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Football fans, from the obsessive to the casual, tune in to the World Cup for the goals, the upsets, and players who become national heroes (or villains) overnight. But some 20 years after the term was popularized, you might wonder: are the WAGs still a thing?

WAGs, short for wives and girlfriends, is a concept that comes with baggage. It first circulated in the UK around 2002, as shorthand for the partners of England footballers. During the 2006 World Cup, the WAGs — led by Victoria Beckham, a.k.a. Posh Spice — began to receive more tabloid coverage than their player partners.

Two decades ago, that tabloid coverage focused on where the women shopped, what they wore, where they partied, and whether they were a “distraction” from the game. It was splashy, but it was also reductive.

These days, WAG gets used across sports, from the NFL and NBA to Formula 1 and tennis. But the meaning has changed too: a modern WAG is not just someone sitting in the stands. She might be an influencer, actor, model, founder, former athlete, reality star, or even the most famous solo pop star in the world (hi, Taylor Swift).

Let's get to know the 12 soccer WAGs dominating the 2026 World Cup conversation.

Georgina Rodríguez

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s longtime partner and fiancée Georgina Rodríguez may be the most blueprint for modern WAG fame. With more than 70 million Instagram followers, a Netflix reality show, and years of luxury brand partnerships, Rodríguez has built her online persona around family, motherhood, travel, and beauty — not to mention a stunning engagement ring.

Ester Expósito

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Ester Expósito is French hero Kylian Mbappé's girlfriend, but that's not what she's known for. She's a Spanish actress best known for playing Carla Rosón Caleruega on Netflix’s teen drama Élite, the series that helped turn her into an international star.

The 26-year-old's career has spanned television, film, and fashion. Just last week, Expósito was honored at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival with the International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent.

Bruna Biancardi

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Bruna Biancardi was having a very special World Cup even before her partner, Neymar, even took the field (he finally debuted as a sub in Brazil v Scotland). On June 16, Biancardi announced they were pregnant in a collab Instagram post and a YouTube video on her popular channel, where she shares moments of her life with Neymar and their family.

Antonela Roccuzzo

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Legendary Argentinian striker Lionel Messi’s wife has een part of Messi’s life since childhood — and their long history together is part of why people are so fascinated by her. With over 40 million followers, Roccuzzo has worked with major fashion, beauty, and athletic brands (Adidas, Stella McCartney, Alo, etc.), and also seems like a great mom.

Isabel Haugseng Johansen

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Isabel Haugseng Johansen and partner Erling Haaland go way, way back. The two grew up in the same Norwegian town and both played for Bryne FK, the local club where Haaland began his soccer career. They have reportedly been dating since at least 2021 and welcomed their first child, a son, in December 2024.

The couple mostly keeps their family life private, but as Haaland's fame has grown during this World Cup, so has hers. She can also thank Haaland for offering glimpses into their off-field life—from cooking at home to playing Minecraft together—on his popular Snapchat account.

Tolami Benson

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Tolami Benson is Bukayo Saka’s fiancée and one of the key faces of football’s new WAG generation. The 25-year-old studied Public Relations and Media at Birmingham City University and works in PR and media planning, but has also become a standout presence at Arsenal and England matches. Fans know her for a high-low “sports chic” style, mixing football shirts with designer sneakers and high-street pieces.

Benson now has nearly 300,000 Instagram followers, has worked with brands like River Island, and has kept much of her relationship with Saka private, despite the couple dating since around 2020 and announcing their engagement in November 2025.

Ashlyn Castro

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Castro is an American model, influencer, and content creator, romantically linked to England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham since late 2024. Born in California, she had already built a strong following through her fashion, beauty, travel, and lifestyle content on Instagram and TikTok before news of her relationship with Bellingham went public.

She's also been spotted with other high-profile figures in the past, including Oscar-winning actor Michael B. Jordan and Brooklyn Nets player Terance Mann.

Tini Stoessel

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Tini —or Martina—Stoessel, is an Argentine pop star and actress. She first rose to fame on television before becoming one of Argentina’s biggest music stars. Her relationship with Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has been closely followed since they were first linked in late 2021, especially during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup run, when she was seen supporting him in Qatar.

The couple broke up in 2023, but rekindled their relationship in 2025 and have since become one of Argentina’s biggest celebrity couples.

Gabriely Miranda

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Miranda is a Brazilian model, content creator, and social media personality married to 19 year-old Real Madrid and Brazil forward Endrick. The two started dating while Endrick was still playing for Palmeiras and married in 2024, making them one of the younger couples in Brazil’s soccer spotlight.

Their relationship has gotten plenty of attention online, partly because of their age gap (Miranda is 25) and partly because of the now-famous “relationship contract” they created, which includes rules such as always saying “I love you” to each other, and never arguing in public.

Ashley Turner

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Ashley Turner (née Herron) is the wife of USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner and a former New England Patriots cheerleader. The two met in Boston while Matt was playing for the New England Revolution and Ashley was cheering for the Patriots, making their relationship a very New England sports crossover before his career took him to the national team. The couple married in 2022 and share two children, Easton and Everley.

Rima Edbouche

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The Moroccan influencer and modest fashion creator is married to French footballer Ousmane Dembélé, with the couple tying the knot in a traditional Moroccan ceremony in 2021 and welcoming a daughter the following year. Edbouche posts lifestyle and modest fashion content on TikTok and Instagram, runs her own label, Razalae, and has supported Dembélé through major career moments, including PSG’s Champions League celebrations.

Fernanda Serrano

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"Fer" Serrano is the wife of Mexican star Santiago Gimenez — and a celebrity in her own right. She's an accomplished Mexican actress, TV host, and social media personality who shares lifestyle content, brand work, travel, and pieces of her daily life online. She and Gimenez reportedly met during the COVID-19 pandemic while playing video games. The couple got engaged in 2022 and married in 2024.