Clarence Seedorf is in a relationship with Sophia Makramati in Dubai

It is estimated that around 33% of professional footballers get divorced within one year of retiring from the sport6. In most divorces where the footballer is not protected by a pre-nuptial agreement (or ‘prenup’), the footballer can normally expect to pay around half of all of their capital to their wife, and a significant chunk of their future earnings. This year, the Russian owner of French club Monaco FC has been ordered to pay a record-breaking £2.6 billion to his ex-wife in a divorce settlement7 while ex-Premier League midfield Rafael Van der Vaart divorced his wife of 8 years in 2013 in a multi-million pound case8. The most high profile divorce case in recent years however involved that of Ashley and Cheryl Cole, with Cheryl Cole reportedly receiving £4.5million from the settlement9.

November 8, 2021 | 10:28 am