Inside WAGs of 2006 – £57k shopping spree, drug scandal and champagne binge

Despite the England football team’s disappointment at the World Cup in Germany in 2006, the WAGs were unforgettable.

The wives and girlfriends of the famous players hit the headlines for their antics as they were seen partying just as hard as their men were playing football.

The WAGs were so out of control that when it came to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, partners were completely banned from attending.

These days, current WAG Rebekah Vardy insists the women are much happier to fade into the background despite her currently battling Coleen Rooney in the “Wagatha Christie” court case.

She said: “The wives and girlfriends have a much lower profile now and that is how it should be. Our job is to be supportive.

“I would be mortified if I was pictured leaving a bar absolutely p***ed knowing that my husband was going to play one of the biggest games of his life the next day.”

Now the Daily Star takes a look back at the unforgettable WAGs of 2006.

Victoria Beckham

First up is the Queen of the WAGs Victoria Beckham, who had been married to the England captain David Beckham for seven years at the time.

The then-32-year-old set the fashion bar for the rest of the wives as she always looked glam with her fake tan, fake boobs and fake hair.

That same year Becks quit being England captain after the team was knocked out by Portugal on penalties in the quarter finals.

VB’s WAG reign ended completely when Becks retired from football for good in 2013.

That same year Victoria, 44, claimed: “I don’t wear fake tan anymore.

“Sometimes I’ve been turned orange but that’s definitely a look from my past. Being overly tanned is very aging and, dare I say it, a bit footballer’s wife.”

Victoria still runs her stylish clothing line which she started in 2008 and supported David by moving to America with him as he continued in football.

Cheryl

Days after the World Cup, Cheryl married then-England player Ashley Cole.

The singer learnt the ropes of being a high-profile WAG from Victoria as they attended everything together.

In 2008, Ashley was caught cheating with a hairdresser which caused the WAGs’ friendship to fizzle out due to VB not getting in touch.

Cheryl told Vogue magazine a year later: “David’s mum is friends with Ashley’s mum, she (Victoria) was in my hotel room the whole time during the World Cup – we’ve had barbecues together — so I was quite shocked by that.”

Cheryl accused Posh Spice of designing dresses for “old women” and said they were not “something [Girls Aloud] would wear”.

The Girls Aloud star did go back to Ashley before he allegedly cheated yet again.

The couple divorced in 2010, with Cheryl citing “unreasonable behaviour”, which ended Cheryl’s WAG reign.

Cheryl went on to marry French restauranteur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini after just three months of dating.

Following her second divorce, she coupled up with One Direction star Liam Payne in 2016.

The couple welcomed a son Bear in 2017 but later went their separate ways.

Coleen Rooney

At just 20 years old, the then Coleen McLoughlin made her World Cup WAG debut.

Despite being relegated to the second row behind Posh and Cheryl, Coleen enjoyed the £1,000-a-night Brenner’s Park Hotel.

She was one of the famous WAGs to rack up a £56,000 bill in only an hour while out shopping.

She later said it was only a few “bits and pieces”.

Coleen is married to the now all-time record goal scorer for England and Manchester United Wayne Rooney after they met when she was just 12 years old.

The childhood sweethearts married in Italy despite Wayne admitting he had slept with other women.

He said previously: “Foolish as it now seems I did on occasions visit massage parlours and prostitutes.

“I now regret it deeply and hope people may understand that it was the sort of mistake you make when you are young and stupid. It was at a time when I was very young and immature.”

This is not the only time the footballing legend has reportedly cheated on his wife as claims came out again in 2009.

However Coleen forgave him and the couple share four sons together.

Abbey Clancy

Peter Crouch’s new missus joined the footballer at the World Cup after meeting in a bar just months prior.

Abbey Clancy’s World Cup time was short lived after pictures taken two years earlier surfaced of her allegedly taking cocaine.

Despite her hopes to marry a footballer, she was shipped home and Peter distanced himself before dumping her.

He said: “Whilst I do not ordinarily comment upon matters relating to my private life, I have read with dismay various recently articles and reports about my ‘relationship’ with Abbey Clancy.

“In light of this, I wish to make the situation absolutely clear: Abbey and I were in the very early stages of a relationship which, for a number of reasons, I decided a few weeks ago to end, and I accordingly informed Abi of my decision.”

Peter and Abbey later reunited and he popped the question in 2009 while the pair were on holiday.

Abbey spoke of the scandal at the time, saying: “It was years ago. It’s in the past. Peter knew all about it and everything’s fine.”

She added: “I was totally worried when it all came out and of course it’s bad when all this s*** happens. But it’s best to get it out there now rather than later.”

Alex Curran

Steven Gerrard’s missus was known as the “uber-WAG” as she ran up a £25,000 hotel bill at the World Cup.

The former nail technician is said to have ordered 60 bottles of £75 pink champagne as she enjoyed the luxury lifestyle watching her footballer partner.

The happy couple got married a year later and have welcomed four children together since.

Elen Rivas

Frank Lampard’s former girlfriend Elen Rivas made a name for herself in 2006 at the tournament when she decided to stand on a bar table to sing Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive.

Before Elen had even made it abroad she reportedly threw a tantrum when attempting to take six carry-on items on the plane.

Frank and the Spanish model started dating in 2002.

A year before the tournament Elen gave birth to the couple’s daughter Luna and they later welcomed a second child, Luna.

The pair went their separate ways in 2009 amid claims she had had enough of the cheating allegations against Frank.

She told the Daily Mail: “It was by mutual agreement, but break-ups are never good, especially when you have children.

“We also had plans for the future: one minute we were planning another baby, the next we parted. Luckily our girls were young enough to be spared the agony of seeing their parents split up.

“Going out with a footballer means you sometimes lose your own identity. It becomes all about them and no one else.”

Frank is now married to presenter Christine Bleakley after an exotic ceremony in 2015.

The pair have two children, Patricia and Freddie.

Vanessa Perroncel

WAG Vanessa avoided alcohol at the 2006 World Cup due to being pregnant with Wayne Bridge’s son.

However in 2009, all hell broke loose after she was accused of having a four-month affair with Wayne’s teammate John Terry.

Vanessa denied the claims and John tried to get a gagging order but Wayne couldn’t face playing alongside him anymore and quit the England team.

Wayne moved on with Saturday’s singer Frankie Sandford, whom he married in 2014.

Melanie Slade

The youngest of the 2006 WAGs was Theo Walcott’s girlfriend who was busy studying for her GCSEs.

Melanie was by far the least extravagant WAG as she didn’t attend parties and also rejected a “too flash” £140,000 Ferrari which Theo attempted to gift her for her 21st birthday.

The pair married in 2013 and now have two children together.

Melanie lives a low-key lifestyle as a fashion writer but has made a cameo appearance in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part One.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk