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Who: Russian model, actress, and former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover star Irina Shayk, 37, and professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, 38.
How They Met: In 2010, Irina and Cristiano met while shooting a swimwear campaign for Armani Exchange. Things apparently got just as steamy between them as they did on set, and the two began dating later that same year.
At the time, Shayk was a budding model, while Ronaldo already had an established career in soccer, playing for Real Madrid, where he became the team’s highest goalscorer and participated in his second FIFA World Cup.
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Why We Loved Them: Arguably, no two people on the face of the earth were genetically more compatible than Irina and Cristiano.
Irina, of course, is a supermodel and naturally gorgeous, and Cristiano is known for being exceptionally handsome (the dude looks like a real-life Ken Doll) and is sculpted to perfection — from his jawline down to his abs. Even Irina once alluded to the fact that she felt “ugly” while being in a relationship with the soccer star.
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When They Peaked: On the June 2014 cover of Vogue Spain.
Shot by world-renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino, the couple posed together, with Ronaldo standing completely naked and Irina strategically positioned in front of him, wearing a white strapless gown with a thigh-high slit.
"Sharing the cover with Irina means a lot. Irina is the most beautiful woman in the world, and working with her has been, in addition to being a surprise, something very special,” he told the magazine about the sexy shoot. “It was the first time we did something together. And I've enjoyed it."
The Breakup: In January 2015, Irina and Cristiano called it quits on their five-year relationship.
"After dating for five years, my relationship with Irina Shayk has come to an end," Cristiano said in a written statement. "We believed it would be best for both of us to take this step now." He added, “I wish Irina the greatest happiness."
Neither Cristiano nor Irina commented on the reason for the breakup, but rumors ranged from disagreements on starting a family together to rumors that the model had a fallout with Cristiano’s mom. The latter, however, was debunked by Shayk’s publicist, who told Page Six: “She has been close with his family throughout the course of their relationship. Any negative rumors with regards to Irina and the Ronaldo family are completely false and have not been a factor in the cause of the split. Irina has no further comment at the time.”
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The following year, Irina spoke with Hola! Magazine, revealing that infidelity may have been a contributing factor to their split. “If you have a relationship, it has to be a good one; otherwise, it’s better to let it go. Relationships are hard, so you have to make sure the kind of man you want by your side and what his values are, what is important in your life,” she said, cryptically adding: “Both have to share the same concept of what it means to be in a relationship and the same energy to create a monogamous relationship.”
Irina continued to erase Cristiano from her life and told people on Instagram to unfollow her if they “only know her as Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-girlfriend.” And they did. Within 24 hours, Irina lost 11 million followers, which accounted for 75% of her base.
Where They Are Now: Months after her split from Cristiano, Irina met her next boyfriend, Bradley Cooper. Two years later, they welcomed a daughter, Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper, and while they broke up in 2019, Irina and Bradley still have a great co-parenting relationship. Since Cooper, Irina has had a few rumored flings (Kanye West, Leonardo DiCaprio), but nothing too serious.
As for Irina's modeling career, it has sky-rocketed since splitting from Cristiano. In 2016, she made her runway debut at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and since then has worked with major fashion brands — including Chanel, Missoni, and Moschino. Currently, she is the face of Anine Bing.
Cristiano met his current partner Georgina Rodríguez in 2016, and the two have been together ever since. They welcomed a daughter, Alana Martina, in 2017, and twins, a boy and girl, six years later, but sadly, the boy died during childbirth.
Still regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Cristiano left the Real Madrid team and joined Juventus in 2018. He moved to Manchester United the following season before landing at the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr in 2022, where his contract is estimated to be $200 million a year for two seasons.
#TBT: Check in every Thursday as we throw it back to some of our favorite celebrity couples of all time.
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