Jermain Defoe is the 10-highest goalscorer in Premier League history thanks to his stunning exploits for West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth and Sunderland.
The East London striker is one of the legends of the English game - banging in goals wherever he rocked up. His 162 strikes in England's top flight earn him a spot on the prestigious list just behind Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler on 163 and edge out another ex-Liverpool star, Michael Owen, on 150.
But if you've read a tabloid newspaper over the last two decades, then you might not be surprised to read that Defoe, who turned 43 on Tuesday (October 7), was just as prolific off the pitch. And while it hasn't all been plain sailing for the former England hotshot when it comes to love, he's certainly racked up a lot of notches on his bedpost.
Here, Daily Star Sport takes a look at his staggering dating CV, which includes a bevy of beauties including beauty queens, models and pop stars, with a lot of controversy along the way.
Defoe is believed to have dated Manchester United and England legend David Beckham's younger sister, Joanne, between 2001 and 2003, with The Mirror lifting the lid on their "on-off" relationship in 2016.
A few years after the pair reportedly first met in Essex, Defoe was supposedly keen to focus on his career, and so called time on his romance with the former hairdresser and entrepreneur.
His next dalliance would be with model Charlotte Mears in 2006, with the striker splashing out £63,000 on an engagement ring. However, Mears, who was propelled to fame after she appeared on ITV's hit show WAG's Boutique, was dumped by Defoe in November 2007, when his head was turned.
Defoe left Charlotte when he turned his attention to her friend, glamour model Danielle Lloyd.
A former Miss England and Miss Great Britain who had posed nude for Playboy, Danielle was infamously a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother. She dumped Defoe over allegations he cheated with single mum Stephanie Moule.
Speaking to the Daily Star at the time, Danielle - who would go on to start a family with another footballer, Jamie O'Hara, said: "Yes, it's true. I've told Jermain our relationship is over. If you want to know the reason, you'd better ask him."
From July to October 2009, Defoe was in a relationship with reality TV and former Nuts magazine star Imogen Thomas. The former Miss Wales told the Daily Star that she ended things on her own terms.
Imogen - famous for her extramarital affair with Manchester United icon Ryan Giggs - said: "He wasn’t cheating. We were together every day so I don’t see how he could possibly have been.
"There were no signs. I like to stay in a lot, watch DVDs, make dinner and chill out."
Defoe would then have a four-month long fling with Celebrity Big Brother winner, underwear model and former Soccer AM 'Soccerette' Chantelle Houghton - but it was later revealed the blonde stunner failed to trust the striker.
Houghton, who won the fourth series of the Channel 4 reality series, was previously married to Samuel Preston of The Ordinary Boys before they divorced and she fell for Defoe's charms.
Before the pair went their separate ways, Defoe attempted to set the record straight: "I just don’t understand what I've done wrong. I'm a good Catholic boy. I go to church. I don't deserve this love rat tag. It's all a load of rubbish - and it's doing my head in."
From there Defoe would date X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke.
According to The Mirror, songstress Alexandra ended the relationship in May 2012, after Jermain was allegedly caught having an affair with another model, Laura Brown.
Although a relationship has never been confirmed, he was then linked to Topshop heiress Chloe Green, after they were spotted cosying up in London. An onlooker said: "They were on one of the busiest roads in London, on one of the hottest afternoons of the year during rush hour."
Defoe had a brief relationship with Anne-Marie Moore in 2013. Anne-Marie, who gave birth to a son Joshua-James in February 2013, agreed to have a paternity test for the tot - which revealed Defoe wasn't the father.
He was heartbroken - and a spokesman said: "Following a paternity test, Jermain Defoe has confirmed that he is not the father of the baby.
"Jermain vowed to support the mother after she claimed she was expecting his child but DNA test results have proved the baby is not his."
Defoe would finally settle down in 2021, during his stint north of the border at Rangers, with Scottish beauty therapist Donna Tierney. The pair had met after Defoe 'liked' her snaps on social media - then met at a charity event.
They would tie the knot in a lavish £200,000 ceremony at Cliveden House in June 2022, with some of the 250 guests including Tottenham assistant first team coach Ledley King and ex West Ham player turned talkSPORT pundit Carlton Cole.
However, six months later, they had gone their separate ways - with Donna claiming he cheated on her, after allegedly finding a love note sent to him. Defoe denied any wrongdoing.
Just weeks after the collapse of his marriage in January 2023, Defoe hooked up with Alisha LeMay. Alisha, who was once tipped for a Love Island appearance, is a personal shopper - and she shared snaps on the pair on social media.
However, he was then snapped smooching wedding planner Paige Mallabourn-Edmondson outside the luxury £1,200 a night Northcote Hotel, in Lancashire.
"Forgive, forget, love, help, care, smile," Alisha said on social media - with fans speculating it was about the striker.
Defoe and Alisha reportedly split up in February this year, with things between them said to have been "tense" since the cheating scandal.
Defoe soon moved on and in the summer was said to have hooked up with recruiter Farran Tomlin - 11 years his junior.
The pair were spotted in the British Airways First Class lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport - before jetting off on a romantic getaway to Bodrum in Turkey.
