Meet the WAGS heading to this 12 months’s Champions League closing
- Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley this Saturday
- Wives and girlfriends will be on their way to the final to support their partners
- Sunday league, grassroots, pub football… how Pep’s influence has trickled down the pyramid – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid are set to come together in a huge meeting of two footballing giants on Saturday evening in the Champions League final.
Carlo Ancelotti‘s side can win their 15th European Cup, and their fifth Champions League title in the past 10 years, should they beat Edin Terzic‘s side.
For Dortmund, this is only the third time that the Bundesliga outfit have made it to the final in their distinguished career, having won the trophy back in 1997 but been beaten in 2013 by their bitter rivals Bayern Munich.
But it seems plenty of friends and family members are making the trip over to London to watch both teams square off in the final at Wembley, including the player’s wives and girlfriends.
On Friday a travelling party of partners and girlfriends from Borussia Dortmund’s players were seen arriving at an airport ahead of a flight to London For the final, and like many of the partners of the Real Madrid team, are set to cheer on their teams at Wembley.
Ahead of this year’s Champions League final, Mail Sport takes a look at the women who will be rooting for the stars out on the pitch at Wembley.
Borussia Dortmund’s stars have touched down in London ahead of the Champions League final
Real Madrid are out to win their 15th European Cup, and their fifth Champions League in the last 10 years
REAL MADRID
MISHEL GERZIG
MARRIED TO: Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois and Mishel Gerzig have been together since 2021 and tied the knot last year at a glamours wedding at a chateua in the south of France.
The pair reportedly first met on Instagram after the Real Madrid goalkeeper, 32, commented on a photo of his partner with her pet dog.
In an interview with Lifestyle Magazine, Mishal spoke about the first time the pair met in person, saying: ‘In April I had several jobs in Madrid, and then we met for the first time face-to-face. We met again in early July, that’s when the relationship between us became romantic.’
Gerzig, 26, hails from Israel and is a modal who has over 750,000 followers on Instagram and is regularly seen supporting her husband at the Bernabeu.
Mishel Gerzig, 25, from Israel, has been dating shotstopper Thiabaut Courtois since last year, and they’ve been inseparable ever since
The stunning model previously revealed how she met the footballer after he slid into her Instagram DMs, where she often posts snaps in bikinis (left) and enjoying lavish holidays (right)
The pair wer married last summer at a Chateau in France, with the pair having been together since 2021
ANASTASIA TAMAZOVA
MARRIED TO: Andriy Lunin
Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin married his fiance Anastasia Tamazova, a social media influencer back in 2021.
‘A very special and important day in our life. I love you,’ wrote Lunin on Instagram after wedding Tamazova after the pair had reportedly been together for over six years.
In fact, Lunin had caught the attention of many after he had proposed to his girlfriend at the Jose Zorrilla staidum, the home of Real Valladolid, when he was playing at the club between 2019 and 2020.
Tamazova has more than 170,000 followers on Instagram, and is regularly seen at the Bernabeu supporting her husband.
Andriy Lunin married his fiance Anastasia Tamazova (pictured) back in 2021
Tamazova (right) is regularly pictured watching Lunin (left) play for Real Madrid
DAPHNE CANIZARES
MARRIED TO: Dani Carvajal
Dani Carvajal and Daphne Canizares tied the knot back in 2022 in a lavish ceremony in a stunning rustic in a former Franciscan convent in Ayllón, Segovia, Spain.
The Real Madrid star had got down on one knee during a holiday in Crete just a month earlier, with Canizares, a model and weding planner, and Carvajal having been dating since October 2018.
She is notably the twin sister of Melanie Canizares, who is also married to her husband’s team-mate Joselu, whose late goals against Bayern Munich in the semi-final sent Real Madrid to the final of the Champions League.
Carvajal and Canizares are said to have met through her sister melanie and Joselu – who is said to be Carvajal’s friend and team-mate.
In the early years of their relationship, the pair have enjoyed several lavish holdiays to Morocco, Ibiza, Altea, Dubai and the island of Cozumel.
They also welcomed a son, Martin, at the end of 2020.
Real Madrid’s new signing Joselu (left picture, right) is right back Dani Carvajal’s (right picture, left) brother-in-law after the two players married twin sisters
In the early months of their relationship, the couple regularly travelled on exotic holidays including trips to Morocco, Ibiza, Altea, Dubai and the island of Cozumel (left and right)
Carvajal (right) and Canizares (left) tied the knot back in 2022 in a lavish ceremony in Spain
SHALIMAR HEPPNER
DATING: David Alaba
Shalimar Heppner is the daughter of famous German chef, Frank Heppner, who has renowned experience in Euro-Asian cuisine.
Shalimar met Real Madrid star David Alaba back in 2017 and has previously worked as a public relations manager.
It wasn’t until 2018 that they made their relationship public after reportedly having attended Oktoberfest in Berlin.
They also have a son together, with the couple welcoming him back in 2019.
Shalimar Heppner (pictured) has reportedly been dating Real Madrid star David Alaba sinde 2017
She is the daughter of famous German chef Frank Heppner and has previously worked in public relations
The pair have two children together, having had a son in 2019 and a faughter in 2023
LAURA CELIA VALK
DATING: Jude Bellingham
It was revelaed earlier this year that England sensation Jude Bellingham, 20, had a new love interest and had been dating Dutch model Laura Celia Valk.
The pair were said to be ‘completely smitten’ with Bellingham having split from Asantewa Chitty last year.
Valk, 25, has reportedly been staying at his Spanish pad on a regular basis, per The Sun, with Bellingham, who will come up against his former side Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, having attempted to keep their relationship under wraps.
The model has reportedly been to watch the midfielder play on several occasions and was spotted at the Bernabeu earlier in March 31, where Carlo Ancelotti’s side claimed a 2-0 victory against Atletic Club.
Valk, who regularly shares bikini snaps on her social media, studied creative business at Amsterdam University of Applied Science and is reporesented by top modelling agency The Four Models.
Little is known about their relationship but both follow eachother on Instagram.
Jude Bellingham is reportedly dating dutch model Laura Celia Valk, and the pair are said to be ‘smitten’
Sources have claimed that Valk (pictured) has been staying at Bellingham’s Spanish pad
Laura, who studied creative business at Amsterdam University of Applied Science, is represented by top modelling agency The Four Models, based in Manchester
MINA BONINO
MARRIED TO: Federico Valverde
Federico Valverde has been dating TV journalist and presenter Mina Bonino for some time.
She is a sports journalist from Argentina and is a well-known figure in South America for her television work.
Born in 1993, the presenter is also a big River Plate fan, and according to MARCA, met the Real Madrid star online.
They did not officially announce their relationship until 2019 but had appeared to be dating for some time before then.
The pair have a son together who was born in 2020 and went on to tie the knot in March 2022.
Federico Valverde is married to Argentine sports journalist Mina Bonino (pictured)
The pair often share their family snaps on social media, where Argentine has over 500,000 followers
The pair officially announced that they were dating in 2019 and have a child together
DORTMUND
SCARLETT GARTMANN
MARRIED TO: Marco Reus
Marco Reus and his wife Scarlett Gartmann have been together since 2015, tieing the knot in 2019.
Reus, who announced that he would be leaving Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season, will look to pick up one final trophy with the club on Saturday night.
His wife, Gartmann, has been a pillar for the German soccer star over the years, while juggling her own career.
The 30-year-old is a model who hails from Hagen in Germany. During her career, she has appeared on several high-profile projects for car brands like Hyundai and Volkswagen and also appeared at the Berlin Fashion Week.
She also has a passion for horses, having taken part in the 2021 Magnolia Cup race at Goodwood Festival.
Marco Reus’s wife Scarlett Gartmann (pictured) is a model and has appeared in several high-profile campaigns over the years
Gartmann (pictured) and Reus have been together since 2015, and were married in 2019
The model has a passion for horses and competed at the Goodwood Festival in 2021
NICOLA CAVANIS
DATING: Mats Hummels
Mats Hummels split from his wife Cathy Fischer in November 2022 after the pair tied the knot back in June 2015.
It seems Hummels may have a new girlfriend, with multiple outlets, including German outlet Mannersache, claiming that he is in a relationship with model Nicola Cavanis, from Munich.
The influencer, who was born in 1998, has previously worked for the lingerie label Victoria Secret and has 1.5million followers on Instagram. She was also the campaign face for the brand Nivea in 2021.
On Friday she was pictured as part of the travelling party of family members heading out to London to watch Dortmund play.
Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels is reportedly dating model Nicola Cavanis
Cavanis has previously worked as a model for Victoria’s Secret as well as Nivea and was part of a travelling party that flew over to London for the Champions League final
EMELY TUINDER
DATING: Ian Maatsen
Emely Tuinder appears to be dating Dortmund star Ian Maatsem and recently has been spotted watching her boyfriend play at the Signal Iduna Park.
Little is known about their relationship, but it appears the pair have shared several snaps on Instagram of them enjoying a recent trip to the Dominican Republic.
Tuinder was also spotted in England celebrating with her boyfriend after he helped guide Burnely back to the Premier League in the 2022-23 season, during a loan spell at the English club.
Emely Tuinder (left) and Ian Maatsen (right) have seemingly been dating for a few years
Tuinder is regularly seen watching her boyfriend play at the Signal Iduna Park in Germany
She was also present to celebrate with her partner following Burnley’s Championship winning campaign in the 2022-23 season
NICOLE PERERA
DATING: Marius Wolf
According to Mudno Deportivo, Nicole Perera and Marius Wolf are an item but not much is known about their relationship.
The pair have appeared in several snaps together and Perera was pictured at the airport on Friday afternoon travelling with the players wives to London ahead of the Champions League final.
It comes as Wolf’s contract to stay at the Bundesliga club will expire this summer after a six-year stay at the club.
Nicole Perera (left) and Marius Wolf (right) are an item, with Perera having been seen travelling with the players wives to London on Friday
Perera has posted several snaps of her travelling around the world on her Instagram and also dining with friends
DEBORAH PANZOKOU
DATING: Thomas Meunier
Thomas Meunier and Deborah Panzokou have been together for some time having known eachother since high school.
The pair have two children together and have posted several pictures on their Instagram feeds enjoying lavish trips abroad together.
Thomas Meunier (left) and Deborah Panzokou (right) have been in a relationshp for some time
The pair initially met in high school and have two children together. They are regularly spotted on Instagram enjoying trips abroad
