Chelsea and Argentina star midfielder Enzo Fernandez has separated from his wife Valentina Cervantes, reportedly to enjoy the single life that he was missing after starting a family early.
Valentina Cervantes gives Enzo Fernandez a kiss after Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Photo by Instagram/@valucervantes
“Enzo and I have decided to take some distance from each other today,” Cervantes wrote on Instagram on Thursday.
“But we will always be family, and we will support each other in everything. Because there are two children involved who need a lot of love from us. I know the person Enzo is and what an excellent father he is, as well as the heart he has. And that is enough for me. Please don’t try to create conflicts where there are none.”
Argentinian journalist Julieta Argenta wrote on X that said she had spoken to Cervantes about the matter, and that the 23-year-old has expressed a desire to live alone, as he “feels the need to experience the stage he skipped by choosing family early on.”
Cervantes also denied rumors that Fernandez was cheating on her.
Fernandez has known Cervantes since 2018, when he was 17 years old and playing for the youth team of River Plate, one of the biggest clubs in Argentina.
Cervantes, 24, is a social media influencer with more than 1.5 million followers on Instagram. She and Fernandez got married in 2019 and have two children, Olivia, born in 2020, and Benjamin, born in 2023.
Cervantes said that when she gave birth to Olivia, the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. Enzo was still playing for the River Plate’s youth team at that time and had no salary. She had to work an extra job as a customer service representative to provide for the family. They also had to rent an apartment and buy secondhand items for Olivia to save money.
Fernandez was then promoted to River Plate’s first team and played for two seasons, before joining Portuguese club Benfica in 2022. He brought Cervantes and Olivia to live with him in Lisbon.
After only half a season playing in Portugal, Fernandez moved to Chelsea for a transfer fee of $138 million, making him the most expensive player in the history of Premier League, and the fifth most expensive player of all time. Cervantes and Olivia have been living with Fernandez in London since then.
On his Instagram account, Enzo still left some photos with his wife and vice versa. However, many people have called him “a bad husband”.
Cervantes said she is preparing to return to Buenos Aires with her children after the separation. The couple are also preparing to go through divorce proceedings.
Fernandez recently lost his starting position at Chelsea, when coach Enzo Maresca prioritized Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia in midfield. He was also criticized for making racist chants aimed at French players after winning the 2024 Copa America with Argentina in July.
