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 photo of Martina kissing him on the cheek.
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.
Both children are following in their father's footballing footsteps. Adela plays as a defender for Fulham and the Czech Republic under-17s, while Damian, a goalkeeper, signed a professional contract with Fulham earlier this year. Cech previously said he did not push his children into football but that they found it themselves.
Cech missed the birth of his daughter Adela in 2008 while travelling with Chelsea's squad for a League Cup semi-final against Everton. He described it as 'the best day of my life and at the same time the saddest'.
On the same day as his divorce announcement, Cech also posted about 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.'
