Former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Čech shares an emotional announcement of his separation from his wife, Martina, after 26 years together.

Petr Čech, the legendary former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper, has announced that he and his wife, Martina, are separating after 26 incredible years together. 

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Čech shared the bittersweet news, accompanied by a tender black-and-white photo of Martina affectionately kissing him on the cheek. “Martina and myself are sad to announce that we are separating after 26 years together,” Čech wrote, emphasizing that despite their marital split, they “remain best friends and immensely proud of our two beautiful children”.

The couple’s love story began in 1999 when they met as teenagers, and they eventually tied the knot in June 2003.

Together, they have two talented children: 17-year-old Adela, a defender who plays for the Czech Republic’s Under-17 national team, and 16-year-old Damian, who has just signed his first professional contract with Fulham as a goalkeeper, following in his father’s footsteps.

It’s worth noting that Čech missed Adela’s birth in January 2008 due to a League Cup semi-final match against Everton, although he didn’t feature in the game. Despite this, the family has always been a significant part of Čech’s life, and he has often spoken about the importance of balancing his football career with family responsibilities.

Throughout his illustrious football career, Čech played for Chelsea and Arsenal, amassing numerous titles and accolades.

He won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, and the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea before adding another FA Cup to his collection with Arsenal. Since retiring from football in 2019, Čech has pursued ice hockey as a goalkeeper and previously served as Chelsea’s technical and performance advisor until 2022.