Georgina Rodríguez reveals why she and Cristiano Ronaldo chose to marry in their living room, with their children by their side.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez could have chosen almost anywhere to get married. Instead, when they finally became husband and wife after nearly a decade together, they chose the living room of their home in Cascais, Portugal, with their children around them.Rodríguez has explained that the couple wanted their wedding to feel different from the grand celebration many might have expected from one of the world’s most famous sporting couples. For a family accustomed to luxury, travel and the extraordinary scale of Ronaldo’s career, the most unusual choice was to make the occasion as ordinary and personal as possible.

Why the living room mattered to them

Rodríguez told Vogue that the couple wanted to do something “unusual”, while making clear that the intimate ceremony does not necessarily mean they have abandoned the idea of a larger celebration.“In the future, we will have a big wedding, so we can celebrate with family and friends,” she said.That future celebration would be very different from the ceremony they chose for Aug. 11. Rodríguez recalled how her idea of a wedding had changed since childhood, when she imagined the traditional extravagance of a fairy-tale ceremony.“When I was a little girl, I dreamt of the biggest castle, the biggest carriage, the longest dress [and] a crown full of diamonds. And now I’m saying, ‘No. I want something intimate, with my partner and our children, at home.’”For Rodríguez, the attraction was precisely that their home already contained the luxuries that might otherwise have been used to create an elaborate wedding.“Because castles, houses, islands, horses, cars: We have all of that within reach every day. But something intimate, that’s more unusual for us.”

The table where their family lives

The ceremony took place in the living room of their home in Cascais, where the family normally spends time together. Rodríguez said that familiarity was central to the decision because she wanted the wedding to become part of the family’s own history rather than simply an event surrounded by ceremony.“We’ve chosen to do it in the living room of our house here, where we have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and where we live the reality of our lives,” she told Vogue.She also had a particular image in mind for how their children might remember the day decades from now.“In 30 years’ time I want the children to think, ‘Something wonderful happened at this table, the wedding vows of our parents.’”Ronaldo, 41, immediately brought some of his usual humour to the idea, pointing out that the room itself may not remain unchanged for that long.“It probably won’t be the same table. We might change the decor,” he joked.

Their five children were at the centre of it

The ceremony was attended by their five children: Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., 16, twins Eva Maria and Mateo, nine, Alana, eight, and Bella, four. Ronaldo’s son Cristiano Jr. was born before his relationship with Rodríguez, while the couple’s other children form the family they have built together.Their son Ángel, Bella’s twin brother, died at birth in April 2022, a loss Rodríguez has previously discussed in her Netflix series I Am Georgina.Rodríguez said the presence of the family made the private ceremony particularly emotional.“It was exactly as I’d imagined it,” she said. “Intimate, full of love, and with our family in the most important starring role. I couldn’t hold back the tears.”That family-first approach also explains why the couple’s wedding looked so different from the rumours that surrounded it beforehand. Hundreds of people had gathered near Funchal Cathedral in Madeira after reports suggested the ceremony would take place there, only for those expectations to prove wrong. Ronaldo and Rodríguez instead kept the actual ceremony in Cascais and revealed the marriage afterwards through photographs of their wedding rings.Ronaldo captioned the announcement simply: “C❤️G.”

A private wedding, with more to come

The living-room ceremony was not presented by Rodríguez as the final celebration of their marriage. She has said there can still be a larger wedding involving family and friends, but the first ceremony gave the couple something they wanted at this stage of their lives: a moment that belonged primarily to them and their children.That choice also came after years in which their relationship had been lived under intense public attention. Ronaldo and Rodríguez first met while she was working at a Gucci store in Madrid, beginning a relationship that would eventually become a family life shared across Portugal, Spain and Saudi Arabia.Now, after nearly a decade together, they chose not to mark the marriage with a spectacle. They chose the room where their children eat, where they spend ordinary days and where, as Rodríguez put it, they “live the reality of our lives.”

Cameroon, who failed to qualify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations only to get a second chance, beat fairytale finalists Malawi 3-0 on Sunday to be crowned champions.

Marie Ngah scored twice and Naomi Eto once in the final in Rabat as the Indomitable Lionesses became queens of African football for the first time after finishing runners-up on three occasions.

Cameroon lost at home and away to Algeria in the final qualifying round, but the organisers later increased the number of teams for the tournament from 12 to 16.

The four highest ranked losers, led by Cameroon, were added for the two-yearly competition, which Morocco hosted for the third consecutive time.

It was a sad climax for Malawi, ranked 153rd in the world, who had reached the title decider with the Chawinga sisters, captain Tabitha and Temwa, scoring nine goals between them.

Read moreChawinga sisters shine as Malawi reach Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final

Among those who saw Cameroon succeed after losing the 2004, 2014 and 2016 finals to Nigeria without scoring was embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

He was flanked by Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe from South Africa and first vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa.

The CAF leadership have backed Infantino, who is fighting to save his job after a barrage of criticism for his aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

Debutants Malawi defied being the lowest ranked nation at the marquee African women’s football event to reach the final after beating defending champions Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana and Algeria.

Read moreWAFCON: Malawi and Cameroon face off for historic first crown

The Scorchers started the final impressively, with the power and pace of the Chawingas creating several threatening situations.

But Malawi failed to score and, as the opening half progressed, so did the performance of Cameroon, who took a 20th-minute lead.

A cross was headed off Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo onto the crossbar and Ngah nodded the rebound into the net for her fourth goal of the tournament.

As they became increasingly adventurous, Cameroon doubled the lead on 29 minutes when Eto, with her back to goal, swivelled and struck the ball into the corner of the net.

WAFCON final: Women’s sport seeks greater recognition

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Ngah netted again three minutes into added time at the end of the opening half, heading an Eto cross into the net.

After scoring twice in the opening half, Ngah should have completed a hat-trick early in the second period but, after taking the ball past Sikelo, fired wide.

Malawi contained Cameroon as the second period progressed and Temwa Chawinga was just wide with a low shot after a goalmouth scramble.

By reaching the semi-finals, Cameroon, Malawi, third-placed Algeria and Morocco qualified for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The number of African qualifiers could swell to six as losing WAFCON quarter-finalists South Africa and Ghana have secured places in inter-continental play-offs.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Max Verstappen‘s girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, shared numerous images via Instagram on Sunday, August 16, in which she could be seen sitting on a yacht in an all-black swimsuit. The Brazilian model and her family including Verstappen and her two daughters, spent the F1 summer break in the Mediterranean.

Verstappen and Piquet have been dating since 2020. They also have a daughter together named Lily, who was born in 2025. Piquet also has a daughter from her previous relationship with former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat named Penelope. Now, Verstappen, Piquet, Lily and Penelope all live together at the F1 driver’s residence in Monaco.

A model by profession, Piquet often shares moments from her personal and professional life via her social media. On Sunday on Instagram, she grabbed the attention of fans as she shared a series of images of herself in an all-black swimsuit, while she was sitting on a yacht at sea.

Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen were spotted on holiday at the Italian island of Sardinia in July as the Dutchman enjoyed some time off on his superyacht amid the F1 summer break. But the break is now all set to end with the Dutch Grand Prix, which will commence this weekend.

The 2026 season recommences on August 21 at Zandvoort, which is, of course, Max Verstappen’s home race. This year’s event in the Netherlands is also set to be a sprint weekend, and also the last race at the historic event for the foreseeable future, as Zandvoort’s contract ends after this year. Hence, this could well be Max Verstappen’s final home race in F1.

Max Verstappen reveals special helmet for “last home race” at the Dutch Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has revealed the special one-off helmet he will be using for what he has described as his “last home race” at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend. The 4x world champion shared a short and simple message while sharing images of his new lid, showcasing his appreciation to the track and his home country.

“For my last home race. Thank you, Zandvoort 🇳🇱”

The Dutch Grand Prix returned to the F1 calendar in 2021 after an absence of over three decades. Max Verstappen claimed victory at the track for the first three consecutive years, and has finished second in the next two, making for a 100% record at his home race.

But when asked if he has any extra motivation to do well once again at Zandvoort this time around, the 28-year-old dismissed the idea, suggesting he wants to do his best at every race. Verstappen said that it would be “dangerous” if he got himself pumped up more for only some races, as he actually wants to do his best in every Grand Prix.

But Verstappen has claimed that being able to race at Zandvoort and have such a successful record is “incredibly special” to him, and something nobody can take away from him. He also said that the track is still not going anywhere, and he might go and race there again away from F1 in the future.