Aside from being one of the bestāif not the best, periodāsoccer players in history, Lionel Messi is also one half of the “Leonella” power couple, with his new wife Antonella. The childhood sweethearts are always in the soccer and tabloid worlds’ spotlights, and for good reason; they are adorable together and with their kids, Thiago and Mateo.
That got us thinking: what are other power couples in sports today? From soccer to basketball to the NFL, famous and powerful couples are everywhere. These are the pairings that are stalked by papparazzi, whose Instagrams get millions of likes, and who give us all a respite from the loveless apocalypse that is planet Earth in 2017. Simply put, these 9 couples are #RelationshipGoals af. Without further ado, let’s take a deep dive into the world of athlete relationships, starting with the aforementioned Argentine legend and his ride-or-die.
1. Lionel & Antonella Messi
Lionel Messi and Antonella are the entire reason this list even exists. Messi knew that he wanted Antonella since the moment he laid eyes on her, and he wouldn’t stop until he got her. The childhood sweethearts’ wedding made headlines this year, and their kids are favorites of the massive Barcelona fanbase. Lionel even got Antonella’s lips tattooed on his hip earlier this month, in case you were wondering how in love they are.
2. Gerard PiquƩ & Shakira
Gerard PiquĆ© andĀ ShakiraĀ are the quintessential celebrity power couple, right down to their penchant for social media. The two met on set for one ofĀ Shakira’s music videos and reportedly hit it off instantly. Today, they have two adorable kids, and Shakira is present at most of her bae’s Barcelona matches, cheering on the blaugrana. Such a high profile union is always under the public’s microscope and instead of hurting them, this has just made everyone love these two more.
3. Alex Rodriguez & Jennifer Lopez
Alex Rodriguez andĀ Jennifer LopezĀ haven’t even been together for a year yet and already, we can’t get enough. From their adorable workout videos, to their many public appearances, these two are experts at this. Both have found new life dating one another, something they prove by sharing boo’d up selfies for the world to fawn over. It remains to be seen how long they will last, but for the time being, they are happier than ever.
4. Jonathan Fabbro & Larissa Riquelme
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Jonathan Fabbro and Larissa Riquelme first caught the world’s eye during the 2010 World Cup, when Riquelme went viral for a picture showing her rooting for Fabbro’s Paraguay squad. It’s therefore no surprise that they’ve been able to stand the test of time. Riquelme is a celebrity in her own right, as she is the face of Axe deodorant in Paraguay and has been named Paraguay’s highest earning model in years past. They may not be the most famous couple on this list, but their combination of love and viral status makes them belong.
5. Servando Carrasco & Alex Morgan
Servando Carrasco and Alex Morgan are the definition of a soccer couple. Both successful athletes in their own right, the two met during college at UC Berkeley and have been in love since. They dominated through college together and now they dominate pro soccer together. The two were married on December 31st, 2014 and have remained each other’s biggest fans. For a brief period in 2012, they both even played for the same club, as Carrasco was featured on the Seattle Sounders and Morgan made a brief cameo as part of the Seattle Sounders Women.
6. John Cena & Nikki Bella
Switching gears a bit here: since November 2012, John Cena and Nikki Bella have been the apple of sports entertainment’s eye. They finally got engaged on April 2nd, 2017, after their tag team victory over The Miz and Maryse at Wrestlemania 33. If getting married in front of millions at the prestige event in your sport isn’t #goals, we’re not sure what is. It’s easy for these two to be everyone’s favorites, because they spend so much time together on television on their E! Network shows, Total DivasĀ andĀ Total Bellas.
7. Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella
Giving John and Nikki a run for their money as the best wrestling couple are Daniel Bryan and the other Bella Twin, Brie. Like their siblings-in-law, these two first met while both working for WWE, and have been dating since 2011. They tied the knot on April 11th, 2014 in a star studded ceremony that took place just after Bryan’s main event win at WrestleMania 30. They welcomed their first child, Birdie Joe Danielson, earlier this year, something that was documented on Total Bellas.
8. Tom Brady & Gisele
Perhaps the most controversial couple on this list, Tom Brady and Gisele BĆ¼ndchen are nonetheless one of the most famous and most powerful couples in sports. The supermodel and star quarterback met courtesy of a mutual friend that set them up on a blind dateāimagine walking in on a blind date and seeing Gisele across the table from you. Ā The rest is history. They married in 2009 and have two children together. Although many think Brady is a superhero, candid moments with Gisele are one of the only signs that he’s still human. Plus, she’s even more financially powerful than her hubby: her net worth is $360 million, compared to Tom’s $180 million.
Honorable Mention: Carmelo Anthony & LaLa
Coming in at the honorable mention spot is the pairing of Carmelo and Lala Anthony. Despite parenting an adorable child together, Lala and Melo had a high profile split earlier this year due to his alleged infidelity; however, it appears that they have cooled off and are in the process of a long reconciliation. Melo has been posting praise of his better half all over his Instagram since the spring, and reports have popped up here and there that LaLa is considering getting back together.Ā While we’re not sure if these two crazy kids will make it, when they were together, they were one of the more famous couples in the NBA and, given their NYC residence, one of the most fun to follow.