Best XI of footballers to get engaged or married this summer including romantic Man Utd pair and loved-up Arsenal ace
HARRY MAGUIRE and Marcus Rashford are leading a summer of love as Premier League stars switch from 4-4-2 to a Fall-for-You formation.
With the World Cup in Qatar moved to this winter, it seems more big-name players are getting married or engaged this close (encounters) season than ever before.
Among those going from heading balls to wedding halls are Manchester United’s Maguire, Manchester City title winners Nathan Ake and Ilkay Gundogan, and West Brom’s Andy Carroll.
Big frontman Carroll might be lucky not to have found Hawthorns in his marital bed after a stag-gering pre-wedding photo faux pas.
But it all went smoothly for the former Newcastle hero in the end.
And that earns him a place in our alluring XI of players either tying the knot or successfully popping the question this summer.
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Arsenal’s Ben White and United striker Rashford have each got engaged in recent days.
And they are both also dreaming of making England’s squad for Qatar.
New Wed Devil Maguire makes it a betrothal total of Three Lions who are taking a break from footie floor-play with some true romance.
Here’s a full guide to our romantic XI – with 11 best men.
THIBAUT COURTOIS
Life surely can’t get much better for Real Madrid’s ex-Chelsea keeper.
Star man in the Champions League final win over Liverpool, the 30-year-old marked his engagement to model Mishel Gerzig by jetting to her native Israel to make some fishy friends at Dolphin Reef Beach.
Perhaps with a future wedding in mind – some fin blue…
BEN WHITE
The centre-back, 24, wowed social media and more importantly Milly Adams by getting down on one knee for his proposal.
His description when posting the shots on Instagram was a little less dreamy – as he wrote ‘I got you’.
But the couple donned ‘I love you’ tattoos’ on the underside of their wrists along with the ‘May 29’ engagement date.
And Milly, 25, took White’s words one step further on her own Instagram message as she said: “I got you for life.”
NATHAN AKE
There was heart-Ake for Liverpool in the title race – but a few of their stars still joined City counterparts at the Holland defender’s Majorca wedding on Monday.
The 27-year-old married childhood sweetheart Kaylee Ramman in a beach ceremony at the luxurious San Marroig country estate.
HARRY MAGUIRE
The England ace headed straight from training to wed long-time partner Fern Hawkins in secret at Crewe Registry Office in May.
Maguire, 29, was spotted leaving the service in a white shirt and navy chinos with white trainers.
Fern wore a huge ring and left the venue separately as a source said: “They wanted to keep things very low key.”
JORDI ALBA
It was a seven-year hitch for the Barcelona left-back this month after courting since 2015 – as he married Romarey Ventura at a spectacular estate in Seville as superstar pals Lionel Messi and Co watched on.
The Spain star, 32, proposed to Romarey while holidaying on a yacht last summer.
DANIEL JAMES
The Leeds winger took sweetheart Ria Hughes to the Greek island of Mykonos to ask sweetheart Ria Hughes the big question.
He’d prepared for the occasions with an all-white ceremony backed by ‘MARRY ME’ in huge letters.
But the Wales speedster, 24, has been slower on the romantic side than he is zooming around for Wales as the couple were dating for five years.
ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN
Liverpool’s England hopeful has rocked up as one of the newest fiancés.
Little Mix star Perrie Edwards announced the engagement on Instagram by saying: “Last night the love of my life got down on one knee and I said… YES!”
The 28-year-olds, who have have been together since 2016, sparked social media suggestions Perrie is pregnant as the Ox placed his hand tenderly on her tummy for the photos.
ILKAY GUNDOGAN
The Etihad and Germany midfielder’s wife Sara Arfaoui posted snaps from their discreet wedding – held a week before City’s title triumph.
Italian Sara added the Instagram caption: “Still dreaming…. my endless love… S&I.”
MARCUS RASHFORD
The home-grown Red Devils’ star proposed to childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi, also 24, when they toured celebrity hangouts around Los Angeles in May.
Club-and-country team-mate Jesse Lingard was among the close friends to join celebrations after Rashford popped the question in an ‘extremely romantic’ moment.
JERMAIN DEFOE
The former England forward, 39, wed beauty therapist Donna Tierney this month after a three-day celebration.
The couple are said to have described the event in Berkshire country house Cliveden House – accompanied by 360 guests – as ‘like a movie’
ANDY CARROLL
The ex-Three Lions and Liverpool hitman tied the knot with Billi Mucklow this month after the reality TV star forgave him for three-in-a-bed stag-do photos.
It’s thought 33-year-old Billi, 33, came close to calling off the nuptials after pictures of Andy, 34, with bar manager Taylor Jane Wilkey in Dubai.
And they are both said to have joined in loud laughter at their wedding when the officiator asked if anyone present knew of a reason they should not be married.
