Former Germany international Michael Ballack, 48, has threatened legal action over false reports that his 23-year-old “life partner,” Sophia Schneiderhan, was his late son Emilio’s ex-girlfriend.
Ballack began his relationship with Schneiderhan after the tragic death of his son Emilio, who was just 18 when he died in a quad biking accident in Lisbon in 2021. Emilio was one of Ballack’s three sons with his ex-wife, Simone Lambe. The couple, who married in 2008, had been together for several years prior and welcomed their first child seven years earlier before divorcing in 2012.
Despite being seen publicly with Schneiderhan and sharing photos of them on social media, Ballack is now considering legal action against those spreading the false allegations about their relationship and its supposed connection to his son.
In a recent Instagram post featuring a photo of them together, the German footballer stated: “In light of recent media reports, I feel it is necessary to clarify the following:
‘My life partner, Sophia, is neither my late son’s ex-girlfriend nor was she friends with him.
‘We will pursue legal action against these falsehoods and kindly ask that you respect our privacy.'”
In a recent Instagram post featuring a photo of the couple, the German footballer stated: “In light of recent media reports, I believe it is essential to clarify:
‘Sophia, my life partner, is not my late son’s ex-girlfriend, nor did she have any friendship with him.
‘We will pursue legal action against these false claims and kindly request privacy during this time.’”