The marriage of the Frenchman, Othmane Dembele, the Barcelona star, to a Moroccan girl named Rima Adboush, in December 2021, was not the first connection between a football star and an Arab woman, and it seems that it will not be the last.
The wedding of Dembele and Adboush was kept in great secrecy, despite the leakage of video clips and photos from the Moroccan-style wedding.
The marriage ceremony of the star #Barcelona #Osman_Dembele 💟
Congratulations Dumbooz 🔥🔥
May God protect him from injuries after this night 🏥 pic.twitter.com/m7m4NXU30N
- Camp Nou 🏟 (@inCampnow) December 24, 2021
And Adbush - according to media reports - comes from a family living near the city of Guelmim in southern Morocco and holds both Moroccan and Italian citizenship.
As for the most prominent stars who married or engaged to Arab girls, they are:
Cesc Fabregas, the former Arsenal and Barcelona star, has been married to the Lebanese Daniela Semaan since 2018.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Cesc Fàbregas (@cescf4bregas)
The German of Turkish descent, Ilkay Gundogan, the Manchester City striker, married - this summer - to the Tunisian Sarah Al-Arfawi.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ilkay Gündogan (@ilkayguendogan)
Former Dutch star Robin van Persie has been married to Moroccan Bouchra El Bali since 2004.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Robin van Persie (@robinvanpersie)
Former French star Franck Ribery married Algerian Wahiba Belhami in 2005, and a year later Ribery announced his conversion to Islam and gave himself a new name, "Bilal".
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Franck Ribéry (@frankribery7)
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was linked to Moroccan Amal Saber in 2015 and the relationship lasted for a period of time before they separated.
The Swiss president, Gianni Infantino, married the Lebanese Lina Al-Ashqar in 2001.
Former French star Eric Cantona married Algerian Rachida Brakini in 2007.
Frenchman Eric Abidal, the former Barcelona star, married Algerian Hayat Al-Kabir in 2007, and Abidal converted to Islam thanks to his relationship with Hayat before problems erupted between them.