Reports have emerged that Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt and his wife AnneKee Molenaar are heading for a split just a year after their marriage. According to Dutch outlet DenD (via Daily Star Sport) and gossip channel Realityfbi, the couple’s planned celebratory wedding party in Italy was abruptly cancelled amid growing claims that the relationship has broken down. Insiders say what began as an agreed period of “time for themselves” has hardened into a definitive split, with De Ligt reportedly travelling alone — first to Ibiza and then to Barbados — while AnneKee remains separate.

The breakdown is being attributed, in tabloid coverage, to mounting tensions over AnneKee’s “spiritual” lifestyle. Realityfbi claimed De Ligt was increasingly irritated by what it described as her exaggerated spiritual content — posts featuring gemstones, tarot books, crystal searches and even cannabis-symbol clothing — and that her Instagram activity (including an alien-emoji caption) and a side business called “Alchemia” (a name referencing the idea of alchemy) have fuelled friction between them. Despite AnneKee’s Instagram still containing photos of De Ligt, it was noted that the defender has not appeared on her feed for around seven weeks, heightening speculation.

The split story is framed against a hectic period in De Ligt’s life: last summer he completed a high-profile move to Old Trafford from Bayern Munich and also featured prominently for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, with both footballing and personal milestones converging. Their wedding itself was arranged around footballing commitments — originally timed for the end of May but then rescheduled when De Ligt’s team reached the Champions League final, demonstrating how professional demands have long shaped the couple’s private life. Sources quoted in the coverage suggest the strain of such a public, travel-heavy lifestyle combined with differing personal priorities has exacerbated problems.

Tabloid accounts focus on lifestyle contrast as the spark for the reported split: De Ligt the consummate professional and top-level athlete, and AnneKee depicted as embracing alternative spirituality and entrepreneurial ventures tied to that identity. The coverage highlights how personal branding and public personas — from Instagram aesthetics to side-business names — can become narrative ammunition in celebrity breakups. The article also includes the typical caveats of gossip reporting: attribution to unnamed insiders and social channels, and translation via secondary outlets (DenD → Daily Star Sport → Mirror summary).

Beyond the immediate relationship angle, the story touches on the broader phenomenon of sports stars’ private lives becoming public spectacle. De Ligt’s career moves, international tournaments and social-media absence from his wife’s feed are all read as signs in the court of public opinion, where swift judgment often follows incomplete information. For now, mainstream confirmation from either De Ligt or AnneKee appears absent, and the account rests on tabloid reportage and social-media sleuthing.

If true, the collapse of the marriage would underline the pressures elite footballers and their partners face — juggling demanding careers, constant travel, intense public scrutiny and divergent personal interests. Until either party issues a statement, the narrative will likely remain fuel for gossip columns, with social feeds and insider channels filling in the gaps around a story that blends football fame with a very modern, very public private life