Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
Former Spurs and Portsmouth star Kevin-Prince Boateng and his girlfriend have tied the knot in an idyllic Tuscan town – and on the moon in a bizarre metaverse ceremony.
The 35-year-old footballer married his stunning fiance, model and influencer Valentina Fradegrada, 31, in Radicondoli, a small village near Siena, Italy.
The couple additionally assigned a popular Italian wedding planner to digitally create a ceremony on the moon.
Enzo Miccio, 51, wrote on Instagram: “Imagine a slightly nutty wedding planner accepting a very special challenge.
“Who assigned me? A celebrated footballer and a famous influencer and entrepreneur. And so it happened: They said yes – in real life but also in augmented reality.
“It was the first wedding that took place in the metaverse. They asked me to fulfil their very special wish. How could I ever decline?
Miccio – who has more than 890,000 followers on Instagram – posted a 3D picture showing the couple, a preacher and their three dogs during the procedure on the moon, with planet earth in the background.
The former Ghana international is quoted as saying: “I wanted to do something special for Valentina, something that nobody had ever done. We were able to celebrate our love like no one has ever done before, in a space location.”
The couple offered a limited number of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to fans keen on joining the occasion, costing USD 50 (GBP 41) each.
They announced all proceeds would go to Valentina’s charity organisation supporting families in need.
Around 100 invited guests attended the romantic real-life ceremony in the breathtaking setting of Tuscany. The soccer star opted for an elegant dark suit while his gorgeous fiance wore a white wedding dress with a long bride’s veil.
Boateng – whose half-brother is ex-Manchester City and Bayern Munich centre-back Jerome Boateng – was married twice before. He has two sons.
He met Fradegrada – who has over 3.3 million followers on Instagram – in August 2021. They got engaged last December.
Boateng currently plays for German Bundesliga side Hertha BSC Berlin. The club avoided being relegated by beating Hamburger SV in a playoff.
Reflecting on the past season, he wrote on Instagram in a post illustrated with several photos showing him and his fiance: “What a year, what a season! A lot of ups and downs, but I am used to it.
“What I am not used to is having you being my motivation and the person who pushed me everyday.
“I just wanna thank you for being there for me and strongly believing in me, even when others didn’t. I love you.”
Boateng was widely considered as one of the most exciting talents of the German Bundesliga in the mid-2000s. Tottenham Hotspur signed the Berlin-born attacking midfielder from Hertha BSC Berlin for an estimated seven million pounds.
He spent one season at FC Portsmouth before joining Italian giants AC Milan in 2010.
Boateng went on to play for several European top-flight league sides including Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Barcelona and Besiktas Istanbul before returning to Hertha BSC Berlin last year.
He earned 15 caps for Ghana, the home country of his father, between 2010 and 2014.