Spotted: 16 sports stars on luxury yacht vacations

Footballer Neymar Jr

Soaking up some winter sunshine in Brazil

Instagram/@neymarjr

Brazilian football player Neymar Jr. was spotted enjoying an end-of-year break on board a luxury yacht in his home country in December 2017. Neymar was joined on board by his son Davi Lucca, girlfriend Bruna Marquezine, fellow Paris Saint-Germain player Kevin Trapp and Trapp's girlfriend, Brazilian model Izabel Goulart. The group spent their time on board soaking up some winter sun and exploring Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago in Pernambuco, before the football season resumed in January.

F1 driver Jenson Button

The British driver soaks up the sun in Italy

Instagram/@brittnyward

British Formula One star Jenson Button was spotted enjoying a luxury yacht vacation in Italy in August 2017. Button was on holiday with his girlfriend, model Brittny Ward, who shared a number of snaps of the pair cruising the Amalfi Coast before heading ashore to explore the famously quaint towns of the beautiful Italian coastline.

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps

Gold medallist Phelps starts Independence Day weekend on the water

Instagram/@m_phelps00

As a hugely successful Olympic swimmer it is perhaps no surprise that Michael Phelps looks as at home on the water as he does in it. The American athlete rang in the start of Fourth of July weekend 2017 on board a luxury yacht with his wife Nicole and son Boomer during a vacation to celebrate his 32nd birthday. However, with the retired swimmer recently confirming his next big race would be against a Great White shark perhaps he managed to slip a little open water training into his holiday as well.

Tennis pro Caroline Wozniacki and NBA player David Lee

The sporting couple soaked up the sun in Sardinia

Instagram/carowozniacki

Tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki and her boyfriend, NBA star David Lee, shared this snap from an idyllic luxury yacht vacation in Sardinia in June 2017. The sporting couple took some time out in the Italian destination, which recently hosted the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, during a break between the French Open and Wimbledon tennis tournaments which happily coincided with the end of the US basketball season on June 12.

Footballer Mario Balotelli

Instagram/@mb459

Italian footballer Mario Balotelli posted this beautiful sunset image of himself unwinding on the deck of a luxury yacht with the caption "#relax" in April 2017. Although Balotelli did not reveal where he was taking time out, as a striker for French club Nice, Balotelli is no doubt well acquainted with the superyacht lifestyle and, indeed, was spotted enjoying vacations on board along the Italian coast numerous times in summer 2016.

Footballer Karim Benzema

The Real Madrid star cruises on board _Harun_

Instagram/@karimbenzema

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema got over his disappointment at being left out of the French national team for the Euro 2016 finals in the best way possible this weekend (July 10) - on board a superyacht. The footballer was spotted in St Tropez on board 37 metre Harun where he made good use of the yacht's top Jet Skis and shared this snap emphasising just how large his yacht of choice was. Should Benzema be particularly taken with the yacht the option to buy her is open as Harun is currently listed for sale with G-Yachts for €8 million.

Footballer John Terry

Treating his family to a luxury yacht charter

Instagram/@johnterry

Far from the wild parties he may have enjoyed as an up-and-coming young footballer, Chelsea captain John Terry treated his family to a holiday aboard O'Pari 3 in Montenegro in summer 2016. Terry was joined by his wife and children on board the 71 metre yacht, which is available for charter with Atalanta Golden Yachts Athens from €550,000 per week, and the family made good use of her extensive toy box.

The Terry family enjoy superyacht vacations on a seemingly annual basis and were spotted spending time on _O’Pati _in 2015. The 39.5 metre Golden Yachts vessel, which is also listed for charter with Atalanta, cuts a striking figure with its black and red paint job and offers charter guests a variety of water toys for children.

O'Pati is also for sale with Ocean Independence.

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo

Enjoying a luxury yacht charter in Ibiza

Instagram/@cristiano

Portuguese footballing star Cristiano Ronaldo made the most of his time off before the start of the European Championships 2016 with a luxury yacht charter in Ibiza. Ronaldo was joined by a group of friends on board the 36.5 metre Palmer Johnson yacht Ascari and was spotted enjoying her superyacht slide, jet skis and other water toys.

Ronaldo is known to be a superyacht fan and frequently charters luxury yachts in his time off from Spanish football club Real Madrid. In December 2014 he opted for a superyacht charter in Dubai and was later spotted soaking up some sun on Lionchase in the French Riviera.

Rugby star Sam Burgess

Soaks up the sun in Greece on a luxury yacht charter

Instagram/@samburgess

British rugby star Sam Burgess took time out from duties at Bath Rugby Club to holiday on a luxury yacht charter in Greece with girlfriend Phoebe Hooke in summer 2015.

NBA star Scottie Pippen

Rarely seen off his luxury yacht _Lady Larsa_

Instagram/@larsapippen

Retired Chicago Bulls star and six-time NBA winner Scottie Pippen is rarely seen off his 30 metre Burger yacht Lady Larsa. Named for his wife – Real Housewives of Miami reality TV star Larsa Pippen – the couple bought the custom yacht in 2001 and have been posting envy-inducing images from it ever since.

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