Ruud van Nistelrooy married his longtime girlfriend Leontine Slaats on Saturday July 10, 2004 in a private ceremony near his hometown.
The couple were pronounced husband and wife around noon at the Heesch town hall in the southern Dutch province of Brabant. A small group of family and friends then attended a wedding service for the couple at the Maria Magdalena Church in the village of Geffen, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Amsterdam.
Hundreds of fans cheered as the couple arrived at the Catholic church.
The bride wore a white dress, and Van Nistelrooy, who turned 28 last week, wore a beige suit.
Van Nistelrooy, a forward with England’s Manchester United, finished among the top three scorers of the Euro 2004 Cup, with four goals for the Dutch team. The scoring spree was dampened by a suspension for the first 2006 World Cup games after he insulted a referee.
A soccer fan Web site was set up for the wedding, but the couple refused to allow a webcam or any media in the church.