Italy and Roma legend Francesco Totti splits from wife Ilary Blasi after 20 years and three children together

ROMA legend Francesco Totti has split up with his wife Ilary Blasi after 20 years of marriage.

The pair met in 2002 and got married three years later in June 2005.

Totti had just won Serie A when he got together with Ilary, 41, who was a famous television presenter in her own right.

So when they decided to get hitched, Sky Italia paid for the rights to broadcast the event with the money going to charity.

Five months after the wedding the couple welcomed their first child Christian, 16, who is now part of the Roma academy and seeking to replicate his father's success.

Totti, 45, and llary have two other children - Chanel, 15, and Isabel, 6.

Signs of a potential split began to emerge in 2020 with Totti revealing he almost broke up with Ilary after she brought home a hairless cat.

The forme striker was more forgiving of the pet goat they bought last year but now both Totti and Ilary believe it is time to go their separate ways.

The World Cup winner released a statement announcing the split, as did Ilary.

Totti said: “After 20 years together, my relationship with Ilary has unfortunately ended. All that I said and did over the last few months was to protect our children, who are and always will be the absolute priority in my life.

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“I tried to overcome the crisis in our marriage, but today I realise the choice of a separation is – albeit painful – no longer avoidable.

“I will continue to be united with Ilary in raising our marvellous three children, always with great respect for my wife.

“The separation process will remain a private matter and I will not make any more statements.

“I urge everyone to avoid speculation and, above all, respect the privacy of my family.”

In a separate statement Ilary said: “After 20 years together and three splendid children, my marriage to Francesco is over. The separation process will remain a private matter and I will not make any more statements.

“I urge everyone to avoid speculation and, above all, respect the privacy of my family.”