Petr Cech, the former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper, has announced his separation from his wife Martina after 26 years together. The 43-year-old made the announcement in an emotional statement posted on Instagram, accompanied by a black-and-white photograph of Martina kissing him on the cheek.
In the statement, Cech wrote: 'Martina and myself are sad to announce that we are separating after 26 years together. We remain best friends and immensely proud of our two children.' The couple, who met in high school in 1999 and married four years later, have two children: Adela, 17, and Damian, 16.
Cech, who is regarded as one of the Premier League's greatest goalkeepers, missed the birth of his daughter Adela in 2008 while travelling with Chelsea for a League Cup semi-final. He described it as 'the best day of my life and at the same time the saddest'.
Both children have followed their father into football. Adela plays as a defender for Fulham and the Czech Republic Under-17s, while Damian is a goalkeeper who signed a professional contract with Fulham earlier this year. Cech previously said he did not push them into football, but they 'found it anyway'.
On the same day as announcing his divorce, Cech also shared his thoughts on leadership in collaboration with Glow21, a leadership movement. He wrote: 'I believe that leadership is very similar in both sport and business. A true leader motivates the team, communicates effectively, and brings out the best in people.'
