By Teddy Nwanunobi
The duo of American rapper, Cardi B, and Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, have kept silence on the speculation their dating rumours, despite being spotted together on Wednesday at several Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week events, sending social media into a frenzy.
The speculation began after videos and photographs from the Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture Show surfaced online, showing Okoye escorting the Grammy-winning rapper to her seat before the pair sat side by side to watch the runway presentation.
The duo were also seen together at the Messika Haute Joaillerie presentation, where they appeared relaxed, laughing and chatting during the event.
The clips quickly went viral across TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook, with many social media users commenting on the pair’s apparent chemistry, Okoye’s gentlemanly gesture and the possibility of a romance.
But despite the online excitement, neither Cardi B nor Okoye has commented on the speculation, and there is no verified evidence that they are romantically involved.
The renewed interest in Cardi B’s personal life follows her recent public association with NFL player Stefon Diggs, making her appearance alongside the Nigerian footballer a trending topic almost immediately.
For many outside football circles, the viral videos have also introduced Okoye to a wider international audience.
Born on August 28, 1999 in Düsseldorf, Germany, to a Nigerian father and a German mother, the 26-year-old goalkeeper, who represents Nigeria’s Super Eagles and currently plays for Italian Serie A club Udinese, is not married.
Daily NewsCraft reports that he has been in a long-term relationship with Dutch model Jelicia Westhoff for over four years, and they share a son, Isaiah Amiel Okoye. Despite a few public breakups, the couple have reconciled and remained together.
Okoye, who stands at 1.98 metres (6ft 6in), has not been publicly linked to or seen at high-profile events with other celebrity women, aside from his viral outing with Cardi B. His personal life has largely centred on his long-term partner, Westhoff. He also dismissed past dating rumours involving DJ Cuppy, and a sports journalist claimed Okoye once rejected advances from a Nigerian billionaire’s daughter, saying she was “not his type.”