The upcoming World Cup is already causing a furore and the tournament hasn't even started yet. Many fans, as well as high profile names like Joe Lycett and John Whaite, have expressed deep disappointment at the decision of bosses toappoint Qatar as the host nation, a country with a shocking record of human rights violations and particularly abhorrent policies on homosexuality.
But it's not the first time the competition has made headlines for what happens off the pitch. The World Cup tournaments of yore (special shout out to the 90s) have made for top tabloid fodder thanks to celebrity appearances and the never-ending drama of 00s-era wives and girlfriends.
The Baden-Baden WAGS
They represented our country, they were a team we keenly followed every match and their uniforms were impeccable: I am of course talking about the 2006 Baden-Baden WAGS. Victoria Beckham was Queen Bee of the WAGS, dressed in waistcoats, tiny shorts and bug-like sunglasses. Hot on her (four-inch Louboutin) heels were Cheryl Tweedy, Coleen McLoughlin, Alex Curran and Carly Zucker. They dripped with lip-gloss, diamonds and designer handbags and shone with spray tan. They served up look after look and generated more headlines than the football as we heard tales of wild parties, extravagant spending sprees and morning runs in full glam in the sleepy German town. Tabloids mocked them for looking tacky, but everyone knows they were the true stars of the tournament. Apparently some football was played but the WAGs are the only thing anyone remembers about that World Cup.
The resurfaced Wagatha Christie World Cup pap shot
After the thunder-stealing of Baden-Baden, WAGs were under strict instructions not to overshadow the England team at future World Cups. Although they were forced to be lower-key, the 2018 World Cup WAGs in Russia weren’t always inconspicuous. One photograph in particular caused a stir then and has reemerged this year when it featured in the High Court Wagatha Christie battle. After England’s win against Panama in 2018, a new incarnation of the WAGs (no VB or Cheryl and enter Rebekah Vardy) were spotted out for dinner. A group photo was taken which Vardy has since been accused of setting up behind the backs of her fellow WAGs. She was accused of encouraging everyone to pose for the photo knowing that paparazzi had been tipped off. Vardy denied the allegation, but after the court case of the decade that photo will remain imprinted in our minds forever.
Alex Morgan’s 2019 storm in a tea-cup celebration
At the 2019 Women’s World Cup semi-final, then USA captain Alex Morgan caused a storm in a teacup when she took an imaginary sip after scoring the winning goal, which many saw as her poking fun at England and labelled ‘distastful’. She was accused of being arrogant, but explained her celebration afterwards, saying: ‘I wanted to keep it interesting. I know (teammate) Megan Rapinoe has the best celebration. I had to try and step up this game.’ In doing so she riled Piers Morgan who tweeted ‘That’s NOT how you sip tea’, and ‘these cocky yanks choke on it’. But Natalie Portman and Hilary Clinton tweeted their support. What more do you need than that?
Beckham’s 1998 red card
He was at the height of his heartthrob era, going out with a Spice Girl and the nation’s sweetheart when David Beckham kicked out at Argentina's Diego Simeone at the 1998 World Cup and got sent off with a red card. England went on to lose the match on penalties, which led to a barrage of death threats and abuse towards Beckham as many blamed him. Allegedly Michael Owen still resents him for it. We let him off the following year when he (and Posh) gave us the ostentatious celebrity wedding to end all weddings to salivate over.
Diana Ross’ perfect penalty kick
For the opening ceremony of the 1994 World Cup the USA did what the USA do best and put on a spectacle of a show in Chicago. It involved Diana Ross and the greatest penalty kick of all time. She was supposed to run up towards the stage singing her hit ‘I’m Coming Out’ and kick the ball into the net right in front of her, at which point the nets had been programmed to explode, as if the force of her penalty had dramatically torn them apart. What actually happened was that Ross, the superstar in high heels, belting out her banger, missed. She missed the nets. The ball underwhelmingly rolled to the side and the nets flamboyantly exploded anyway. It became the perfect metaphor for the USA and their relationship to football. Yes America, we know you win at many things but football isn’t one of them.