again, but even the saintliest of women have their limits.
Already, Coleen has reportedly placed the Manchester United legend under surveillance at his new job – being the head coach of Plymouth FC - a desperate move to avoid stories that touch.
But in truth, nobody is above being served breakfast or so Burna Boy once said.
If this marriage lasts another scandal, it will be nothing short of a miracle—and if not, well, we’ll be waiting with popcorn in hand.
8. Nasser Mohammad-Khani and Shahla Jahed
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This one is an entirely doozy story.
So apparently, Iranian footballer Nasser Mohammad-Khani found himself tangled in a love triangle so twisted, it ended in murder.
In Iran, temporary marriages are a thing, and Nasser was living his best life with both a permanent wife and a temporary one, Shahla Jahed.
But when Jahed decided she’d had enough of playing second fiddle, she went full horror movie and in fact, stabbed Nasser’s wife to death.
The aftermath? Jahed was executed as punishment for her heinous act, and Nasser went down in history as the man at the center of one of football’s darkest marriages.
9. Ashely Cole and Cheryl Tweedy
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Ashley Cole and Cheryl Tweedy’s marriage was like a slow-motion car crash you couldn’t look away from.
The Chelsea legend cheated on his wife more times than we can count, while Cheryl played the part of the loyal WAG, giving him chance after chance like a broken record.
The couple’s glamorous image crumbled as Ashley’s cheating became a tabloid mainstay.
Cheryl eventually packed her bags and got the heck out of Dodge, but not before dragging the entire saga out for the world to see.
Honestly, you could write a soap opera about these two.
10. Achraf Hakimi and Hiba Abouk
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If Hakimi didn’t make this list, who would??
When Achraf Hakimi met Hiba Abouk during a Vogue Arabia photoshoot, sparks flew.
They went public at a charity event in Madrid in June 2019 and made things official on Instagram two months later.
But, like all tragic love stories, things took a sharp left.
By 2023, Abouk was calling their marriage a “failed project” and rolling out divorce plans like she was announcing a new movie series.
It was later revealed that Hiba Abouk had rolled out plans to separate from the PSG star months before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as the duo stopped living together over concerns about his lifestyle.
The final nail in the coffin? Hakimi was accused of sexual assault – although, we never got to hear the end of that episode.
At the time, Abouk’s silence on the issue spoke volumes, and it didn’t take long before she wanted out.
In an interview in March 2023, Abouk revealed that the reason behind her desire to divorce Hakimi is because their marriage was practically over.
El Cierre Digital reported the Spanish actress wanted to enjoy a home life together with her children, Amín, 3, and Naim, 1, and the footballer, but Hakimi only wanted to continue partying and living like a bachelor.
It is also understood that their 12-year age gap contributed to their issues as well as their different mentalities with regard to the future of their relationship.
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