German ex-Chelsea star Michael Ballack, 45, ‘is dating model friend, 21, of his late son Emilio’

German ex-Chelsea star Michael Ballack, 45, ‘is dating 21-year-old model friend of his late son Emilio’ with the pair growing close after the 18-year-old was killed in a quad bike tragedy in Portugal last year

  • Former Chelsea star Michael Ballack though to be dating model friend of late son
  • Ballack and model girlfriend Sophia Schneiderhan, 21,  seen on stop at Art Basel
  • Duo believed to have gotten close following the death of Emilio Ballack last year
  • Emilio Ballack, 18, was killed in quad bike accident in Portugal on August 5, 2021

German former Chelsea star Michael Ballack is thought to be dating a 21-year-old friend of his late son Emilio less than a year after the 18-year-old was killed in a quad bike tragedy in Portugal. 

Ballack, 45, was spotted enjoying a visit to Art Basel, a fair for Modern and contemporary art, with his model girlfriend Sophia Schneiderhan, 21. 

The pair, who got close after Ballack’s son’s fatal accident, appeared loved up and were seen kissing in public, German outlet Bild reported. 

It is not the first time the couple have been seen out together after they were seen  out in a trendy district of Berlin. 

It comes less than a year after Ballack’s son Emilio was killed when his quad bike tipped backwards and crushed him as he reversed and lost control following a family BBQ at Ballack’s Portuguese holiday home. 

Emilio was the middle of Ballack’s three sons – born in 2002 to then-girlfriend Simone Lambe, who Ballack would marry in 2008 but divorce in 2012. 

Friends of the duo told Bild they believed the relationship was good for Ballack and that the couple did not seem bothered by the 24-year age gap. 

Neither Ballack nor Schneiderhan immediately responded to MailOnline’s request for comment. 

German former Chelsea star Michael Ballack is thought to be dating Sophia Schneiderhan, a 21-year-old friend of his late son Emilio, less than a year after the 18-year-old was killed in a quad bike tragedy in Portugal

The 18-year-old was crushed by a quad-bike near the family's holiday home in Portugal, according to reports

The 18-year-old was crushed by a quad-bike near the family’s holiday home in Portugal, according to reports

Schneiderhan, who got close to Ballack after his son's fatal accident, appeared loved up and was seen kissing the former Chelsea footballer in public

Schneiderhan, who got close to Ballack after his son’s fatal accident, appeared loved up and was seen kissing the former Chelsea footballer in public

Police at the time said Ballack had been riding on an uneven piece of land when the bike rolled backwards and fell on top of him around 2am on August 5 at the family’s Villas do Mar estate, near the town of Troia which is just south of the capital, Lisbon.

Firefighters had to pull him free of the wreck before medics tried to revive him, but their efforts proved in vain and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

‘The accident happened at the family home. The quad rider wasn’t on a public road and his was the only vehicle involved,’ an officer told Portuguese media.  

Portuguese daily Jornal de Noticias reported that Emilio was reversing out of the property on his quad when he had his fatal accident.

Ballack's sons Louis (left), Emilio (second right) and Jordi (right) pose for a picture with their mother Simone (centre left)

Ballack’s sons Louis (left), Emilio (second right) and Jordi (right) pose for a picture with their mother Simone (centre left)

Emilio, 18, pictured in his last Instagram post at the family's holiday home just six days before Thursday's accident in Portugal

Emilio

Emilio, 18,is pictured (left) in his last Instagram photo uploaded before the accident, and (right) in another shot showing him on his graduation day

He is believed to have lost control of the vehicle during the manoeuvre out of the family villa and ended up on a public road with the quad on top of him after falling, the paper reported. His grandmother is said to have raised the alarm. 

Sources said Emilio had enjoyed a family barbecue at the villa earlier in the evening. He was holidaying there with his father, two brothers and Michael’s own parents. 

The teenager’s body has been taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in the city of Santiago de Cacem for a post-mortem. Ballack has yet to make any official comment.

According to Portuguese media, the tragedy happened in Troia, a peninsular off the coast of Setubal just south of Lisbon

According to Portuguese media, the tragedy happened in Troia, a peninsular off the coast of Setubal just south of Lisbon

Emilio (left), who has an older and younger brother, pictured playing a round of golf with his dad Michael back in 2015

Emilio (left), who has an older and younger brother, pictured playing a round of golf with his dad Michael back in 2015

Ballack waves to the crowd at his testimonial as he walks around the pitch with Jordi, Emilio (second left) and Louis in 2013

Ballack, pictured with sons Louis, Emilio and Jordi, at the World XI testimonial game at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig in 2013

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