These female footballers are lighting up the World Cup with their superb skills, but off the field their love lives are only adding to the drama
For decades male Premier League stars have become renowned for their complicated love lives.
But now their female counterparts are proving they’re a worthy match and catching up with the men not just on the pitch, but off it, too.
Many of them are dating, or have had past relationships, with fellow teammates across the globe, leading to some potential tensions in the World Cup.
In the current tournament, Republic of Ireland star Ruesha Littlejohn refused to shake hands with Australian forward Caitlin Foord at the start of the opening match.
The ugly scene was thought to have been prompted by Littlejohn’s anger over Foord going on holiday to Ibiza with Littlejohn’s ex-girlfriend, fellow Irish player Katie McCabe, following McCabe and Littlejohn’s split.
But theirs is far from the only relationship between players from teams all over the world, as KATIE HIND reports.
KATIE McCABE
The first anyone knew of Irish captain Katie McCabe’s split from Ruesha Littlejohn came when she referred to their relationship in the past tense in a recent interview.
Although it’s not known exactly when they broke up, 27-year-old McCabe hasn’t wasted any time in enjoying the single life, and last month was spotted on holiday in Ibiza with current and former Arsenal teammates, including Australian player Caitlin Foord.
Katie McCabe (left) used to date Ruesha Littlejohn (right)
RUESHA LITTLEJOHN
Aston Villa midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn, 33, began dating fellow Irish international Katie McCabe in 2016, before going public in 2019.
The couple would frequently front campaigns to help young boys and girls who were struggling with their sexuality. They are thought to have split earlier this year, for unspecified reasons.
CAITLIN FOORD
Caitlin Foord and Ruesha Littlejohn have issues with each other
Although there’s nothing to suggest that Caitlin Foord and Katie McCabe are anything more than good friends, 28-year-old Caitlin is also freshly single, having previously dated Arsenal teammate Lia Walti.
LIA WALTI
Lia Walti and Caitlin Foord used to date
The Swiss captain and Arsenal midfielder, 30, began a relationship with teammate Caitlin Foord in 2020 when they quarantined together during the Covid lockdown. They broke up earlier this year.
LISA EVANS
Lisa Evans (left) used to date Vivianne Miedema
Following her split from Dutch star Vivianne Miedema, 31-year-old Scot Lisa (left), who signed for West Ham last year, is thought to be single.
VIVIANNE MIEDEMA
Vivianne, 27, who is said to be one of the best players in the world, was in a relationship with Lisa Evans for six years. They’d been teammates at Arsenal and Bayern Munich. The Dutch star began dating Beth Mead in 2022.
Vivianne Miedema (left) used to date Lisa Evans and is currently dating Beth Mead (right)
BETH MEAD
The Lioness and Arsenal forward split from Dutch international Danielle van de Donk in 2021. Beth, 28, started a romance with Vivianne last year and they have been described as the Posh and Becks of women’s football.
DANIELLE VAN DE DONK
The 31-year-old Dutch ace moved on from her relationship with Beth Mead when she transferred to French side Lyon in 2021, and started dating Australian teammate Ellie Carpenter in 2022.
Danielle Van De Donk (left) used to date Beth Mead and is currently dating Ellie Carpenter (right)
ELLIE CARPENTER
Carpenter, 23, who has been dating Danielle van de Donk since last year, made her debut for the Australia national team at the age of 15. In 2016, she became the youngest ever female footballer to compete at the Olympics.
MILLIE TURNER
The 27-year-old Manchester United defender started a relationship with Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly in 2021, but for a while the two were long-distance.
However, Rachel moved back to the UK from Texas last year and the pair were reunited. They made their relationship official with a photo of them on Instagram.
Millie Turner (left) is currently dating Rachel Daly (right)
RACHEL DALY
Rachel spent ten years in America’s National Women’s Soccer League, where she met USA star Kristie Mewis, with whom she started a relationship in November 2017. They split in 2020. Rachel, 31, moved back to the UK and signed for Aston Villa last year. She’s currently in a relationship with Millie Turner.
KRISTIE MEWIS
Following her split from Rachel Daly, Kristie, 32, who plays for U.S. club Gotham FC, is now said to be dating London-based Australia and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, with whom she has a long-distance relationship.
Kristie Mewis (left) used to date Rachel Daly and is currently dating Sam Kerr (right)
SAM KERR
The Australian national player, who was signed by Chelsea in 2019, started a relationship with Kristie Mewis in 2021.
Previously, 29-year-old Sam was in a long-term relationship with Seattle player Nikki Stanton.
THE OTHER LOVE MATCHES
Lucy Bronze
LUCY BRONZE & KEIRA WALSH
Although they’ve never gone ‘Instagram official’ — posting joint pictures of their life together — Barcelona and England teammates Lucy, 31, (left) and 26-year-old Keira are thought to have been a couple since 2016.
Keira Walsh
Jess Carter (left) & Ann-Katrin Berger (right)
JESS CARTER & ANN-KATRIN BERGER
Jess, 25, (left) and Ann-Katrin, 32, both play for Chelsea and have been together since the summer of 2019. However, they’ll have to face each other on the pitch as rivals should England and Germany play each other.
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