Married Olympics icon Michael Phelps goes viral for 'cringe' moment with model during poker match

While the sporting talent at the table commanded interest, it was a light-hearted moment away from the cards that captured social media’s focus.

During the game, Phelps stepped away from his seat to congratulate Love following a move she made at the table.

The pair exchanged a short embrace as he returned to speak with her.

Cameras filming the event picked up their interaction, showing Phelps keeping one arm around her momentarily as they continued talking.

The scene prompted discussion online, though nothing within the footage suggests anything other than casual friendliness between the two.

Love, 29, appeared delighted with her performance, saying: “You see me? I’m doing my damn thing. They ain’t f*****g with me.”

Phelps laughed and replied, “I see you,” before returning to his seat after a further brief exchange.

Wearing his hair long and tied in a bun with a full beard, the swimming legend looked markedly different from his clean-cut Olympic image, surprising some viewers who scarcely recognised him.

Phelps’ personal life quickly entered the conversation, largely due to his profile as a married father of four.

Married since 2016 to Nicole Phelps, formerly Miss California USA, he has been in a long-term relationship with her since 2007.

The couple are not expecting another child, although a recent Instagram photo of Nicole during a past pregnancy led some social media users to mistakenly believe she was currently expecting.

That confusion helped fuel reactions to the poker clip, even though the footage itself did not indicate inappropriate behaviour from Phelps.

Comments online ranged from mild mockery to surprise, with some viewers describing the exchange as “cringe,” largely because of Phelps’ reserved public image.

Others questioned why the moment drew scrutiny at all, pointing out that it showed nothing more than casual interaction between acquaintances in a lively, public setting.

There is no indication from either participant that the exchange was anything but amicable.

Phelps’ appearance at the poker table stands in stark contrast to the career that made him a global icon.

Across five Olympic Games, from Athens 2004 to Rio 2016, he amassed an unparalleled 23 gold medals and 28 total medals, redefining dominance in competitive swimming.

His achievements include eight golds at Beijing 2008, a feat unmatched in a single Games, along with multiple world records in events ranging from the butterfly to freestyle and medley disciplines.

Now retired from competition, Phelps remains a prominent sports figure, advocate for mental health, and occasional presence at public events such as charity tournaments.