Matthijs de Ligt's Ex-Wife Describes Divorce as 'Hell,' Cites Lifestyle Differences

AnneKee Molenaar, ex-wife of Manchester United footballer Matthijs de Ligt, has spoken out about the painful experience of their divorce, describing it as "hell" and equating the emotional distress to "physical pain." The couple, who married in June 2024, separated less than a year later.

Molenaar, 26, told RTL Boulevard that the breakup involved significant emotional upheaval. "It has been a tough year. A year with a lot of change, but also a year I am very grateful for," she stated. "It is an abrupt change and you miss something and you are sad about that. You are in pain. I really experienced it as something physical. Just physical pain... that is really just a process of grieving." She likened the vulnerability she felt to undergoing open-heart surgery, describing it as being "bruised."

While external speculation suggested differences in lifestyle contributed to the split, Molenaar clarified that the separation was not due to a specific incident. "I understand that people think: something must have happened there. I hate to say it, but that is really just not the case," she said. "We had a wonderful time all those years, and yet last year we came to the conclusion that it is no longer there in a romantic way." She emphasized that a strong platonic love remains between them, stating, "There is a lot of love between Matthijs and me. I think the most loving thing we did was saying: you go this way and I go that way."

Reports had previously indicated that De Ligt found it difficult to accept Molenaar's "spiritual" lifestyle, which includes practices such as crystals, tarot cards, flower remedies, and alchemy. Molenaar continues to engage with these interests, is currently writing a book on alchemy, and has taken courses in flower remedies from the Bach Centre.

De Ligt, 27, is reportedly now dating model Amber Yuusef. He confirmed their relationship in June after they were seen together in Ibiza. Yuusef has also been linked to Jobe Bellingham, brother of Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham.

In other news, De Ligt underwent surgery in May and has been recovering from a long-term injury. He has not yet featured for Manchester United this season but was on the bench for a match against Atletico Madrid. Manager Michael Carrick expressed confidence in De Ligt's readiness to play, noting his progress in training and a brief appearance in a friendly match. The injury had previously led to his exclusion from the Netherlands World Cup squad.