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Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Marc Cucurella details Chelsea motivation ahead of Club World Cup final
Chelsea are up against PSG in the Club World Cup final on Sunday, knowing they will bank a huge £97m jackpot if they are victorious - but Marc Cucurella said the players were not thinking about money going into the game Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella insists the players are driven by glory rather than money. The Blues stand to earn a staggering £97m jackpot if they win the Club World Cup as they face Paris Saint Germain in the MetLife Stadium on Sunday. That would be a huge financial boost for the club but Cucurella insists the players are driven by being champions of the world and wearing a special commemorative gold badge on the shirts. Cucurella said: "I think this is more for the owners and sporting directors but I think we know that if we win it, we have the badge on the T-shirt for a couple of years so I think this is a good thing to motivate the team. "It's also the first time they've done this competition so we can be the first team to win this competition, there's a lot of things that can motivate and it can give us confidence and energy. I think for me, if we do it, if we achieve it, it's amazing because it's the first club to do it. I think all the people remember us because it's the first club to win this trophy. 'And I think that is amazing. And always, every week that we put on the Chelsea shirt, we have this badge here. I think all of us, and all of our fans will feel very proud of us, because I think we have the experience to have this on in matches for four years. And all the people that look at us or we play against them, we can show them we are the winners and we can be proud of all the work that we are doing. 'As well, the first thing said in the squad is that this is the first time winning this tournament and to have the badge here. And then when I take my t-shirt home and I have the badge, I can give it to my friends. I think it (will be) a good experience and hopefully we can do it.' Cucurella also spoke about his turn in front of the TV cameras after starring in Amazon show Married to the Game with his partner Claudia Rodriguez and they discussed their son Mateo's autism. It gave an insight into the other side of his life but also showed that footballers are not immune to criticism and life's challenges like everyone else. The left-back said: "It's natural, sometimes people don't understand, and then you put yourself and your family in front of everyone. Sometimes you can have criticism. To be fair, I'm very happy because we could show that we are footballers but we have normal lives and normal problems that all people have. It was very good. Personally, I didn't expect that people would love it in this way. "I was not nervous but you know, if things don't go well, people might say: 'Oh it's because he's not focused on football, he's focused on filming this and that.' But it was very nice. "We were not filming an interview but it was kind of this, and it was very long. The producers asked a lot of things. This was a moment of the interview and yeah, I think because we feel very comfortable, and very natural, it went like that. "I think it was very good because: OK, I play for Chelsea. I won the Euros. But we have a lot of problems that a lot of families can have, and it's true that sometimes it's difficult to get there because people don't know. But if you have the possibility to show that, OK, all the people think that you have a perfect life, but it's not like this, I think. If we can help people in this way, it's very nice." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
The Irish Sun
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Meet the glamorous Club World Cup Wags including Maya Jama, Messi's wife and model who has unusual relationship contract
FOOTBALL is set to live up to its beautiful game tag at this summer's Club World Cup. A whopping 32 teams are heading to the US for the revamped tournament that begins on June 15. 31 Cole Palmer is dating stunner Connie Grace Credit: Getty 31 Love Island host Maya Jama is with Ruben Dias Credit: Instagram And some of the most glam Wags from across the planet are ready to steal the show in the stands. From models, TV presenters and actresses, SunSport runs down those most likely to catch the eye. Manchester City After months of speculation, But she will not be travelling to the States as the 30-year-old is hosting Love Island in Mallorca once again, with the new series now underway. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Maya will not be alone in missing the tournament as Erling Haaland's partner 31 Maya Jama a TV presenter and is currently presenting Love Island Credit: Instagram / mayajama 31 Isabel Haugseng Johansen welcomed a baby with Erling Haaland last year Credit: Getty 31 Isabel keeps her private life off social media Credit: Instagram Chelsea The other Premier League club involved is Chelsea and their star man Cole Palmer is dating blonde stunner An equally glam girlfriend is Claudia Rodriguez, who has three kids with Marc Cucurella. 31 Connie Grace runs a nail salon in Manchester Credit: Instagram/conniegrace_ 31 Claudia Rodriguez is a mum of three Credit: @_claurodri Flamengo Chelsea are in a group with Brazilian side Flamengo and they will go up against their former player Jorginho. Most read in Football The midfielder is engaged to singer 31 Catherine Harding and Jorginho featured in the Amazon's Married to the Game documentary Credit: Instagram Al-Hilal Flamengo are not the only side with ex-Prem stars aplenty. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have former City ace Joao Cancelo, who is with Daniela Machado. She will cheer them on alongside Aleksandar Mitrović's wife Kristina. 31 Joao Cancelo goes out with Daniela Machado Credit: Instagram 31 Brunette Kristina is married to Serbian striker Mitrovic Credit: Instagram Inter Miami Fans can't wait to see Lionel Messi come up against the best once again. The Argentine legend is married to childhood sweetheart Antonela Roccuzzo and they have three kids Thiago, 12, Mateo, 9 and Ciro, 7. 31 Antonela is married to Lionel Messi Credit: Instagram 31 Antonela celebrated 2022 World Cup glory on the pitch with Messi Credit: instagram/antonelaroccuzzo Messi is joined at Suarez tied the knot with Sofia Balbi in 2009 after they met as teenagers. Busquets is married to Elena Galera and Alba is with model Romarey Ventura. 31 Sofia Balbi is married to Inter Miami ace Luis Suarez Credit: Instagram 31 Sergio Busquets has two kids with influencer Elena Galera Credit: Instagram 31 Jordi Alba's partner Romarey wows her followers with bikini snaps Credit: Instagram Real Madrid The Barca quartet would love a clash against their old El Clasico rivals Real Madrid. that the England midfielder was dating the 27-year-old American in January. Gorgeous Ashlyn has since been spotted in the Bernabeu with Jude's mum Denise several times. She has previously dated US basketball star Terance Mann and has been linked to a string of A-listers in recent years, including actor Michael B. Jordan. 31 Ashlyn Castro is Jude Bellingham's new love Credit: instagram 31 She has 539,000 Instagram followers Credit: Instagram 31 Ashlyn has been seen in the stands with Jude and his mum Denise Credit: La Liga Her fellow Real Madrid Wag Gabriely Miranda has seen her relationship with striker Endrick hit the headlines. The Brazilian couple reportedly have a Certain words and any form of addiction is also said to be banned in the unusual agreement. 31 Endrick married Gabriely Miranda last year Credit: Instagram 31 They reportedly have a marriage contract Credit: Instagram 31 The couple are said to be devout Christians Credit: Instagram Atletico Madrid Conor Gallagher's blonde bombshell The Irish model lives a glamorous jet-setting lifestyle and loves to post snaps of herself abroad on social media. 31 Aine May Kennedy is Conor Gallagher's partner Credit: Instagram 31 They have been together since they were teens Credit: Instagram PSG Hoping to lift the Club World Cup after he captained His partner is TikTok star Carol Cabrino, who has showed off her husband's glittering trophy cabinet on social media last month. Alessia Elefante proves she is a keeper by dating No1 Gianluigi Donnarumma. 31 Carol Cabrino is a fitness fanatic Credit: Instagram 31 Alessia Elefante is dating Gianluigi Donnarumma Credit: Instagram/alessiaelefante Inter Milan Inter enter the Club World Cup having lost their manager Simone Inzaghi to Al-Hilal. But sticking by their players side is Lautaro Martinez's dazzling influencer and entrepreneur wife Agustina Gandolfo. Team-mate Benjamin Pavard is engaged to Kleofina Pnishi, who is an actress and model that won the prestigious Miss Provence award in 2017. 31 Agustina is a successful businesswoman Credit: Instagram 31 Benjamin Pavard's Kleofina Pnishi is an award-winning model Credit: Instagram/@kleofina 31 Kleofina has also done acting Credit: Instagram Watch every Club World Cup match Borussia Dortmund Dortmund's Wags are led by Swiss rapper Loredana. She has had four No1s in Germany and she married forward Karim Adeyemi in a private ceremony last year. 31 Loredana is married to Karim Adeyemi Credit: Instagram/loredana 31 She is a successful rapper in Germany and Albania Credit: Instagram Bayern Munich Sticking with German giants, Bayern are among the favourites to win the tournament. They will be cheered on by Harry Kane's fitness instructor wife Kate Goodland. 31 Harry Kane and his wife Kate Goodland are enjoying life in Germany Credit: AFP Club World Cup 2025 Guide SOME of the world's biggest clubs are heading Stateside for a MAMMOTH Club World Cup. Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane will be showing their skills to packed crowds across the US. Los Blancos are favourites to lift the trophy in New York but will face stiff competition from around the globe. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the tournament... INFO Everything you need to know ahead of the Club World Cup LATEST NEWS & FEATURES Club World Cup winner Gary Lineker Referees to How
The Irish Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Meet the Conference League final WAGs as Chelsea take on Real Betis…from Spain's Posh & Becks to beauty with unusual job
THOUSANDS of football fans have descended on Wraclow, Poland for tonight's hotly anticipated Europa Conference League final. Advertisement 17 Connie Grace will be there to cheer on Cole Palmer in the final Credit: Instagram/conniegrace_ 17 She and the football ace have been Instagram official since last year Credit: Instagram/conniegrace_ 17 Cole met Connie Grace at school but the pair didn't start dating until recently Credit: Splash It may be the third tier of continental football in Europe, behind the second tier Europa League and the first tier Champions League, but that doesn't mean the glamour is any less dazzling - with the teams' wives and girlfriends including a movie star. And the women certainly boast brains as well as beauty, with a law graduate, tax expert and entrepreneur amid their ranks. Here we take a look at the WAGs who are building up a fan base of their own. CHELSEA Cole Palmer and Connie Grace Like Advertisement READ MORE SPORT FEATURES She has built up an impressive social media following thanks to posts showcasing her stunning figure on sun-kissed trips to Jamaica, Ibiza and Dubai. The cute couple have known each other since they were 17, but romance appears to have blossomed last summer when they were spotted together on a luxury boat in Ibiza after flying to the island on a private jet. They finally went Insta-official in November at the In the documentary England's Lions: A New Generation, blonde Connie opened up about their relationship, saying: 'We met when we were 17. I think he knew me through mutual friends so I think he probably had his eye on me. Advertisement Most read in Europa League She added: "Oh, he's warm and cuddly. Well, with me, hopefully with no one else.' She later explained that fame hasn't changed her partner, adding: 'Cole now is still the same Cole that I met when I was 17. Obviously, he's changed, he's grown up, and his life now is completely different, but he's still the same boy, he's still laid-back Cole.' Marc Cucurella and Claudia Rodriguez Harry Maguire's wife Fern leads Man Utd Wags flocking to Bilbao for Europa League final with Tottenham 17 Claudia often take the kids to see their dad play in matches around the world Credit: Instagram/_claurodri 17 Cucurella met Claudia in 2018 and the couple have married and welcomed three children Credit: Instagram/_claurodri Advertisement The defender and model Claudia now share three children - Mateo, Rio and Bella - and she has recently opened up to fans about Mateo's autism diagnosis. Stunning Claudia, 25, allowed cameras into their family home as part of the TV show Married to the Game, and said: 'We saw something different about Mateo when he was small, about 13 months old, but it was a long process to get the diagnosis. When he was smaller it was easier but now he's growing up, it's more difficult. 'When we moved to Chelsea, we started him at school and he was very upset, and we didn't know the solution. You have to find it yourself, and you feel very bad because you are not prepared for it.' Advertisement Despite the family's struggles, Claudia maintains a positive outlook and regularly posts glam pictures and snapshots of their daily lives on Instagram where she has amassed more than 130,000 followers. Filip Jorgensen and Noemie Romee 17 Noemie worked for the Ministry of Finance in Holland Credit: Instagram / @filipjorgensen1 17 She moved to London with her goalkeeper Beau in 2024 Credit: Instagram / @filipjorgensen1 Stunning Advertisement Before that the stunning brunette worked in the tax department of the Ministry of Finance in But the hard-working young couple certainly know how to play hard too, regularly sharing posts on social media of their travels, trips to theme parks and their pet Pomeranian dog. Noemie is also Filip's biggest fan, posting videos of herself wearing a Chelsea shirt with his name emblazoned across the back. In one of her posts she gushed: 'You have my heart Filip Jorgensen'. Reece James and Mia McClenaghan 17 Stunning Mia has a law degree from Royal Holloway Credit: Instagram/miamcclenaghan Advertisement 17 The couple went public with their relationship in 2020 Credit: Instagram/miamcclenaghan Stunning blonde Mia is not just a pretty face - she studied law at Royal Holloway, University of London, and graduated in 2021. She then went on to advise prisoners at HMP Coldingley about family matters. Away from her legal career Mia has been dating Chelsea captain Advertisement Since then they've shared glimpses of their life together, including celebrating milestones and luxury holidays. But Essex-born Mia recently decided to step away from the spotlight, making her social media profiles private. REAL BETIS Isco Alcaron and Sara Salamo 17 Sara has over a million Instagram followers and appeared on hit TV shows Credit: Instagram/sarasalamo 17 The couple opted to have a secret wedding ceremony after years together Credit: Instagram/sarasalamo Advertisement The Real Betis star and his wife have been dubbed the Spanish 'Posh and Becks'. Her popularity from hit shows El Favor, Stories to Stay Awake, The Year of Fury and Drug Squad: Costa del Sol has won her almost a million Instagram followers. The couple have been together since 2017, but finally tied the knot last year in a secret ceremony. Advertisement Posting incredible snaps from their fairytale wedding, Tenerife-born Sara wrote: "Seven years, three children, four dogs... And a few days ago we said that we love each other again in front of the altar.' Stunning Sara regularly posts pictures detailing her incredible career on social media, but also gushing comments supporting her husband in his football. Antony and Rosilene Silva 17 Rosilene is regularly seen at football games supporting her boyfriend Credit: Instagram/rosiilenny_ 17 The couple are childhood sweethearts who met as children in Brazil Credit: Instagram/rosiilenny_ Advertisement after being frozen out by the Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim . In the run-up to this week's final, he broke down as he detailed his struggles at Old Trafford where he was so unhappy he But no doubt his loyal WAG In 2019 Rosilene and Antony welcomed a baby boy named Lorenzo. And last year the couple added a baby girl, Lavinne, to their brood. Advertisement The mum-of-two regularly shares photos enjoying days out with their young family on social media, with both parents besotted with their babies. And her posts documenting their glamorous lives have earned her an impressive 112k followers on Instagram. Pablo Fornals and Tania Lara Velasco 17 Tania and Marin have a two sons together, one born before their marriage Credit: Instagram/tannialv 17 The couple regularly enjoy luxury holidays abroad Credit: Instagram/tannialv Advertisement Midfielder Before the big day, Fornals took to Instagram to post a short message joking: "Best week of my life for sure. No worries my love, I'll be there.' The couple, who already had one son, Martin, recently welcomed their second son Mateo into the world, with Tania posting a loving picture on social media captioned: 'Welcome to the world little prince. You have arrived to complete us. Seeing you and your brother together is the most beautiful thing our eyes have ever seen.' The family returned to Spain when Fornals moved to Real Betis in 2024. Advertisement With her model looks, Tania regularly posts about their family life along with breathtaking snaps of luxury holidays to Thailand, the Maldives and Paris. Johnny Cardoso and Lela Obino 17 Stunning Lela is often seen on trips abroad to places like Paris Credit: Instagram/lelaobino 17 Her boyfriend Johnny hails from New Jersey in the United States Credit: Instagram/lelaobino American midfielder Johnny joined Real Betis in December 2023 and prefers to let his football do the talking, keeping his private life under wraps. Advertisement But his Instagram posts reveal his long-term love is Lela Obino. Blonde Lela has almost 35k Instagram followers herself and regularly posts snapshots of the couple's glamorous lifestyle including a city break to Paris, a ski trip to the French alps, and beach holidays in Portugal, Marbella and Greece. And she likes to keep super-active, sharing pictures of her practising yoga, skate-boarding and water-skiing. It isn't known what Lela does for a career, but with her stunning good looks and burgeoning social media followers, she could soon be counted amongst the ranks of WAG influencers. Advertisement
Irish Examiner
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cat Harding: 'I went to Mykonos with Jorginho and had the most romantic, wild time'
Currently appearing in the hit series Married to the Game, Cat Harding's life has taken her from her roots in Co. Tipperary to glamorous global adventures with her Arsenal footballer husband, Jorginho. Filming its second season, she says, felt much more natural and knowing what to expect, she enjoyed it much more. But talking all things travel, be it a romantic getaway in Mykonos or digging for vintage gems on Portobello Road, she's happy to share her most memorable trips and the hotels that keep her coming back. My favourite childhood holiday memory I didn't travel at all as a child. I only went on one holiday to Spain, and that was because I watched a travel agency video about ten times and begged my dad to take us. He told me if I learned a certain song on the piano, I could go — so I practised and practised until I got it, and he couldn't say no. I think not travelling at all as a child makes my love of travelling as an adult even stronger. Most surprising destination The place that surprised me most was a beautiful little town in Brazil called Jericoacoara. I was expecting a quiet, simple place, but it turned out to be stunning, with incredible nature everywhere you look, paradise beaches for miles, and a vibrant culture that's just contagious. You can't help but feel happy and smile when you're there. My most memorable trip Architecture at Mykonos town (Chora), Mykonos island, Cyclades, Greece at sunset. It's hard to pick just one because I've had so many beautiful trips, but my favourite was my first trip away with Jorginho. We went to Mykonos and had the most romantic, wild time. It was our first proper trip together, and it was after our son Jax was born. Before I got pregnant, we always wanted to go away but couldn't find the time, and then lockdown happened… then pregnancy and the baby. So when we finally got to take that trip, it felt really special. Favourite city to visit I have too many favourites to name just one. I love different cities for different reasons. New York is such an incredible city. I love how each area has its own feel — from the downtown artistic hubs with little cafes to the chic uptown shops and amazing bars. Broadway is always a must, and I love breakfast at Sadelle's in West Broadway. The MoMA is one of my favourite places — I could stroll for hours taking in all the incredible art. I also love Miami. Jorge and I especially enjoy the Latin side of the city — all the bachata dancing (not that I'm very good, but I love trying!). São Paulo is amazing, and it has probably my favourite park in the world — Ibirapuera Park. It's so vast and green. Every time I walk through it, I'm in awe of nature. Favourite city in the world Colorful houses in Notting Hill, London, UK I think I'd have to say London. It's the only city I've lived in and never grown bored of — I'm such a London girl. It's such a dynamic, multicultural place with so much to do all the time. I love nothing more than strolling around Primrose Hill (where we live) or Notting Hill on a Saturday or Sunday morning, visiting the farmers markets or rummaging through vintage stalls on Portobello Road. Some of my favourite coats are from vintage stores I found years ago. I love the theatre in London — my favourite show last year was Moulin Rouge, and I've probably been five times! My favourite hotel Choosing just one is almost impossible — it depends on the vibe. The Rosewood in São Paulo is something special. It reflects the city's culture so beautifully, and the interior design is stunning. The spa is next-level, and the bar with its live bossa nova and jazz band at weekends is sensational. Other favourites are Cavo Tagoo, Mykonos; 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami; Petit Ermitage, Los Angeles; Nobu Marbella; Six Senses, Ibiza. Favourite thing to do while travelling Our favourite thing to do when we travel is just to relax and enjoy the energy of the place we're in. I love immersing myself in the culture, especially the music scene, food and restaurants, local shows, and artistic neighbourhoods. I love walking around, taking in the buildings, and finding little boutiques or independent stores. I'm not huge on outdoor sports (apart from skiing). My bucket list trip Traditional Korean style architecture at Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea. I'd love to see more of Asia. I'm thinking of taking Ada to Japan next year during cherry blossom season — visiting some beautiful gardens there would be a dream. I'd also love to go to South Korea. I'm obsessed with skincare — and so is my daughter — so I think we'd be in our element there! Also on the bucket list: Trancoso and Fernando de Noronha in Brazil. Maybe we'll get the chance if we go on a honeymoon this year — at the moment, we're not sure if Jorginho will have a break or go straight to a new team… so fingers crossed! Married to the Game series 2 is available to stream now on Amazon Prime
Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
What it's really like to be a footballer's wife in Saudi Arabia
It was July 2023, and Taylor Ward was on the last day of a summer holiday in Turkey when her husband, the Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, phoned with some bombshell news. ' 'Oh, by the way, I'm going to Saudi Arabia tomorrow.' I thought he was joking.' It wasn't a joke: Mahrez had just been sold to the Jeddah-based football club Al-Ahli for £30 million. Which meant she was going too. 'I just burst into tears,' she says. 'I was honestly inconsolable.' Fast forward nearly two years and the couple and their two-year-old daughter, Mila, are still based in Jeddah, the port city on the Red Sea, although when we speak 27-year-old Ward — chatty, charming, her face framed by (expensive) blonde hair — is back at the couple's Manchester home. She grew up nearby in Cheshire's Golden Triangle — an affluent area including the towns of Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Prestbury — herself the daughter of a professional footballer. Her dad, Ashley Ward, 54, was a striker for Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers among other clubs. Her husband, Mahrez, 34 — a Premier League title winner with Leicester City and Manchester City (four times), a Champions League winner, the captain of the Algerian national team who grew up in the Parisian suburb of Sarcelles — joins us on a Zoom call from Jeddah. He looks every bit the off-duty footballer in a white T-shirt and baseball cap; when he speaks he's more reticent than she is, his voice low, husky and French-accented. Even when they're not in the same room, the couple have great chemistry, toggling fluently between (light) bickering and tenderness. She does a good line in self- deprecation; he's mastered deadpanning in a second language. Their love story began in 2020 after Mahrez split from his first wife, Rita, with whom he has two daughters. He asked a mutual friend for Ward's number, and their first date was to see Scream at the cinema (a private one). 'She didn't know Scream,' he says, rolling his eyes. 'Everyone knows Scream, apart from her.' Long story short, they're very watchable, which is probably why they're the standout stars of Married to the Game, a frothy Amazon documentary series that follows footballers and their wives and girlfriends (WAGs) from gated mansions to (private) maternity wards. Ward and Mahrez's co-stars include Arsenal's Italian midfielder Jorginho and his fiancée, Cat Harding; his Brazilian team-mate Gabriel Magalhães and his wife, Gabrielle Figueiredo; and Chelsea's Spanish defender Marc Cucurella and his girlfriend, Claudia Rodriguez. Married to the Game emphasises the women's perspective — football's industrial content machine already gives us more than enough about the men. This inevitably involves playing up to certain stereotypes: cameras linger on walk-in wardrobes packed with Dior and Loewe; someone is invariably en route to a photoshoot. It's a megabucks existence that may not inspire enormous sympathy — in the first season, Harding sent a party planner on a two-and-a-half-hour round trip to collect 65kg of lemons for her birthday party — but the series does drive home how much these young women surrender to serve the football machine. They keep homes running, ensure milestones are celebrated and, in Ward's case, move a young family to an authoritarian state at a phone call's notice. 'Being married to a footballer, we're so privileged,' Ward says now. 'It's an amazing life, don't get me wrong. But there are parts that are hard as well, like moving abroad and being away from your family.' • Their big move to Saudi Arabia is a key storyline in the latest season. Mahrez is the only player in the show who plays in the Saudi Pro League, which is currently on a charm and cash offensive to poach (mostly) ageing players from European clubs for colossal money deals. His annual salary is close to £44 million. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, earns more than £170 million a year playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Pro League clubs spent about £750 million on 94 players from leagues in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France. This importing of Europe's football culture is part of a wider project to diversify Saudi Arabia's oil-dependent economy through sport — and, critics argue, launder the country's terrible reputation for human rights abuses. Accusations of 'sportswashing' have accompanied Saudi Arabia's successful bid for the 2030 World Cup, as well as lucrative land grabs for golf, snooker and boxing. The Saudi football project has also led to an insatiable curiosity about the existences of young multimillionaires more used to life in velvet-roped VIP areas in Alderley Edge. What is it like to swap club nights for expat compounds, and champagne at brunch for brunches where champagne is banned? Ward and her family live in a quiet neighbourhood in Jeddah, in a vast house that has a lift and two kitchens — a monument to white stone, wood and glass that could be anywhere (very) wealthy. Inside is a palette of cream, from the sofas to the plush dining chairs, walls and throws — all Ward's work. The house has almost 50,000 followers on Instagram via an interiors account she runs. 'It was harder in Saudi Arabia finding a house small enough for us,' she says. 'They've got sixteen-bedroom houses. I was, like, 'This is ridiculous.' ' (Theirs has eight.) She has said she feels safer there than she did in Cheshire, where burglary gangs have targeted several footballers' homes. 'I can actually sleep at night now,' she told The Sun on Sunday last month. 'We've been burgled in the past and it puts you off having nice things. I used to say to Riyad, 'Please don't buy me a watch for my birthday, I don't want to be a target.' ' Surely the biggest adjustment to life in Saudi Arabia is the country's social conservatism. Ronaldo and his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, who now live in Riyadh's diplomatic quarter, had to get special dispensation to live together outside marriage. The abaya — a long cloak that used to be mandatory for women — is no longer seen on all Saudi and foreign women, although women are expected to cover their arms and legs when out in public. There is segregation in gyms and women cannot use the pools at some hotels. Mahrez is Muslim, so Ward was familiar with the modesty of Islamic culture. But she remembers 'the first trip I took to Saudi, I went with my sister and we had no idea what to wear. We put these outfits together thinking, 'Well, it's a different culture, you need to dress differently.' And actually, when I got there everyone dressed very normal, just respectful and modest. I felt a bit stupid. 'Why have I got this huge black sack on when other girls are just wearing jeans and a T-shirt?' But it was daunting.' She has picked up a bit of Arabic, though 'supermarkets are still a challenge — I can never find the ingredients I'm looking for'. She once drove the wrong way up a motorway — 'Traumatic,' she says in the show — in a country that only lifted its ban on women driving in 2018. 'But I feel the rest of it is falling into place now.' There is also the heat. 'I've never felt anything like it,' Ward says on the show when she steps into Jeddah's desert air for the first time. Mahrez calls it one of the 'hardest' things to adapt to. 'The weather and the routine. In England we sleep early and wake up early. Here it's more the opposite.' His games take place at about 8pm or 9pm owing to the heat: in August, when the season starts, the average daytime temperature in the country is about 41C. He's enjoying it now. 'It's different to the Premier League. It's exciting, the challenge to try and make one of the best leagues in the world with all the stadiums, the buildings, the training centres. I'm very happy.' But it is harder to build a real football culture — the passionate fandom, the alchemy of match day — from scratch. Some games have attracted crowds as small as 670 people. Alcohol is banned in the country, and while anyone who has travelled on a late train in a carriageful of football fans might consider this an upside, it's definitely a key change from the usual merriment. Some players struggle to adapt. The former Liverpool captains Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson — who managed and played, respectively, at Al-Ettifaq in Dammam — based their families in the island state of Bahrain, which has more permissive alcohol laws and is a 35-minute drive from Dammam via a bridge. Gerrard lasted eighteen months and Henderson just six before he negotiated a move back to Europe to play for the Dutch team Ajax. Still, with its Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury hotels and upmarket fitness studios, Saudi Arabia is very geared up for moneyed young people. For Mahrez and Ward, daily life can be unremarkable to the point of monotony. His days revolve around training from 3pm, unless there is a game that evening. Ward takes Mila to nursery, then works out, works on Astalia — the jewellery brand she runs with her sister, Darby — or films content including paid brand collaborations for her 2.8 million Instagram followers. The family dines out a lot, although Ward has been learning to cook using TikTok recipes, which she does in a marble-floored kitchen that is incredibly ordered, with pasta and pulses arranged in tall, labelled jars. She watches home games at Jeddah's Alinma Stadium from the VIP seats — otherwise the family will head to the cinema or go bowling. 'We literally go bowling once a week,' Ward says. 'I'll be ready for the world championships at this rate.' She misses her Manchester friends. 'At City we had a big friendship group and did a lot of stuff together.' These days, she and Mahrez 'laugh because I'm, like, 'Woo, we've got three friends!' ' She knows a 'few' of his team-mates' partners (Al-Ahli's squad includes the former Brentford striker Ivan Toney and the former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino). No wonder she escapes to Dubai a lot, where the couple have yet another place, to play padel with girlfriends and sunbathe at the Sal beach club. Jeddah sounds like a retirement village in comparison. As well as being raised in the game, Ward has reality-TV pedigree: her mother, Dawn, 51, starred in The Real Housewives of Cheshire, on which Ward and her three sisters also appeared. Did she always think she'd marry a footballer? 'No. My dad was quite against it. He was, like, 'I know what footballers are like. It's just not for you.' But I think Riyad broke the mould of what his typical footballer man is.' 'An oaf,' Mahrez clarifies. 'Of all his worries, Riyad is not one. So they have a nice relationship, don't you? My dad gives you a lot of advice, and Riyad rips him about his football career.' Mahrez's own father died of a heart attack aged 54, when he was 15. His mother and two sisters appear in a few episodes of the show, as do Ward's mum and dad, and the families are close. Mahrez moved in with Ward's family during Covid. Ward started French lessons when they got together, so she can speak to her mother and sisters-in-law in their native language. The family have had plenty of opportunities to get together: Mahrez and Ward have had three weddings. There was the religious one in Manchester in 2022, presided over by an imam and attended by a few friends and family. Then there was a legal wedding in London in 2023, which 'was actually meant to just be the signing of the papers', Ward says. 'But as Riyad will say, I always take things far too far.' It became a ceremony and dinner for 30 at the Londoner Hotel in Leicester Square. But the headliner was a three-day party in Lake Como last July for 160 guests, hosted at Villa Balbiano, a palazzo on the lake's edge, culminating in a pool party. She has a sense of humour about the excess. On her (final) wedding day — filmed for the show — she starts crying when she sees her dad ready to walk her down the aisle. 'I've had so much practice!' she wails. 'What's going on?' Despite the cameras, things feel natural-ish. During Mahrez's wedding speech in Como, he tells Ward how beautiful she looks but she's too busy breaking up a fight between Mila and her half-sisters to notice. 'It's not like Housewives, where they want the drama and you can come across in the wrong light,' she says. 'They're there to make a nice show.' Still, she had to convince Mahrez to take part. 'I know a lot of TV shows about the wives,' he says. 'Me, I'm private, I don't like to show much about my life. And in football, you need to focus on your game.' He relented. 'I was, like, 'It's good for you to do some things. So I will try to support you, even though I don't like being in the light too much.' ' 'It wasn't the first show that had come to us,' Ward says. 'I always felt like it was more about the men and football, and you're just the wife. We want to break the stereotypes that footballers' wives just go shopping every day and drink champagne, because that's not real life.' In the show she does go shopping and drink champagne — but not in Saudi Arabia — but the family also navigates bigger things, such as the death of her grandfather. 'You see the highs, the lows. They don't just glamorise everything.' The future is uncertain. At 34 Mahrez is in the twilight of a footballer's short career. His contract is up in two years. 'Maybe I'll keep going, maybe not,' he says. They plan to move to their Dubai place when he stops playing. 'That is the difficult thing about football,' she says. 'You never know how long you've got left. So I think you've just got to kind of enjoy it while it is what it is.' It's a strange old life: glamorous, moneyed, rarefied, but also lonely, itinerant and unpredictable. Does Ward really feel as though she's married to the game? 'I have now uprooted my whole life to Saudi Arabia,' she hoots. 'So definitely.' Married to the Game is on Amazon Prime
