Australia’s hottest footy WAG Chelsea Becirevic has paid tribute to her partner, retiring AFL player Ivan Soldo in an emotional social media post.
Soldo announced his retirement from AFL football this week following a serious knee injury.
Chelsea, 24, shared a photo of herself and Soldo, who won a premiership with Richmond in 2019, saying she was proud of his footballing journey.
‘Truly end of an era…forever your number one fan. Some of our moments over the last few years…so proud of you,’ she wrote in a post showing the pair holding hands.
Becirevic has been nicknamed ‘footy’s hottest WAG’ since she has been with Soldo.
Her 30-year-old boyfriend made the decision to hang up his boots after rupturing his ACL in February.
Ivan Soldo is pictured with his partner Chelsea Becirevic before his shock retirement announcement over the weekend
Chelsea paid an emotional tribute to her partner (pictured) following his decision to call time on his AFL career
Becirevic (pictured) followed Soldo to Adelaide when he joined the Power
Soldo commented on the Instagram tribute, saying: ‘My love, couldn’t have done it without you.’
Fans loved the post from Becirevic with one writing: ‘My favourite couple in the world…proud of you both.’
Soldo played 57 matches across nine seasons with Richmond before he joined Port Adelaide at the end of 2023, where he only managed nine games for the club before injury curtailed his time.
‘I just want to say thank you to everyone at the club – players, coaches, staff, and our supporters,’ Soldo said this week.
‘It’s been a privilege to be part of this club and to have had the opportunity to play at this level.
‘I also want to acknowledge my time at Richmond. I spent almost 10 years there, and it played a huge role in shaping my career and who I am.
‘I’ve got a lot of respect for the people, the success we shared, and everything that came with that period.’
Becirevic attracted controversy when Soldo moved to Port, as she said she couldn’t live in Adelaide and later relocated to Dubai.
Chelsea and Soldo are pictured sharing a moment after a Port Adelaide game
Soldo (pictured with Becirevic) suffered a serious knee injury earlier this year
The pair have a strong following on social media and have also created a fashion label
The couple have since moved back to Melbourne.
Soldo, who originally joined Richmond as a Category B rookie after transitioning from basketball, developed into a ruck option during the club’s premiership era before making the move to Port Adelaide in search of greater opportunity.
‘It’s not how I would have hoped things would play out, and there have been challenges along the way, but I’m proud of what I was able to give and the experiences I’ve had,’ he said.
‘To my teammates at both clubs – I appreciated being part of the group and the environment. And to the fans and families who support week in and week out, that doesn’t go unnoticed.’
Port Adelaide football boss Ben Rutten said the club would support Soldo following his retirement.
‘On behalf of the entire club, we wish Ivan all the best for his next phase of life and thank him for his service to Port Adelaide,’ Rutten said.
‘Despite some challenges with his body over the past few seasons, Ivan has shown commitment and care for the club and his teammates.
‘He can always be proud to have been a premiership ruckman for Richmond – an achievement that will always be part of his story.’
Soldo has been in a relationship with Becirevic since 2022 and the pair regularly share moments on social media, including recent images from the Gold Coast where Soldo celebrated his 30th birthday.
Becirevic later posted images from the occasion, marking the milestone.
More recently, Soldo and Becirevic have moved into business together, launching a clothing label known as ‘Oops I’m Taken’, with both listed as founders and promoting the brand online following its release.
