A Premier League star is flying home to Brazil to get married - but admits his son could end up playing for England.
Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is tying the knot with sweetheart Ana Lidia Martins in Rio on June 10. Their seven-month-old son Matteo was born a 'Geordie' leaving the star with a dilemma if he inherits his daddy's footballing talents.
United drew 1-1 with Chelsea in their final Premier League match of the season, with Champions League qualification already assured. Bruno, 25, flew home on Monday to get ready for his big day. "Then I may be off to play for Brazil," he told The Mirror. "It is such a special time for me right now. It is just unbelievable. I am very lucky."
The modest star has become a hero of the terraces. He is stopped everywhere he goes on Tyneside, where he has settled with his family including his parents Marcia and Dick. "Sometimes I feel like the mayor of Newcastle,” he joked.
"When I am out with my parents, fans always want to talk to me and I feel like I am a Geordie too now. My son was born in Newcastle so he really is a Geordie! I am not sure if he will play for England, you have to be here for five years for that to happen.
"It will be his choice. I think that he will love the city and the people who live here, my wife and I will leave it to him. I am just so happy to become a father.” Their fairytale wedding will take place with 300 guests. The couple became man and wife ahead of the ceremony ‘on paper’ but wanted to share their big day with family and friends.
It takes place in Rio, where Bruno was born and brought up, and he described it as ‘the best city in the world'. "My wife has planned most of the wedding, but I have helped too," he said. "We still don't have our first song but we have chosen the decorations and everything. Most of the music will be Brazilian."
His Toon team-mate and close friend, Joelinton, is set to be his best man. Bruno added: "He is like a brother to me. When I first arrived, he translated everything into English for me and brought me to Rio, the Brazilian restaurant in Newcastle.
"I can speak Portuguese with the staff and really feel at home. It means you can relax. There may be no honeymoon for the star due to international duty with Brazil, who are without a manager after Tite left the job following the Qatar World Cup.
Bruno is already looking forward to the first Champions League matches in more than 20 years at St James' Park and is hoping there will be more Brazilians heading to Toon soon. "I can't imagine what the atmosphere will be like in the Champions League, I would love Real Madrid or Barcelona," he said.
"Hopefully we will get more Brazilians. I would like to see more players from Brazil at the club. For me and Joelinton that would be good, but of course it is not my job to bring them here!"
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Bruno presented a dream prize to lucky Toon fans Joanne and Graham Cook, of Lobley Hill, Gateshead, after they won a signed Toon top and VIP trip in a £240,000 Flying Spur Bentley. The draw raised £10,000 for the Great North Children's Hospital.
It was organised by Rodrigo Grassi, co-owner of the Rio restaurant who also laid on a meal for the couple who were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. Joanne, 50, joked: "I have never won anything in my life and now this! It has been such a lovely surprise."
