Retiring professional footballers often encounter significant challenges in their post-football lives, affecting them physically, psychologically, and financially. Notably, 75% of marriages in professional football end in divorce within three years of retirement (XPro, 2014). Therefore, this research aimed to better understand the CLEs of former elite footballers and their IPs during the SCT, using Hermeneutic phenomenology as the chosen methodology. Evocative experiences were captured from sixteen interviews with nine former players and seven IPs of former players, recruited via purposive sampling and snowballing techniques. The hermeneutic analysis of these stories revealed that players and their IPs who planned their transition from playing football often experienced a smoother SCT and were less inclined to encounter marital issues. However, even those who planned their SCT still encountered some of the same significant challenges faced by those who did not plan, including the Common Lived Experiences (CLEs) of identity loss, loneliness, being banished into hiding, being isolated, and feelings of being in no-man's land. Many unprepared players resorted to maladaptive coping mechanisms and experienced depression. Unique findings from this research revealed additional challenges, such as the mistrust of teammates, resentment, a desire to hide over the embarrassment of unemployment and the negative impact on self and IPs. Nevertheless, once these players obtained gainful employment, they felt proud to be important again and embraced visibility. There is a dearth of research on the IPs of professional footballers, making many of this study's findings original. While several IPs continued their careers despite ‘trailing’ their partners and being their No.1 supporter, many felt invisible, having lost their identities due to being stereotyped andjudged. They too experienced loneliness and isolation throughout their intimate partner’s playing career, whereas the players only experienced these CLEs after retirement. A novel finding showed how several IPs financially supported the player during his SCT. Before the SCT, there had been an expectation that the burden of emotional support placed on IPs by the players would lessen. However, during the SCT, this load significantly increased, often becoming overwhelming and adversely affecting the mental well-being of the IPs. As a result, a unique finding revealed that many IPs temporarily withdrew their support from the player and sought professional support. The psychological support, combined with the player getting a job, thereby regaining his identity through a sense of purpose, seemed to establish a sound foundation for rebuilding their life after the SCT.