Spotted: 16 sports stars on luxury yacht vacations

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Ex-NRL star and founder of children's fitness scheme MiniFit, Anthony Minichiello, celebrated Australia Day on January 26 aboard a luxury yacht in Sydney. The ex-rugby player was joined by his wife Terry Biviano on board host John Symond's 26.21 metre Horizon Xanadu.

Minichiello is known to be a keen sailor and was one of the celebrities spotted at the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2015. The sports star joined Wallabies player Kurtley Beale and television presenter Erin Molan as part of the team on board Perpetual Loyal.

Having recently signed a £23 million deal with Manchester United, ex-PSV Eindhoven footballer Memphis Depay had a lot to celebrate in summer 2016 - and where better to do it than on a superyacht? The young star took to social media to post a picture of himself and fellow PSV Eindhoven player Tufan Ozbozkurt diving from the sun deck of a large yacht. As the video below shows, their diving technique is far less impressive than their footballing skills.

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.