'Only F**ls Marry' - Angry Reactions as Emmanuel Eboué’s Son Signs for Chelsea with His Ex-Wife, Years after Divorce Reportedly Left Him Penniless

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of 17-year-old attacker Mathis Eboué, shortly after celebrating his birthday. According to the club's official website, Mathis signed his first professional contract with the Premier League giants after joining the Blues from Watford in January 2025.

During his time at Watford, he debuted for their Under-21s side while still in the Under-16 age group, showcasing his precocious talent. At Chelsea, he has featured prominently for the Under-18s, netting three goals in 16 appearances across all competitions this season. He marked his introduction to the team with a goal in a 4-2 victory against Crystal Palace and has also made his debut in the UEFA Youth League, contributing to a 5-2 win over Benfica at Cobham.

Mathis, the son of former Arsenal and Ivory Coast legend Emmanuel Eboué, operates primarily as a left-footed central attacking midfielder but is versatile enough to play on the left flank.

The signing was captured in photos shared widely on social media, showing Mathis penning the deal alongside his mother, Aurélie Bertrand, who appeared beaming with pride. However, one notable absence ignited reactions on the internet.

The announcement of Mathis Eboué's contract has sparked a wave of reactions on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where fans have focused intensely on the absence of his father, Emmanuel Eboué, re-opening painful memories of the family's infamous 2017 divorce.

Many users expressed outrage at what they perceive as the ongoing estrangement.

See some reactions below:

Aurélie Bertrand, the Belgian ex-wife of Emmanuel Eboué, remains a figure shrouded in relative obscurity beyond her association with the former footballer.

Pulse Sports Nigeria earlier reported a comprehensive account of Aurelie Bertrand's story; she met Eboué shortly after his move to Europe in 2002 to join Belgian club KSK Beveren, where she resided.

The couple married in 2004 in a church ceremony when Eboué was just 20, and they went on to have three children together. During their marriage, they enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, including vacations, supercars, and mansions, funded by Eboué's successful career at Arsenal and Galatasaray. The marriage ended in a highly contentious divorce in 2017, initiated by Bertrand, with Eboué, detailing how his limited education contributed to his fall from grace.

Eboué admitted to entrusting Bertrand with financial matters, often signing documents without full comprehension and sending the bulk of his earnings, such as 7 million euros from an 8 million euro annual salary in Turkey, for her to manage.

The court awarded Aurelie Bertrand significant assets, including properties in England, cars, and cash, under English law which reportedly favoured her as the primary caregiver. Eboué later claimed this left him facing hardship, sleeping at a friend's house and contemplating suicide, though he clarified he retained properties in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire and was not bankrupt.

Post-divorce, Bertrand allegedly denied Eboué access to their children for months, and they relocated to Belgium, where she advertised their former Enfield mansion for rent. Eboué attributed part of the split to external influences from teammates' wives. Bertrand has remained silent on the matter publicly, and while the divorce painted her in a negative light in media reports, Eboué has since remarried and moved on, accepting the outcome for the sake of their children.

The former Arsenal and Galatasaray defender remarried in 2019 following his high-profile divorce from Aurélie Bertrand in 2017. His new wife is Stephanie Boede, described as his childhood sweetheart and an Ivorian businesswoman. The couple tied the knot on 30 August 2024 in a private ceremony in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, marking a fresh chapter for Eboué, years after his previous marriage ended amid financial and personal turmoil.