THE crazy life of a footballer’s wife doesn’t stop after a divorce or a cheating scandal – and many former WAGs go on to bigger and better things.
Ellie Penfold is the latest to join the ex-WAGS club after splitting from former footballer Jermaine Jenas.
Ellie and Jenas announced their recent split online with a heartfelt message[/caption]
Helen Flanagan and ex Scott Sinclair[/caption]
The couple were together for 16 years before heartbroken Ellie posted a separation statement on Instagram yesterday.
Jenas previously publicly apologised to his wife for lying and sending “inappropriate texts” to female colleagues, which led to him being sacked from Match Of The Day in August.
But cheating scandals, messy divorces and large pay outs are part and parcel of many football stars’ relationships.
We take a look at how infamous ex-WAGS moved on after messy betrayals and bitter break-ups – with some taking brutal revenge.
Stacey Giggs
Stacy Giggs, 44, took to the WAG life when she married ex-Manchester United player Ryan Giggs in 2007.
The pair were together for ten years and had two children, Zachery and Liberty, before the relationship took a shocking turn.
Ryan’s eight year affair with his younger brother’s Rhodri’s wife, Natasha Lever, was uncovered in 2011.
The cheating footballer went to High Court for a £40 million divorce battle which was settled in 2017.
Lawyers said a “confidential” agreement was reached but it was rumoured Stacy received £24 million – half her ex-partner’s fortune.
Now Stacy is said to ‘approve’ of Ryan’s new lingerie model partner, Zara, and has previously dated The Wanted star Max George in 2022.
Ryan and Stacey were together for ten years before his shocking affair[/caption]
Danielle Lloyd
Danielle Lloyd, 41, is one of Britain’s most famous WAGS and was previously married to Premier League footballer, Jamie O’Hara, after a whirlwind eight month romance.
The pair tied the knot in 2012 but after three children, Danielle found out about Jamie’s multiple flings and filed for a divorce in 2017.
However, the couple proceeded to have public spats, with Jamie begging for access to his kids on Celebrity Big Brother in 2017.
He also admitted that his cheating was a “big mistake” and “cost me £1m.”
Danielle revealed she needed sleeping pills and antidepressants to cope with the divorce.
Danielle started a new life on OnlyFans and paid her mortgage with her alleged whopping ‘£90k-a-month’ account before quitting in 2022.
She also moved on with electrician Michael O’Neill, and the pair share baby Ronnie, born in 2017.
Earlier this month, Danielle revealed she has been diagnosed with skin cancer and is set to have an op.
Jamie and Danielle during their whirlwind romance that didn’t last long[/caption]
Danielle made a mint on Only Fans but has now quit[/caption]
Claire Merry
Actress Claire Merry, 45, married Barcelona football star Thierry Henry in 2001 and the pair had a tumultuous marriage.
The model launched a messy divorce after finding raunchy texts and links to make-up artist Sadie Hewlett on Henry’s phone.
Claire demanded £10 million of his football fortune and settled the divorce for £8 million in 2008, she was then pictured in Spain shortly after with a new boob job.
However, Claire also got scammed by football fraudster Medi Abalimba who famously conned numerous individuals out of £170,000.
The fraudster used a fake American accent and pretended to be a Navy Seal throughout their relationship. He was jailed in 2021.
Claire Merry fell victim to a convicted conman[/caption]
Thierry and Claire split over racy texts on his phone[/caption]
Rita Johal
Riyad Mahrez and ex-wife Rita Johal were married in 2015 and have two children together.
Rita spoke out and said she converted to Islam for Riyad before he dumped her for another woman and she claimed his move to Man City ruined their relationship.
The Manchester City star left Rita in 2020 for the influencer Taylor Ward and the pair are now married.
Rita may now get the ultimate revenge on her ex after allegedly signing up to star in an explosive docuseries about ‘wannabe WAGs’ as she has ‘stories to tell’.
The series will also feature Lauryn Goodman who looks to set the records straight after her relationship with married dad Kyle Walker, the father of her two kids.
Riyad Mahrez and ex-partner Rita Johal[/caption]
Rita Johal is ready to tell all in a crazy new series[/caption]
Helen Flanagan
Former Corrie star Helen Flanagan, 43, is ex-WAG to footballer Scott Sinclair.
The pair met at 19 and were together for 13 years before splitting in 2022. They have three children together – Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie, three.
Helen has since moved on with former footballer Robbie Talbot who she met two years after the split. She caused controversy on E4 dating show Celebs Go Dating when she told producers she had met a new love, after signing up as a single.
It was reported Scott blocked Helen after she revealed the story of how she met her new man on the Life of Bryony podcast and said her previous relationship was unhealthy.
Helen said: “I don’t need a man to make me happy, but it really f*****g helps when you’re in a healthy relationship to a toxic one.”
Helen and Scott met at just 19[/caption]
Helen later appeared on Celebs Go Dating despite being in a new relationship[/caption]
Helen has moved on with Robbie[/caption]
Caroline Lijnen
Caroline Lijnen got the ultimate revenge on Kevin de Bruyne when she cheated with his Belgium teammate and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in 2014 – as retaliation for his own fling with her best friend.
She revealed Courtois wined and dined her, saying: “Thibaut offered me what I had not received during a three-year relationship with Kevin.
“With Thibaut, I could talk about anything and everything and he had even prepared me a delicious meal. Kevin never did it for me.”
She spoke out about de Bruyne’s affair after he accused her of cheating in his book.
“Kevin cheated on me,” she says. “I did not say anything for months because I couldn’t say anything, as Kevin’s parents said they would take legal action if I gave my story. I was under pressure and I could not have contact with Kevin.
“‘I respected everything. But in his book Keep it Simple Kevin wrote a passage about my affair with Thibaut. So, I decided to remain silent no longer.”
The ex-WAG said she had an affair with another teammate[/caption]
Kevin De Bruyne and Caroline Lijnen during a Champions League match[/caption]
Lizzie Cundy
Lizzie Cundy, 56, was previously married to ex-Chelsea player Jason Cundy, 55, and recently revealed to the Best magazine podcast that she would leave ‘little naughty traps’ to catch him cheating.
Speaking on the Best magazine podcast, she said: ”What I’d do is some of my really nice creams and perfume, making sure I knew how the lid was on.
“I knew that girl would want to use some, or touch the perfume and I’d make sure if she was at his place that she opened the cupboard she’d know there was a girl there.
“‘Or I’d leave a bra under the pillow, little naughty traps, which sounds silly because I should have just walked away.”
Lizzie split from Jason in 2010 after over cheating allegations and she has since successfully launched into showbiz and regularly appears on ITV.
The former WAG now hosts a new show called Red Carpet Uncut, which features many of the world’s biggest stars.
Footballer Jena splits from wife in most recent WAG scandal
Jermaine Jenas & wife have split just months after he was sacked by BBC for ‘inappropriate texts’. Here’s what happened:
- August 22 – Jenas is sacked by the BBC amid allegations he sent inappropriate messages to a female colleague.
- In an exclusive interview with the Sun on Sunday, Jenas revealed he wanted to say sorry to girls he texted but the BBC blocked him.
- In November Jenas vowed to save his marriage and publicly apologised to his wife Ellie.
- Heartbroken ex-model Ellie announced the couple were separating in an Instagram post.
Lizzie is now a successful broadcaster and showbiz wiz[/caption]
Suzi Walker
Ex- Coronation Street favourite, Suzi Walker has opened up about the dark side of being a WAG and even said she ‘didn’t want to live’ after a cheating scandal.
Suzi Walker, 52, is the ex-wife of England goalkeeper Ian Walker. The pair were married for 12 years before splitting in 2007, after he slept with a lap dancer in Las Vegas.
Suzi later faced £500,000 worth of debt and revealed she had to pawn her jewellery after an expensive court case and high healthcare fees.
The former model admitted she used to blow money with her fellow wags like they were “getting through toilet paper”.
Suzi got married again in 2018 to businessman Mark Pitman.
Suzie and Ian were together for 12 years[/caption]
Suzie said the ‘fairy tale’ WAG life is actually dark and spoke out about how she learnt about her ex-husband’s Vegas affair[/caption]
