Footballers are often blasted for a lack of loyalty in the modern game and if this year’s series of Love Island is anything to go by, the critique is fully justified.
Two footballers have tried to play a different kind of field, entering the Villa – and later Casa Amor – in search of love, but appear to have had difficulty tying themselves down to just one partner.
Harry Cooksley, once of AFC Wimbledon and Mallorca, seems to struggle with loyalty on and off the pitch.
The 30-year-old, who currently turns out for semi-professional side Farnham Town, has played for eleven teams, and not spent more than one year at any of the sides, since his nine-year stint at Reading in his youth.
The midfielder has sent mixed messages after becoming increasingly close with both Shakira Khan and Helena Ford. He has turned heads with his eyebrow-raising comments throughout the series, even claiming to have slept with an entire women’s football team.
Meanwhile, Harrison Solomon, a former Derby star, left Love Island viewers in disbelief after getting frisky with Lauren Wood under the covers earlier this week, having also flirted with Toni Laites.
Harry Cooksley, once of AFC Wimbledon, appears to struggle with loyalty on and off the pitch
He has sent mixed messages after becoming close with both Shakira Khan and Helena Ford
The midfielder shocked viewers by revealing that he slept with an entire women’s football team
The 22-year-old made 29 Premier League 2 appearances having joined Derby’s academy in 2019 and even featured in the FA Cup third round in 2021.
He has since moved to University of New Hampshire in the US as a student and plays for their football team.
And on Friday he shocked viewers by announcing a surprise early departure from the ITV2 show.
But while the current pair of flirty footballers may be accustomed to abuse from the terraces and from Love Island viewers and contestants alike, not all footballers have felt the ire of the show’s viewers.
In fact a number of stars have gone on to date, marry and even have kids with their Love Island counterparts.
Dani Dyer and Jarrod Bowen
Dani Dyer won the 2018 edition of Love Island with then partner Jack Fincham and they later moved in together and even bought a puppy.
But their fling lasted just six months, with Dyer admitting their relationship was ‘not meant to be long term’.
Dyer and Bowen, both 28, were next-door neighbours and fancied each other but she never believed the England and West Ham forward would be interested in a serious long-term relationship.
When they met, Dani had recently given birth to her son Santiago – although she was no longer with his dad Sammy Kimmence.
Dani Dyer and Jarrod Bowen were married at Langley Hotel, Iver, Buckinghamshire in May
The happy couple first met when they were neighbours and their romance blossomed slowly
Actor and diehard West Ham fan Danny joked he is more in love with Bowen than his daughter
Dani started inviting Jarrod round for dinners at her home and a romance slowly started to blossom.
But a relationship was not always certain.
‘When he first messaged me I thought “he’s very fit, I don’t mind having a little bit of fun with you, but I’m a mum now, you’re a footballer, you can go have your Gigi Hadids. I’m happy to have a bit of fun with if that’s what you want, you’re the first guy I’ve probably had with a six-pack”‘ Dyer revealed.
‘I think because I was so chilled it became something more.’
Her father Danny, Eastenders actor and diehard West Ham fan has always been delighted with their pairing, even joking that he is ‘more in love with Jarrod than Dani is’.
The couple had twins Summer and Star in 2023 and tied the knot at a lavish outdoor ceremony at the £500-a-night Langley Hotel in Iver, Buckinghamshire in May.
Maya Jama and Ruben Dias
Power couple Maya Jama and Ruben Dias appear to have gone from strength to strength this year with the Manchester City defender jetting out to Spain to support Jama while she filmed the popular ITV show.
They have been dating for several months and their romance began a year after Jama and Stormzy announced they were splitting for good, having previously rekindled their relationship after breaking up in 2019.
The duo are believed to have met at the European Music Awards (EMAs) in November.
Maya Jama and Man City defender Ruben Dias have been together for a number of months
Manchester city star Dias jetted out to Spain to support Jama while she presented Love Island
Their romance began a year after Jama and Stormzy announced they were splitting for good
Dias was believed to have previously dated model Arabella Chi, who appeared on season five
Their romance was finally confirmed after they were seen getting very close at KSI’s Baller League event in April.
The TV star then went official by posting a clip on Instagram as she sat alongside the footballer in a car heading back to her house.
She then attended a number of City and Portugal games in the second half of last season.
On Thursday the loved-up couple shared a steamy kiss as they relaxed at the Cala Bassa Beach Club during their romantic getaway to Ibiza.
That holiday came just days after they enjoyed a visit to Florida.
And while they appear enamoured with one another, Jama, who appears on the show as a presenter rather than a contestant, was not the first Love Island star to catch Dias’ eye.
He was believed to be dating model Arabella Chi, who appeared on season five on the series, in 2023, before the defender reportedly dumped her after a few months.
Olivia Attwood and Bradley Dack
Former Blackburn and Sunderland star Bradley Dack married Olivia Attwood in 2023, having got engaged four years earlier.
They originally met in a nightclub in the West End in 2015 after being introduced through mutual friends.
The duo dated on and off for three months before it fizzled out, with Attwood deciding to go on Love Island.
The Loose Women panellist appeared in the third series, finishing third with partner Chris Hughes, and later took part in I’m A Celebrity in 2022.
Former Blackburn and current Gillingham star Bradley Dack married Olivia Attwood in 2023
The couple met in a nightclub in the West End in 2015 after being introduced through friends
Olivia Attwood appeared in the third series of Love Island, finishing third with Chris Hughes
She broke up with Hughes in February 2018, less than a year after they reached the final of Love Island, and it wasn’t long before the star was back with Dack, reuniting months later.
Attwood, 34, has revealed she doesn’t think she and Dack would be together now if she hadn’t gone on Love Island.
‘If I hadn’t gone on Love Island, I don’t think we would be together. We had to pull away for us to both get perspective,’ she said.
‘Brad is the first male, dating relationship I’ve had where he has his own thing, his own job, his own goals and I have mine and he wants me to have them.’
The couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at the five-star hotel Bulgari in Knightsbridge in June 2023.
Georgia Steel and Harry Clarke
Georgia Steel has tried to find love on the show twice – first in 2018 before taking part in Love Island: All-Stars last year.
Georgia went out with Hashtag United footballer Toby Aromolaran following the spin-off series but they split in March.
But she appears to have struck gold with Ipswich and former Arsenal and Sheffield United defender Harry Clarke.
She has largely kept their blossoming romance under wraps since they got together last year.
Georgia Steel is dating Ipswich and former Arsenal and Sheffield United defender Harry Clarke
They have largely kept their blossoming romance under wraps since they got together last year
Georgia went out with Hashtag United footballer Toby Aromolaran following the spin-off series
The 26-year-old was first spotted getting flirty with the Premier League star last September at a David Lloyd gym in London.
The couple were then unable to keep their hands off each other as they shared a kiss while on holiday in Dubai.
More recently Steel shared some loved up snaps with her partner as they celebrated his birthday.
Ella Thomas and Lloyd Jones
Lloyd Jones and Ella Thomas went official with their relationship in May.
The Charlton Athletic captain and player of the season went public after sharing a selection of photos from The Addicks’ final game of the campaign, alongside Thomas.
The 25-year-old appeared in series 10 of Love Island in 2023 and got together with Tyrique Hyde.
Their relationship was heavily tested with some dramatic ups and downs throughout the series but they left the villa together.
Charlton captain Lloyd Jones and Ella Thomas went official with their relationship in May
Jones went public by sharing a series of photos of his final game of the season with Thomas
Thomas, 25, appeared in series 10 of Love Island in 2023 and got together with Tyrique Hyde
But the couple announced they had split in November 2023, before trying to give it another go.
In February 2024, MailOnline exclusively revealed Ella and Tyrique had parted ways permanently – after six months as a couple.
Amber Gill and Jen Beattie
Amber Gill won Love Island in 2019 alongside ex Greg O’Shea but they split just weeks after leaving the villa.
She then got together with former Arsenal and Scotland player Jen Beattie, with the couple first linked in December 2022.
Five months later, the TV star professed her love for Beattie on Instagram, telling her Instagram followers that she had always been ‘free-spirited’ and not to use ‘labels’.
In December 2023 they ended their romance after growing apart but remained friends.
The relationship was the reality star’s first public dating experience since she opened up about her sexuality, saying that it was ‘painfully obvious’ she ‘liked girls’ during her appearance on the ITV2 show.
Love Island star Amber Gill was in a relationship with ex-Arsenal and Scotland star Jen Beattie
The relationship was Gill’s first public dating experience since opening up about her sexuality
Grace Jackson is said to have gone on multiple dates with Marcus Rashford around Cheshire
Marcus Rashford split with childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi (pictured) afer ten years in 2023
Grace Jackson and Marcus Rashford
Manchester United star Marcus Rashford is heading towards the Old Trafford exit door after being axed by Ruben Amorim.
But it is not the first time that the England forward has been dumped.
In December, the 27-year-old was reportedly broken up with by 2024 contestant Grace Jackson.
The model also appeared in the All Stars edition where she was coupled with Joey Essex.
Jackson went on multiple dates with Rashford around Cheshire but is said to have decided to split with the United striker ‘not serious about the relationship’.
