From Jennifer Lopez to Kim Kardashian: Celebrities who have dated sports stars

What do you get when one of the greatest baseball players of all time gets engaged to one of the greatest entertainers of all time? The IT couple, that's what. 

Jennifer and Alex met way back in 1999 when he asked for an autograph from the singer. Over the years, their paths would briefly cross, but it wasn't until February 2017 that they finally reconnected and quickly fell in love.

Alex, a major league baseball player for the likes of the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers and now a TV personality, seemed like the perfect match for the multi-hyphenate J-Lo. The pair got engaged in March 2019, but sadly separated in April 2021. 

They released a statement explaining their decision, writing, "We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so. We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects."

It continued, "We wish the best for each other and one another's children. Out of respect for them, the only other comment we have is to say is thank you to everyone who has sent kind words and support."

The origins of the first family of football read like a fairy tale, or at least a really cute rom-com. David explained to Ellen how the pair met in 1997 at a Manchester United game, saying, "She came to a football match…and I said hi from across the room, and that was it."

He continued, "I thought I'd missed my chance, and then a week later, she turned up at another football match”; and the rest is history. The lovebirds married in 1999, and four kids later, they're still going strong.

Victoria moved across the world to fulfill David's football dreams; she settled the family in Spain when he signed for Real Madrid and in the US when he joined LA Galaxy. The fashion designer and the soccer superstar endured rumors of infidelity and divorce for years to remain strong than ever over 25 years later. 

Before Kimye was even a whisper on the breeze, Kim was head over heels for NFL running back Reggie Bush; the pair first met at the ESPY Awards in 2007, just when Kim's career was starting to take off. 

Despite seeming madly in love, the pair had a rocky relationship due to Reggie's football commitments and Kim's rising fame. After breaking up in 2009 and again in 2010, they called it quits for good as they decided the long-distance route was not for them.

Speaking to ESPN in 2014, Reggie opened up about why their relationship failed, citing Kim's star power as the reason for their split. "When I started dating my ex [Kim], that's when all this [media attention] came," he said.

"But it's part of the territory and, like I said, everything happens for a reason…Then all the other stuff came. The gossip magazines and all the other stuff, the ugly side of it. But you know what, I wouldn't change anything because it helped mold and shape who I am today, and I'm a better man for it."

Post-breakup, Kim experienced doubts about her career and wondered if it was all worth it to end things with Reggie. She revealed to momager Kris on an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians that she felt "like my world is over" after splitting with Reggie. "I just really don't care about my career anymore. I feel like it's cost me my relationship," she said.

It might be the most iconic celeb love story of the past year, and thank goodness we have Travis's New Heights podcast with his brother, Jason, where it all began, to keep feeding the Swifties tidbits about the couple's relationship. 

The NFL Chiefs tight end took to the podcast in July 2023 to express his disappointment at being unable to shoot his shot with the 'Cruel Summer' singer at her Eras tour show in Kansas City.

"I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings. So I was a little butthurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her…but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it," he told Jason.

Rumors began to swirl that they had, in fact, met up and were dating, before Taylor caused a seismic eruption in pop culture and appeared at one of his games in September. After multiple cute outings and a rom-com-worthy moment when Taylor ran out onto the field to congratulate her boyfriend on his Superbowl win, she even wrote him into her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. 

He matched her supportive energy when he appeared on stage at one of her London shows as part of a dance number. And if you know Taylor, you know a public declaration like that means she's head over heels! We just can't wait to see what will come next with these two lovebirds.

The former NBL player and the iconic Bring It On actress first met in 2007 when she was freshly divorced from another athlete, NFL player Chris Howard, and Dwayne was still married to another woman. The pair didn't go public with their relationship until 2010.

 Despite a rocky journey, which included a brief split and Dwayne fathering a child with another woman during that break, they reconciled, married in 2014 and welcomed their child, Kaavia, via surrogate in 2018.

When asked by People how they make their marriage work despite its challenges, Dwayne revealed, "It's about learning about each other, learning what she wants for her life and for her career and trying to support all those things."

"She had a career and a life before we met, and she was doing perfectly fine," he said. "It's not my job to change who she is; it's my job to be part of the evolution."

"In this partnership, there are times when I have to lead, times when I have to step back and times where we are side by side."

Hearts broke worldwide when this power couple announced their shock split in 2022, allegedly thanks to football itself. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen and greatest quarterback of all time Tom Brady met on a blind date in 2006 and hit it off immediately; they married in 2009 and welcomed their two kids, Benjamin and Vivian, in 2009 and 2012, respectively. 

The cracks began to show when Tom revealed to Howard Stern in 2020 that he was trying to be more present for his family outside of football.

He explained, "A couple of years ago, [Gisele] didn't feel like I was doing my part for the family. She felt like I would play football all season, and she would take care of the house, and then all of a sudden, when the season ended, I'd be like, 'Great, let me get into all of my other business activities. Let me get into my football training,' and she's sitting there going, 'Well, when are you going to do things for the house? When are you going to take the kids to school and do that?'"

Gisele spoke to Elle in 2022 about supporting her husband despite the disconnect, explaining, "Obviously, I have my concerns [about Tom's continued playing] – this is a very violent sport, and I have my children, and I would like him to be more present."

"I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]." The pair ultimately split in October 2022.

Our favorite country crooner met her future husband, hockey star Mike Fisher, backstage at one of her shows in 2007 after being set up by a mutual friend. 

After getting engaged, they largely stayed under the radar until they began stepping out publicly in 2009. They had a long-distance relationship for the majority of their dating life, as Mike played hockey for Ontario and Carrie was based in Nashville.

"I mean, can I make dating more difficult?" she joked on VH1's Behind the Music. "Let's get a hockey guy who lives in another country. Awesome." 

It seems that the absence did, in fact, make the heart grow fonder for the lovebirds; after marrying in 2010 and making it work across countries, Mike was finally traded to Nashville and they could start their family. The 'Before He Cheats' singer shares two boys with the NHL star, and they are still going strong 14 years later!

The 'Hips Don't Lie' singer met her soccer player prince on her 2010 music video set for Waka Waka (This time for Africa), the official anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 

Shakira told 60 Minutes about their meet-cute in 2020, saying, "I wasn't a soccer fan, so I didn't know who he was. When I saw the video, I was like, 'Hmm, that one's kind of cute. 'And then someone decided to introduce us."

Pique, who played for FC Barcelona at the time, represented Spain in the World Cup final who ended up winning the competition; Shakira also sang at the final, so it seems it was meant to be! 

She referenced this iconic moment in an Instagram post in 2018, writing to Pique, "One of the happiest moments of my life has also been seeing you win in 2010 with the national team and celebrate with Spain champions!"

The pair went on to have two children but ultimately split in 2022 after rumors of infidelity swirled, which Shakira seemingly confirmed in her song, 'BZRP Music Session #53'. 

In one verse, she sings, "You go around saying you're a champion / And when I needed you / You gave your worst version… "I wish you luck with my supposed replacement."

Serena and Alexis are truly couple goals; they crossed paths at the same hotel in Rome in 2015, while Serena was playing the Italian Open and Alexis was speaking at a tech conference. 

The Reddit co-founder proposed a year later, and the pair married in November 2017, just two months after welcoming their first baby, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.

Alexis is Serena's number one supporter; he almost always cheers her on from the stands during her games, even sporting a shirt with her face captioned, "greatest female athlete". 

In an Instagram comment, he explained that the support runs both ways; "Y'all only see me out there in the stands holding it down for her, but she's the GOAT off the court when it comes to holding it down for her husband. TRUST me," he said.

He told E! News just how great a wife Serena is, saying, "Having someone as special as Serena as a partner is a consistent reminder of self-improvement."

"I knew I have found someone I was going to spend the rest of my life with because she was someone who I knew I would never outgrow."

Like Shakira and Pique, this talented couple also met on a music video set; this time, it was Enrique's 2001 'Escape' video in which the tennis star appeared. "[The ‘Escape’ music video changed my life] in ways that I didn't even think about," he told People in 2001.

"When we met – although she came from the sports world – we kind of got each other. She knew what my world was like. I kind of knew what her world was like. We just started connecting little by little and got stronger and stronger and stronger."

Although they have remained unmarried, the couple are still going strong all these years later and share three children. Anna and Enrique keep their lives extremely private but occasionally give each other a shout-out on their Instagram accounts, proving the longevity of their love.