A week after winning his third Ballon d’Or Portugal and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Tuesday he has broken up with his long-time girlfriend, Russian model Irina Shayk.
“After dating for five years, my relationship with Irina Shayk has come to an end,” Ronaldo said in a written statement sent exclusively to The Associated Press. “We believed it would be best for both of us to take this step now.”
The Portuguese began dating Shayk in January 2010 but rumours of a split began to circulate after the 29-year-old turned up on his own to the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Zurich last week.
Shayk’s PR company in New York blamed their client’s no-show on “work commitments”, but Ronaldo has now confirmed the two have ended their relationship.
Ronaldo said he was making the statement to end speculation about their relationship, and to end recent rumours about his private life. He did not specify the rumours, but media in Portugal have reported that Shayk fell out with members of Ronaldo’s family, and that he was seeing another woman.
“I wish Irina the greatest happiness,” Ronaldo said.
He gave no further details in the brief statement.
The couple, both 29, has had huge international success, and their relationship has featured in newspapers and magazines worldwide. They were not believed to be living together, as Ronaldo was based in the Spanish capital while Shayk travelled extensively.
Ronaldo retained football’s highest individual honour last week after scoring 61 goals last year. His record tally of 17 in a Champions League season helped Madrid win an unprecedented 10th European Cup title.
Ronaldo has a four-year-old son, called Cristiano Junior, but he has never disclosed the mother’s identity.
Shayk won international fame as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and a lingerie model. She made her acting debut last year opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the film “Hercules.”
