The UEFA Euro 2020 tournament has kicked off – which means the glamorous wives and girlfriends of football’s superstars will be back in the spotlight.
While many of the WAGs of today have escaped the full glare of fame, there was a time when footballers’ wives were as famous as their sports-star partners. In the days when David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole were the big shots of the England team, photos of their wives – Victoria Beckham, Coleen Rooney and Cheryl – cheering them on at the 2006 World Cup in Germany became iconic. The WAGs also made headlines for their wild antics, including stories of dancing drunk on tables, huge shopping sprees, and diva behaviour that led to them being banned from the following World Cup in South Africa.
Coleen’s friend Leanne Brown – who shares daughters Halle, 18, Lilia, 14, and 10-year-old Lola with her former England and Manchester Utd defender husband Wes Brown – has fond memories of that golden era, but tells Closer that times have changed.
The 45-year-old former Real Housewives Of Cheshire star says, “It’s exciting being in the world of football. But it was different back in the day. We were a group, and we made really great friendships with each other. We could all relate to each other and the lives we had with footballer husbands. I’m still friendly with the Manchester United wives – Coleen, Hayley [Fletcher, wife of Darren Fletcher] and Lisa [Carrick, wife of Michael Carrick] and we occasionally meet up. I think there’s a misconception that the wives and girlfriends aren’t friendly, but that wasn’t my experience – everyone was so down to earth.
“It was sometimes daunting and you felt like all eyes were on you, but it was also exciting. I used to enjoy choosing outfits – I liked making an effort, especially as there was a possibility I’d be photographed.
“The focus on the wives and girlfriends during the 2006 World Cup in Germany was crazy. We all remember that image of Cheryl, Coleen and Victoria. I’m glad I didn’t come under the same scrutiny. There was a lot of pressure on them and they had to be really careful about who they trusted, as everyone was after a story.”
But Leanne believes that, today, the pressure isn’t as intense as it was back then. And she’s glad that the heat is off, as her eldest daughter Halle is now dating Burnley FC footballer Owen Dodgson, 18 – and she’s given her advice about how to handle the WAG life.
Leanne says, “There’s not as much pressure on the wives and girlfriends of players today – it seems the focus has shifted now, more to reality TV stars and social media influencers.
“Halle and Owen have been together for just over a year. They’re a great couple – Wes and him have lots to talk about and he’s been well brought up, which is always what you want. Halle is a very grounded, confident young lady, and I’m so proud of her. They’re really happy together.”
The ones to watch (on and off the pitch)
Mia McClenaghan – ‘The law graduate’
Chelsea right-back Reece James has been dating model Mia McClenaghan for two years. Mia, 21, who’s from Brentwood and is friends with TOWIE’s Ella Rae Wise, recently graduated from London’s Royal Holloway University with a law degree, which she studied for while modelling. She also works as a senior interviewer for a legal advice centre, offering assistance on family problems to prisoners.
Victoria Dykes – ‘The scandal romance’
There were raised eyebrows when Lyndon Dykes first dated Victoria, as she was previously married to Lyndon’s ex-manager at Dumfries football club, Jim Thompson. The pair are thought to have met when Lyndon stayed with Jim and Victoria – who share two daughters – after signing for his second stint with Dumfries in 2016. Two years later, Victoria and Lyndon welcomed their son, Tiime.
Kellie O’Donnell – ‘The banker’
Right-back Stephen O’Donnell is married to Kellie, who works in investment and wealth management for Barclays. The pair, who wed in 2017, share 18-month-old son Cillian and baby girl Olivia. While Stephen, 29, waited for his contract renewal with Motherwell last year, he said his wife’s “good job” helped with the stress of potentially not being signed.
Colleen Ramsey – ‘The chef’
Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey met his wife Colleen when they were both teenagers at a Welsh-speaking secondary school in Monmouthshire. The couple, both 30, now share three sons and live in a £3.1m five-bedroom house on the outskirts of Cardiff. Colleen is a keen chef and her Instagram is littered with colourful images of meals, recipes and cooking videos as she often bakes for special occasions.
Check out: from Cheryl to Coleen Rooney - where are the 2006 WAGS now?
The UK Wags - where are they now? - slider
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1 of 9Victoria Beckham
One half of the indestructible Beckham brand, Victoria was the original Queen WAG in 2006. At the time Victoria had been married to David for seven years and had just given birth to her third boy, Cruz. She had also just launched her denim line, dvb Style and walked the catwalk for Roberto Cavalli. Over a decade later, she is a fully fledged and well respected fashion designer, with a fourth addition to her brood – the adorable Harper.
2 of 9Coleen Rooney
Coleen rose to fame as a WAG at just 20 years old. Coleen and Wayne are married and they celebrated their ten-year anniversary in 2018. However, Wayne's repeated cheating has strained the relationship over the years. They have four children together, Kai, Klay, Kit and Cass. Since 2006 Coleen has released a fitness DVD, been a style advisor for Littlewoods and even had a column with us in Closer magazine.
3 of 9Cheryl
How could we forget Cheryl as a WAG? Back then, 23-year-old Cheryl was a popstar in Girls Aloud who had just married Ashley Cole. Nowadays, Cheryl is a household name and a worldwide celebrity in her own right. After splitting from Ashley in 2010, she had a successful (well, successful-ish) solo career, was a judge on The X Factor and was the face of beauty brand L'Oreal. She married Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini in 2016 but they divorced three months later. Most recently, Cheryl separated from One Direction singer, Liam Payne, who she has a baby son called Bearwith.
4 of 9Abbey Clancy
Abbey first grabbed our attention in 2006 as one of the finalists in Britain's Next Top Model. She began dating Peter Crouch that same year and the pair are now married with three kids Sophia Ruby, Liberty Rose and baby Johnny. Lingerie model Abbey went on to win Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and she returned to Britain's Next Top Model as the show's presenter. Not bad work, eh?
5 of 9Danielle Lloyd
Danielle Lloyd was dating footballer Teddy Sheringham when she gained her WAG status. At the time, her title as Miss Great Britain was a controversial matter and she was later stripped of it. Fast forward to now and Danielle has appeared on TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother, Total Wipeout, The Weakest Link and even Come Dine With Me. She has three sons, Archie, Harry and George with her now ex-husband Jamie O'Hara. Danielle gave birth to a fourth child with her husband Michael O'Neill, Ronnie, in 2017.
6 of 9Elen Rivas
Elen Rivas was engaged to Frank Lampard at the time of the 2006 World Cup, and was a permanent fixture in the WAG circle. After splitting from Frank after a seven-year relationship, she dated Peter Andre, appeared on Dancing On Ice and now looks after her two daughters Luna and Isla while working as a model. Frank has since married TV presenter Christine Bleakley and they've welcomed their daughter Patricia into the world.
7 of 9Louise Owen
Despite being married to one of the most famous footballers at the time, Louise Owen wasn't your stereotype WAG. She has always managed to keep her distance from the limelight. Her passion is rescuing race horses and she currently lives in Wales with her husband Michael and their four children, Gemma, James, Jessica and Emily.
8 of 9Carly Zucker
Now known as Carly Cole after marrying midfielder Joe Cole in Chelsea in 2009, Carly loved to party during the 2006 World Cup (we know the feeling). She then spent two weeks in the jungle during I'm A Celeb in 2009 before being the third to be booted out. Carly and Joe have had three children, Ruby, Harrison and Max together.
9 of 9Alex Curran
Former nail technician Alex Curran began dating Liverpool player Steven Gerrard in 2002. She was one of the leading figures in the 2006 WAG squad. The pair married in 2007 and they have had four children together, Lexie, Lio, Lord, Lilly-Ella. Fashion lover Alex has released a perfume, fronted a Lipsy campaign and written a weekly shopping column for a national newspaper.
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Emma Rhys-Jones – ‘The childhood sweetheart’
Emma Rhys-Jones is the wife of Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale. The pair – who have three children – met at high school in Cardiff when they were teens. Emma’s sister, model Charlotte, is also married to a Welsh sports star – rugby player Toby Faletau. While Gareth is busy with football, Emma has been working on plans to extend their £4m Welsh farmhouse.
Olivia Naylor – ‘The beauty boss’
Manchester City defender John Stones’ girlfriend, Olivia Naylor, owns a successful beauty clinic near her home in Cheshire. The pair, who have been dating for two years, met in a nightclub shortly after John, 27, split with his childhood sweetheart, Millie Savage, with whom he shares a three-year-old daughter. Olivia, 33, was pregnant when John first met her.