Barcelona’s Suarez renews wedding vows, with Messi on guest list

Uruguayan Barcelona forward Luis Suarez kisses his wife Sofia Balbi upon their arrival at a party for the renewal of their marriage vows in La Barra, near Punta del Este, Uruguay, on December 26, 2019. (Photo by EITAN ABRAMOVICH / AFP)

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez and wife Sofia Balbi have renewed their wedding vows at a star-studded gathering in Uruguay attended by Lionel Messi among others.

The celebration to mark 10 years of marriage took place in a luxury tourist complex near the coastal city of Maldonado, about 130 km (80 miles) east of the capital Montevideo.

A crowd of football fans, including many wearing the Barcelona strip, gathered near the entrance as Suarez’s clubmates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba arrived along with Ballon d’Or winner Messi and his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo.

Brazilian star Neymar was also there, local media said.

Uruguay striker Suarez and Balbi exchanged “rings inscribed with their respective names, made from white gold and diamonds”, according to a statement.

The couple met when Suarez was 14 and started seeing each other soon afterwards. They were married in 2009 and have three children.