Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport

This Colombian actress and model has revealed she would rather have had Newcastle United legend Faustino Asprilla as a “lifelong friend” after their whirlwind romance ended.

Colombian actress and model Lady Noriega Hoyos, 48, spoke to talk-show “La Red” televised on Colombian channel“Caracol TV” and opened up about her relationship with Colombian football legend Asprilla, 49.

The model started off by explaining how the two met as “we were both judges in the same beauty contest” in Tulua, a city located in the Valle de Cauca department in central Colombia.

Lady Noriega goes onto explain how their relationship started saying: “We exchanged numbers and he was very talkative.

“We started to get close and I always saw him as a cool friend. When he got to Bogota and since I was all alone I asked him to go dance salsa.

“We laughed and had a good time but I never saw him thinking about getting married or having kids, he was a friend.”

The two eventually became a couple after Lady Noriega ended a previous relationship, however due to the fame the two had in Colombia at the time, the relationship became difficult to maintain due to media coverage which led to problems that eventually ended the relationship, according to local media.

Lady Noriega said: “When we were friends we actually had a really good time. Our relationship was very short.

“It only lasted eight months and the truth is it was very difficult. I would have preferred to have him as a life-long friend.”

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