Iker Casillas and Sara Carbonero have confirmed their separation.

The pair had been rumoured to be splitting up, and those reports have now been proven true, with each confirming the news on their respective social media channels.

"Today our love as a couple takes different but not distant paths," they said. "We'll continue together with our task of being dedicated parents, as we have until now.

"It's a decision taken with though and made by mutual agreement. Respect, affection, and friendship will always remain. Our priority is to share the wellbeing of our children and protect them so that they grow up in a stable and healthy environment."

The couple ended their statements by asking that their privacy is respected.