The VERY beautiful game! Football’s hottest couples vying to become the next Posh and Becks… after Mats Hummels debuted his stunning new romance on the Ballon d’Or red carpet

Paris might be the city of love but you would have got good money on tough-tackling German veteran Mats Hummels flying the flag of romance at Monday’s glitzy Ballon d’Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet.

Across an impressive career at Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and now Roma, the 35-year-old centre-back has been better known for heading home from corners than being cornered by paparazzi.

Nevertheless, there he was arm-in-arm with new girlfriend Nicola Cavanis, 25, and putting on his best Oscar-winning grin as the duo prepared to watch Manchester City’s Rodri scoop up the prestigious prize.

Suddenly everyone had forgotten Hummels’s nightmare debut in a 5-1 loss to Fiorentina, where he turned the ball hopelessly into his own net, instead carrying the enduring image of the sport’s hottest new couple away with them into the Parisian night.

Since the days of Posh and Becks – or Billy Wright and Joy Beverley for those of an older vintage – who footballers are loved-up with has long been a part of their brand. Here, Mail Sport picks out the beautiful game’s most beautiful duos.

The Portuguese finds himself at the top of almost every list and, not wanting to buck the trend, he and his partner head our line-up of football’s power couples.

With good reason too. Ronaldo and Rodriguez began dating in 2016 after they met at a Gucci store in Madrid and speculation has been rife over whether they have secretly got married in the last year.

The 39-year-old Al Nassr star even referred to the Argentine-Spanish model, who boasts an eye-watering 64 million followers on Instagram, as his wife in a recent YouTube video and used the same term earlier this year.

Whatever their status, it seems the pair have found their dream location in Saudi Arabia with Rodriguez, 30, previously claiming she was ‘so relieved’ to get out of Manchester following her partner’s dramatic departure from Man United.

Whether it’s zooming around in the former Real Madrid man’s supercars, taking steamy photos at the beach, or joking about on his new podcast, Ronaldo and Rodriguez look a perfect couple. 

Ian Maatsen and Emely Tuinder 

When the Dutch striker was harshly excluded from Ronald Koeman’s squad for Euro 2024, he turned to his girlfriend Emely Tuinder for comfort, jetting off to Mykonos for a luxurious holiday on a yacht worth £500,000.

But for this up-and-coming couple, work comes first and when Maatsen received a last-minute call to join up with the side, they exchanged the warm Greek waters for a feast of football in Germany.

Having said that, the pair do enjoy a swanky getaway from time to time and earlier this year they posted a series of romantic pictures from a trip to the Dominican Republic.

Tuinder was also spotted in England celebrating with her boyfriend after he helped guide Burnley back to the Premier League in the 2022-23 season, during a loan spell at the English club. 

The left-back swapped Chelsea for Aston Villa in June, having played a key role in Borussia’s Dortmund’s run to the Champions League final during a loan spell last year, so keep your eyes peeled for the West Midlands’ hottest new couple this season.

Tom and Abbie Cairney

Tom Cairney is the leader of the pack for his club side Fulham and it appears he also leads a rather glamorous life off-the-field.

He and long-term girlfriend Abbie Richards tied the knot in June 2023 after dating for seven years, with pictures of the couple and their two young children gaining much attention on Instagram.

Whether it’s going on holiday with friends to Ibiza, or zooming off to Dubai with the little ones, the Cairneys love a trip away to take their mind off the intense footballing calendar.

Not that the sport has been giving the Cottagers star any grief at the moment. Fulham lie tenth in the Premier League after an impressive start to the season, although captain Cairney has only played 265 minutes thus far.

Whatever happens, he seems to be winning away from Craven Cottage. 

Graziano Pelle and Viktória Varga 

Remember him? The striker who joined Southampton on a wave of expectation but, despite bagging a few fine finishes, failed to live up to the lofty expectations associated with his namesake?

Well Pelle is now one half of one of football’s most exceptional power couples after he stepped down the aisle with model Viktoria Varga in 2022.

The former Saints striker loved leading the line at St Mary’s under Koeman but he might have to start getting used to playing second fiddle as his wife continues to rack up the followers on Instagram, now boasting a whopping 608,000 on the platform.

Pelle may have hung up his shooting boots three years ago but Varga is scoring likes for fun on social media. 

The unstoppable phenomenon that is the Arsenal WAGs brigade is well-documented, but Odegaard and Spilling are perhaps the quintessential Gunners duo.

By all accounts, the captain of Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing side is the perfect match for the ringleader of the troupe of partners who follow them home and away. 

Arsenal’s significant others are significantly more reserved, wholesome even, than the trouble-making English WAGs that came before them.

And at its core is a group, led by Spilling, including Sophia Havertz, Kai’s wife; Tolami Benson, Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend; Milly White, Ben’s wife; and Laura Trossard Hilven, Leandro Trossard’s wife.

With Odegaard enduring a tough time on the sidelines with a nasty ankle injury, his girlfriend is flying the flag for the couple and is often spotted dancing to Shakira at matches.

Although, having been pictured with a baby bump at the Ballon d’Or this week, her boogie-ing days may be on hold.

Jack Grealish and Sasha Attwood

Man City and England heartthrob Grealish has had mixed fortunes so far this season, scoring for fun in a Three Lions shirt while largely being snubbed by his club side.

But everything seems rosy for the 29-year-old away from the Etihad after he and childhood sweetheart Sasha Attwood welcomed daughter Mila Rose into the world.

The midfielder, 29, described the birth as the ‘best moment’ of his life and spent several hours with his child before playing for City against Newcastle at St James’ Park last month. 

Both Grealish and influencer Attwood shared an adorable black and white photo of their newborn little girl holding his finger shortly after her birth.

Just last year the pair were posing at every opportunity, as the City star scooped up a second Premier League title and a Champions League trophy, and, with all those sleepless nights to come, Grealish will have plenty of time to mull over how to get back into Pep Guardiola’s plans.

Nelson Semedo and Marlene Alvarenga

The First Couple of Wolverhampton, Semedo and Alvarenga have settled into the Black Country over the last four years, during which time the right-back has became one of his side’s stalwarts.

He has seen four managers come and go and is currently bombing up and down the flank under beleaguered boss Gary O’Neil with Wolves slumped in the relegation zone.

But the pair’s social media presence has charmed thousands of fans across the world and last year the pair got married in a lavish ceremony which brought Semedo to tears (just watch his wife’s gut-wrenching pinned Instagram post!).

Speaking of bawling your eyes out, Wolves’ performances this season have been enough to make many a seasoned supporter cry, but their Portuguese star can look on the bright side. 

With two energetic children who join the pair on their family TikTok and, more importantly, taking pride of place in Mail Sport’s list of football’s hottest couples, what more could he want?

Okay, maybe a few points on the board but, as Wolves’ fixtures take a decisive turn for the better, maybe the football will start falling into place as well. 

Riyad Mahrez and Taylor Ward

The course of true love never did run smooth and when Mahrez made the switch to Saudi Arabia last year, wife Ward had a thing or two to say about it.

The 26-year-old, who is the daughter of Real Housewives of Cheshire star Dawn and former Premier League player Ashley, even went as far as to say she was ‘going to be the biggest tramp’ when she moved to the Middle East.

As if sacrificing her lashes and nails to abide with the area’s culture wasn’t bad enough, Ward revealed she had a ‘freak out’ after the hotel in Saudi Arabia told her that only men could use the swimming pool.

Fast forward eight months and things seemed to have settled, with the influencer boasting to her 2.8m-strong following on Instagram about her lavish beach trips and impressive upgrades to her ‘coffee corner’ at home. 

Trailblazers, party-goers and confident in front of the camera, the Saudi duo are a textbook football power couple.

And… the original power couple – Posh and Becks 

It wouldn’t be right to delve into football’s finest duos without paying homage to the GOATs – Posh and Becks. 

The pair met in 1997 as they were both forcing their way into cultural icon status, with David scoring 13 goals in a Premier League-winning campaign, and Victoria scooping up her third, fourth and fifth number ones with the Spice Girls.

In 1999, with the new millennium approaching, the couple had their first child Brooklyn before tying the knot in a highly-anticipated wedding.

Needless to say, the public’s obsession with the pair was not a passing fad and, 25 years on, any public appearance is greeted with utter hysteria.

As impressive as the sport’s latest set of couples are, they could all learn a thing or two from the duo who did it first… and best.