French footballer Dimitri Payet has found himself in the middle of a brewing controversy after being accused of engaging in an extramarital affair with a Brazilian social media personality, Larissa Ferrari.
Payet, 37, who currently plays for Brazilian Serie A side Vasco da Gama, allegedly became romantically involved with Ferrari during his time in Rio de Janeiro.
The former West Ham United and Marseille midfielder, who moved to Brazil in 2023, has been married to his wife Ludivine for nearly two decades. The couple share four children.
Reports suggest that Ludivine travels from France to visit her husband every three months, leaving long stretches of time where Payet is alone in Brazil.
Ferrari, a 28-year-old self-described “lawyer and broker in training”, claimed in a public statement that she and Payet shared a seven-month relationship that began after her divorce. She emphasized that the affair was not financially motivated.
“One thing I want to make clear is that it was never about money,” Ferrari wrote in her statement. “There was no need for it… I even traveled by bus the last time I went to Rio.”
She revealed that their relationship grew stronger over time, with regular visits to Payet’s residence. “Initially, it wasn’t supposed to be this deep. But we ended up getting very involved.
He gets lonely a lot, and I was going through my own challenges,” she said.
Ferrari further noted that the two exchanged affectionate messages and spent several days together every couple of weeks.
She concluded her statement by apologizing to her family and announcing a temporary break from social media to find peace.