As is the tradition in Italy, beautiful girls – especially “showgirls” – wed footballers. On June 13 Eleonora Abbagnato, Première Danseuse with the Paris Opera Ballet, got married to Palermo player Federico Balzaretti. He’s not her first footballer, but he might be her last. She’s certainly preserving family ties for her father was the boss of the Palermo team during the 80s.

Italian gossip magazine ‘Chi’ was there to capture the magic. Ahh…