IT was a fairytale romance that spanned from the school yard to Wembley stadium, but now Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi have sadly split.

The Man United striker, 25, has known his childhood sweetheart since they were 15 and famously popped the question a year ago in LA amongst a stunning floral backdrop.

Marcus and Lucia during the 2018 World Cup

Marcus was spotted returning to a hotel with influencer Courtney Caldwell

As recently as Valentine’s Day this year, he went all out with candles and flowers at the couple’s Manchester home and in April hired a Boeing 737 to whisk Lucia to New York.

But it appears the holiday could have been a last hurrah for the almost 10-year relationship after it emerged the couple parted shortly after.

A source insisted: “It’s nothing complicated. The relationship ran its course and they remain very close friends.”

Over the weekend, newly-single Rashford was seen enjoying the attention of gangs of giggling girls on holiday in Miami before partying with a party fitness influencer who runs a ‘Big Booty University’ to help people get a ‘bum like Kim Kardashian’.

Courtney Caldwell was seen returning to the player’s luxury hotel at 5am after attending an exclusive nightclub.  She sells workout and meal plans online and enjoys lucrative deals with brands like Gymshark.

Psychologists say it looks like Marcus, who was awarded an MBE for his work to provide free school meals during lockdown, is enjoying his new-found freedom, possibly for the first time in his life, after being in a relationship with Lucia since the age of 15.

Psychologist Emma Kenny said: “It’s quite a sad split as Marcus and Lucia looked like a sure thing.

“If they had negotiated this relationship, it would have been quite beautiful. You are more likely to have a successful relationship and marriage if you get together early on because you’ve grown together.

“When you come out of a long-term relationship, there’s definitely a pressure to feel like you’re not going to get stuck in that past situation and, if you’ve been together for a long time, in your head you try to make up for those lost years.

“He’s been with Lucia so long he’s not had the chance to really experience everything that comes with being a famous person.

Rashford and Lucia packed on a PDA at the 2018 World Cup

Lucia has supported her man in his meteoric rise to star footballer

“He’s watched his contemporaries and peers go through various experiences while he’s been stuck behind glass being a loyal partner and that glass is now shattered.

“Women will be throwing themselves at Marcus and, if he wants to, he could be like a boy in a candy shop.  But this split won’t be without its wounds.”

Lucia, who has a degree in advertising and brand management, has been beside Rashford throughout his meteoric rise to footballing stardom and travelled with him to various tournaments with him, including the World Cup.

The pair got engaged in May last year after Rashford proposed on a holiday to California and the couple posted Instagram pics kissing next to a white floral heart, standing on a bed of flowers.

Marcus and Lucia got engaged last year and experts say they might get back together

The adorable couple enjoyed travelling all over the world together

They have been together since they were 15

He popped the question at a lavish villa after they shared a romantic meal at celebrity seafood restaurant Catch LA and later celebrated with a close group of pals including United teammate Jesse Lingard.

The proposal came just four months after they got back together following an eight month break-up.

The high school loves first parted in May 2021 and blamed the pressure of the pandemic lockdown for their split.

A source said at the time: “It is as a result of the pressures and strains of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns and the confinement that has brought with it over the last 12 months.

“There is a strong mutual love and respect for one another, having met at school, and there is a continued dialogue with the hope of reconciliation in the future.”

When they reunited in January last year sources said the break had been good for the couple and gave them “breathing space.”  Their engagement soon followed.

Emma Kenny believes the couple might yet get back together saying: “It’s happened before and their bond is obviously very strong.”

Psychologist Dr Arthur Cassidy agrees saying: “If you get together at a young age, you grow and develop your identities together in a love fusion. There’s also social bonding and family ties.

“There’s a chance Marcus and Lucia could get back together because there’s not only longevity but they have also traded emotional bonds.

“When people get engaged, fear can sometimes set in and it could cause a split.. Questions such as ‘Am I worthy? What kind of wife or husband will I make?’ emerge.  It’s a fear of the unknown, the realisation that ‘things are getting serious now’.

“A temporary break can cause people to re-evaluate their relationship before is moves into serious mode again, which is what probably happened the first time Marcus and Lucia broke up.

“It might be that they reevaluate a second time and get back together.”

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