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Tuesday July 22, 2008

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly dating Italian model Letizia Filippi.

The Manchester United winger, 23, met the beauty while on holiday with fiancée Nereida Gallardo a week before they split up.

According to British newspaper The Sun, Letizia — who is seven years older than Ronaldo — is the reason why he ended his seven-month relationship with the Spanish model.

Ronaldo and Gallardo reportedly had dinner with Letizia and her then-partner onboard a yacht, during which the Man Utd ace and his latest lover “exchanged a number of glances”.

Ronaldo, who has been described as a “modern day slave” by the President of FIFA, was “totally bewitched” by Letizia and attempted to give her his number at the end of the night, which she rejected.

However Ronaldo was not put off — he “inundated her with texts and flowers” before eventually winning her over.

Letizia lives in Rome and rose to fame in her homeland by finishing third place in the 1994 Miss Italia.

A career in TV followed and she caught the attention of Italian ski champion, Alberto Tomba, whom she dated for two years.

Meanwhile, Gallardo was yesterday said to be “furious” over Cristiano’s recent womanizing.

He has been snapped getting cozy with a number of other women while holidaying in Los Angeles, much to her fury. Several reports have also claimed that at least four women have been invited back to Ronaldo’s hotel room during his stay.

Gallardo last week blasted rumors she had split from Cristiano, and has also insisted she had been assured by the footballer their relationship is still on.

Nereida reportedly told a pal, “I’ve believed my man when he said he was being faithful – but these pictures look like he is a rat. He has some explaining to do.”

A source close to the model told Britain’s Daily Star newspaper, “If she texts him to ask what is going on, he texts back saying not to worry.

“But when she tries to call him he doesn’t pick up the phone. She knows he’s ignoring it – it just makes her more furious.”