The fast-paced world of soccer trading often puts a strain on player relationships — but Alisha Lehmann and Douglas Luiz have just secured the best possible deal.
Brazil international midfielder Luiz signed for Juventus from Aston Villa at the end of June. Just six days later, his girlfriend Alisha Lehmann followed suit, completing what is almost certainly the first-ever ‘couples transfer’ between men’s and women’s teams at the same clubs in world football history.
@alishalehmann7 New chapter, couldnt be happier🤩 Forza Juve⚫️⚪️🤩
♬ original sound – Alisha Lehmann
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Lehmann was previously dating her Switzerland international teammate Ramona Bachmann and spoke publicly about her positive experience of being LGBTQ at a fans’ event at the London Olympic Stadium in 2019.
She split from Bachmann in March 2021 after three years together, with both players announcing the break-up on their individual social media accounts.
A few months later, Lehmann left West Ham to sign for Villa, where Luiz had already been playing on the men’s team for two seasons. In November, they went “Instagram official” about their relationship.
By this time, the Swiss forward’s fame was already rocketing beyond women’s soccer due to her substantial online following. Dubbed the “world’s sexiest footballer” by several media outlets, Lehmann had around six million Instagram followers at the time.
She now has almost 17 million — more than her country’s greatest-ever sportsperson, Roger Federer. In fact, the only two women athletes who have bigger global audiences on the platform are Ronda Rousey and Serena Williams.
Lehmann and Luiz were said to have split up in November 2022, supposedly due to him disapproving of her risque calendar shoot.
However, their relationship was officially back on by the start of 2024 when they each posted loved-up photos together for New Year’s on — where else? — Instagram.
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Lehmann has won over 50 international caps for the Swiss and was in the squad that reached the FIFA Women’s World Cup round-of-16 in New Zealand. She was among nearly 100 out LGBTQ players taking part in the tournament.
Also last year, Lehmann discussed being bi in an interview with Sky Germany.
Asked about being in a relationship with Bachmann and then later with Luiz, she replied: “I would say that it’s normal for us in women’s football. Everyone accepts us as we are.
“In the outside world, most people say they accept it, but behind their backs they often say, ‘oh my God, that’s not possible!”
“I don’t know why that is. My generation grew up in such a way that everyone is accepted. Maybe the older generation is the problem. In 10 or 20 years, that will be over.”
When Luiz was tipped to join Juventus earlier in the summer, fans speculated over whether Lehmann might follow him to Serie A.
Between the two announcements of their transfers, Lehmann was in the U.S. to watch her boyfriend play for Brazil in back-to-back group games at the Copa America.
When she returned to Europe for her own unveiling, she told Juve’s official website: “For Douglas and me to be together in the same club is a dream… being able to have these great adventures in the same place is something wonderful.”
There would be disappointment for Luiz the same day, however. He ended up hitting the post in a penalty shootout as Brazil were knocked out of the Copa America by Uruguay after a goalless draw at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The 26-year-old is set to make his competitive debut for Juve men’s team when the new Serie A season begins in mid-August, while Lehmann is set for hers at the end of next month when the women’s top-flight campaign gets underway.
