Manchester United star Marcus Rashford this week announced the happy news that he is set to marry his long-term girlfriend, Lucia Loi. The young couple shared a romantic snap on Instagram to capture their engagement, with them kissing in front of a love-heart made up of cream roses, surrounded by candles and sparklers.
The pair will tie the knot after meeting at a secondary school in Trafford eight years ago. But Marcus isn't the only high-profile footballer to have found love with his childhood sweetheart.
A handful of well-known stars from the pitch are in relationships with women they met as teenagers before they discovered fame - and a few of the couples are now married with children. Here are some of the prominent footballers and their childhood sweethearts - who they are and what they do:
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Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi
The newly-engaged couple have been together for eight years. Marcus and Lucia, both 24, met while they were at school together at Ashton on Mersey School and started dating when they were 15.
They briefly split in 2021, the Mirror reports, but reconciled in the following months, getting back together around Christmas time. The pair haven't spoken publicly about their relationship, but 16 weeks ago, Marcus shared a collection of sweet snaps together on Instagram, writing: "Through thick & thin".
Lucia, who isn't very active on Instagram, is a University of Manchester advertising and brand management graduate. She currently works as an account executive for a Manchester-based PR agency.
Phil Foden and Rebecca Cooke
Manchester City's Phil Foden, 21, is still with his childhood sweetheart, Rebecca Cooke - also from Stockport. The pair, believed to be the same age, have kept their relationship fairly under wraps also, and Rebecca has opted not to make her social media accounts public, therefore it's unclear if she works currently.
Phil became a dad at the age of 18 with their firstborn Ronnie, who was born in January 2019. Despite their young age, it was announced in April 2021 that they were expecting their second child.
Rebecca was spotted with their baby girl last summer, however, the name of their daughter has not been revealed publicly, the Mirror reports.
Harry and Kate Kane
England captain Harry Kane has known wife Kate, formerly Kate Goodland, since they were children. They both went to Larkswood Primary Academy in London and later attended Chingford Foundation School.
However the couple didn't start dating until 2012, before tying the knot seven years later in 2019. They share three children together - daughters Ivy and Vivienne, and son Louis. "We went to school together, so she's seen my whole career," Harry previously told Esquire in 2018.
"Of course, she's finding it a little crazy. I think she's even been in the papers a couple of times taking the dogs out." Kate, a sports science graduate, worked as a fitness instructor.
Wayne and Coleen Rooney
Probably one of the most famous couples in the footballing world, Wayne Rooney and wife Coleen first met at the age of 12 when they were growing up in Croxteth, Liverpool. By the time they started dating, the pair were 16, and Wayne had just signed with Everton, making his professional debut in 2002.
Coleen, then Coleen McLoughlin, was papped walking home from school in a black puffa coat when it was announced she was his girlfriend. The following year, in 2003, Wayne proposed to Coleen, who was just 17 at the time.
The childhood sweethearts tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Italy in 2008 - and have since overcome many controversies and cheating claims about Wayne. The couple, who now live in a £20million Cheshire mansion, share four sons together - Kai (born 2009), Klay Anthony (born 2013), Kit Joseph (born 2016), and Cass Mac (born 2018).
WAG Coleen is a TV personality and author - having started with a Closer magazine column and has since written a series of books. Her autobiography - Welcome to My World - was released in March 2007.
She is currently awaiting the ruling of the 'Wagatha Christie' libel trial - where she is being sued for defamation by fellow WAG Rebekah Vardy.
Jordan Pickford and Megan Davison
England goalie Jordan Pickford, 28, met his childhood sweetheart, Megan Davison, at St Robert of Newminster School in Washington, close to Sunderland. The pair, who now live in Cheshire, have reportedly been together since she was 14 and he was 16.
They have been engaged to marry since 2018 and share a two-year-old son together, Arlo. Jordan announced that Megan had given birth in February 2019, sharing a picture of a babygrow adorned with the words: "My daddy likes to… ‘Get the rave on!’"
He caption the photo: “Over the moon with our new arrival, couldn’t be prouder.” It is unclear what Megan's occupation is, as her Instagram bio simply states: "Mama, Fiance, Friend".
She often posts glamorous snaps of her family life to her account, with almost one million followers.
Harry Maguire and Fern Hawkins
England star Harry Maguire married his long-term partner Fern Hawkins in a surprise ceremony earlier this month. The childhood sweethearts started dating when they were teenagers - when Fern was 16 and Harry was 18, playing for Sheffield United's youth team.
The romance blossomed with Harry popping the big question in Paris in 2018. The happy couple, who have been together for more than a decade, share two daughters - Lillie Saint, two, and Piper Rose, one.
Fern, 27, has a Bachelor’s degree in science and physiotherapy, graduating in 2017 with a First Class Honours, the Mirror reports. She regularly gives updates to her 800,000 Instagram followers, where she shares cute snaps of her and Harry, along with their two children.
Kyle Walker and Annie Kilner
It hasn't been smooth-sailing for childhood sweethearts Kyle and Annie. They met in their hometown of Sheffield and started dating when Kyle was 17 and Annie was 15.
The couple share three children – Riaan, Reign, and Roman - and were together for more than nine years before splitting in May 2019. In 2020, the Manchester City star became a dad for the fourth time to model Lauryn Goodman's baby.
However later that year, he reconciled with Annie and proposed - and there are reports they secretly tied the knot at the start of 2022. Having worked as a model, 29-year-old Annie also made an appearance on ITVBe's Real Housewives of Cheshire, giving viewers a glimpse into her life as a WAG.
