Bastian Schweinsteiger Splits With Ana Ivanovic After Nine Years of Marriage
- Bayern Munich legend and Tennis icon, who began dating 11 years ago, have gone their separate ways
- Schweinsteiger’s post-football career allegedly stood in stark contrast to Ivanovic’s expectations
- The German won the FIFA World Cup in 2014 while Ivanovic is a former Tennis World No.1 in women's singles
Bastian Schweinsteiger, the former midfielder for Manchester United and Bayern Munich, has ended his marriage with former tennis champion Ana Ivanovic.
The couple, who began dating in 2014 and married in a private ceremony in Venice in 2016, have separated after nine years together, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split.
Source: Getty Images
Bastian Schweinsteiger divorces Ana Ivanovic
According to Telegraf, Ana Ivanovic’s legal representative, Christian Schertz, confirmed that the couple has mutually decided to separate due to irreconcilable differences.
In his statement, Schertz remarked, “The fans understand and respect their need for privacy.”
The couple first met in 2014, when Bastian Schweinsteiger was still playing for Bayern Munich and Ana Ivanovic was approaching the end of her illustrious tennis career. She officially announced retirement in December 2016, the same year they tied the knot.
Over the course of their marriage, they welcomed three children: two sons, Luka and Leon, while the name and details of their youngest child have not been made public.
Source: Getty Images
Despite maintaining a seemingly harmonious image, recent months have seen growing speculation about tension within the marriage.
According to an April report by the Daily Mail, the couple had been experiencing strain in their relationship.
Schweinsteiger’s extensive travel commitments as a sports broadcaster contrasted with Ivanovic’s family-focused life in Serbia, where she primarily raised their children.
Schweinsteiger’s marriage ends as career goals clash with family life
Bastian Schweinsteiger’s separation from Ana Ivanovic shocked fans who admired their fairytale union. Sources close to the couple revealed that tension had been quietly brewing for nearly a year.
Schweinsteiger’s demanding work schedule as a football analyst often kept him in Germany and abroad for days. Meanwhile, Ivanovic chose a calmer lifestyle in Serbia to raise their three young children.
While both still deeply care for each other, loved ones said their dreams began moving in different directions, leaving little room for compromise.
Despite their split, people close to them emphasise there was no betrayal involved, only two people growing apart because their personal goals no longer aligned. For now, Ivanovic is focusing on her children’s wellbeing, while Schweinsteiger continues to build his reputation as one of Europe’s respected football pundits.
Bastian Schweinsteiger's football career
Bastian Schweinsteiger had a hugely successful football career that spanned 18 years, from 2001 to 2019.
According to Transfermarkt, the retired footballer scored 82 goals and provided 111 assists across 670 club appearances for Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire.
Schweinsteiger won 18 trophies with the German giants, including 10 Bundesliga titles and a historic treble in the 2012/13 season.
The esteemed midfielder, who picked up the 2016 FA Cup title with the Red Devils under Louis van Gaal, secured the 2014 World Cup with the German national team.
Meanwhile, Ana Schweinsteiger, born Ana Ivanovic on November 6, 1987, is a retired Serbian tennis player who once reached the pinnacle of the sport as the world No. 1 in women’s singles, a position she held for 12 weeks according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
Over the course of her career, she claimed 15 singles titles on the WTA Tour, highlighted by her Grand Slam victory at the 2008 French Open.
Ivanovic also reached two other major finals at Roland Garros in 2007 and the Australian Open in 2008. She earned spots in the prestigious year-end WTA Tour Championships in 2007, 2008, and 2014, and secured back-to-back titles at the WTA Tournament of Champions in 2010 and 2011.
Meanwhile, Bundesliga fan and journalist Mensah Akomeah told YEN.com.gh that football stars and their marriages are always a hot topic.
“When it comes to football stars, their personal lives, especially their marriages, are always in the spotlight. Fans admire them not just for their performance on the pitch but also for how they carry themselves off it. There’s a certain fascination with how they balance fame, pressure, and relationships.
Every decision they make becomes public discourse, whether fair or not. That’s the reality of being in the limelight. I think it's important to remember that, beyond the headlines, these players are human beings trying to navigate love and family just like the rest of us.”
Cole Palmer and his girlfriend split
YEN.com.gh earlier reported the news that Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer and his girlfriend Connie Grace have reportedly parted ways.
Grace was the first to break her silence following news of her breakup with the English international, who recently helped the Blues to FIFA Club World Cup success.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
