Brazilian football legend Romario splits from college student girlfriend 37 years his junior

The pair have reportedly stopped following each other on social media. According to Brazilian media, the 59-year-old former striker was spotted getting intimate with a mysterious blonde woman at an album launch in Rio de Janeiro last week, fueling speculation.

"They whispered into each other's ears in a hidden corner," Globo reported, hinting this was the reason for the split with Gomes.

Romario and Alicya Gomes at a party in January 2025. Photo by Instagram/@romarioffical

Romario met Gomes, a student who's studying nutrition, during an election campaign in September 2024. The 37-year age difference caused controversy, with some fans supporting the relationship while others suggested Gomes was taking advantage of Romario's fame, according to Hurumende.

The football legend has been married and divorced three times, with his most recent divorce in 2014. He has seven children, including one from an extramarital relationship. Before dating Gomes, Romario was in a seven-month relationship in 2022 with Marcelle Ceolin, a model 25 years his junior.

Considered one of the greatest strikers of all time, Romario scored 55 goals in 70 matches for Brazil, a tally that trails only Neymar, Pele, and Ronaldo Nazario. He led Brazil to victory in the 1994 World Cup, where he scored five goals and was named the FIFA World Player of the Year. Across his 24-year career, he scored 768 official goals.