June 16 – War of the WAGS | On This Football Day

June 16 – War of the WAGS

THERE was a fixture clash of gargantuan proportions today in 2007. Colleagues, friends and families from across the footballing spectrum were all forced to chose sides as some of England’s finest footballers prepared for the biggest day of their lives.

This was all for nothing so trivial as a simple football game though, as in what Sky Sports would surely have dubbed as ‘The Battle of the Brides’ three England footballers were summoned to the chapel by their respective WAGs.

England trio Steven Gerrard, Gary Neville and Michael Carrick were all marching down the isle today, taking advantage of an international tournament-free summer – although Steve McClaren ensured they’d have the next summer off as well – by getting hitched.

This presented a logistical nightmare for their England team-mates. Wayne Rooney opted for his fellow scouser Gerrard’s ceremony, but not wanting to upset his club captain Gary Neville, hopped on helicopter with Coleen to show their faces.

As well as being Rooney’s second choice, poor old Neville was also snubbed by his best man, as David Beckham was unable to repay the favour when Neville was his best man due to club commitments at Real Madrid.

England captain John Terry had snuck a march on his team-mates, getting hitched the day before. Prior to his wedding he had sent out an ‘invitation pack’, that stated: “You undertake to John, Toni and OK! magazine that you will not photograph or otherwise record any part of the wedding and/or reception.” How romantic.

The preceding 12 months had seen WAG culture boom in England, after they had come to the fore in the German spa town of Baden-Baden during the 2006 World Cup. The likes of Cheryl Cole, Victoria Beckham, Abigail Clancy and Alex Curran all swanned round the town, shopping bags in hand before partying until the early hours and being snapped by paparazzi who splashed them all over the tabloid press back home.

Still, none of these weddings could match the size and scale of the original WAG, Victoria Beckham. Matching gold thrones, flocks of white doves, countless outfit changes and a cake featuring a naked sculpture of the pair were just some of the delights on offer at Posh and Becks’ gaudy cheese-fest eight years earlier.

If you can stomach it, see snaps from some of England’s greatest footballers marriages below, otherwise click here for some proper footy action from today here. Normal service will be resumed tomorrow with a look at some high octane World Cup action.