They say Christmas is a time for reflection so imagine the tension in the Rooney and Terry households this weekend as their spouses look back on the past 12 months.
Fortunately for England teammates Wayne Rooney and John Terry, their marriages seem to have survived their reported infidelities and the associated media frenzy. But rockier times might be ahead once they hang up their boots.
According to official Professional Footballers Association (PFA) figures, around 70 per cent of players get divorced within five years of retiring. It's a stunning statistic that makes a mockery of the old clich? of giving up the game to spend more time with family.
'The problems begin straight away, from the first day you are at home,' said former England striker Tony Cottee, now a TV pundit in the UK and Asia. 'On retirement, you are in the house much more and your income is much reduced or even non-existent. This leads to questions like 'can't you go out and get a job?' because your wife isn't used to you being around and also her spending allowance gets cut.'
Cottee speaks from personal experience. The cracks in his marriage to childhood sweetheart Lorraine started to appear soon after he retired in 2001 after a glittering career with clubs that included West Ham, Everton and Leicester.
This Christmas, ex-wife Lorraine celebrates with their 12-year-old twin sons Matt and Billy in the United States while Cottee will mark the holiday with their 18-year-old daughter Chloe in Essex.