How I became queen of the WAGs… and milked it for all it’s worth: Lizzie Cundy claims she invented the notorious acronym with Sven-Göran Eriksson and hits back at claims she’s ‘desperate’ – as she poses for a sizzling new shoot

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Most of us recall Baden-Baden, though likely not for its beautiful scenery in the Black Forest, its historic buildings, or its status as a recognized World Heritage Site. We remember it for other reasons entirely.

I’ll never forget the summer of 2006! For just three weeks, the town was transformed. It wasn’t just the World Cup itself, but the incredible energy that came with it. It was amazing to see the wives and girlfriends of our Three Lions really enjoying everything – the bars, the restaurants, and all the lavish resorts. It was a special time, and I was thrilled to witness it all.

Spearheaded by Victoria Beckham and featuring a prominent group including Coleen Rooney, Cheryl Tweedy, and Alex Curran (who would later marry Steven Gerrard), the WAGs caused quite a stir in the quiet resort town, much to the confusion and annoyance of the local residents.

Interestingly, the woman who shares credit for creating the well-known acronym from three simple letters wasn’t present as England struggled to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, led by soon-to-depart manager Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Lizzie Cundy, who was married to ex-footballer Jason Cundy, worked with the magazine Loaded on a provocative new photoshoot. She claims she and former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson intentionally created the term WAG as a smart tactic to divert media attention from his players when they weren’t playing well.

As I mentioned before, I’m okay with being called a “WAG.” I actually came up with the term along with Sven Eriksson right before the 2006 World Cup,” Lizzie, 57, remembered.

I noticed the media was really focused on the players’ wives and girlfriends. It made me think, “We should leverage this interest, because people are paying more attention to them than to the football itself.”

I managed to discover Sven’s location. A friend of mine made the connection, and I suggested a plan. I told him, “Let me attend the World Cup. I believe my presence will divert attention from your players who have a reputation for misbehaving, particularly when traveling.”

Honestly, I remember thinking, “Okay, I’ll do whatever it takes! I’ll shift the spotlight away from the players themselves and make sure the media focuses on their wives and girlfriends instead.” It was all about getting them the attention, you know? I just wanted to help with the press coverage for the WAGs.

She explained: ‘Sven really liked the concept, and that’s how the term “WAG” came about. I then started using it to refer to everything.’

The term quickly became a way to refer to the wives, girlfriends, and fiancées of professional soccer players globally, and Lizzie openly acknowledges that being married to a former player allowed her to ‘think smart’ and ‘make the most of’ the situation.

She explained that she wrote a book and even created a musical titled WAG the Musical. She frequently discusses topics related to football, and she’s a passionate fan – she particularly loves Chelsea. She also acted as a representative for numerous footballers and their wives.

Unfortunately, footballers were receiving more attention in the news – appearing on the front pages rather than in sports sections. They often turned to me for help managing their media interactions, and I unintentionally became known as the go-to person for dealing with the WAGs – the wives and girlfriends of the players – in the eyes of the media. I sort of became the queen of the WAGs for the media world.

A lot of the footballers’ wives I know aren’t keen on the label, but they’ve still managed to build careers from it. As for me, I absolutely embraced it – I really made the most of it. I went all in! Some people might think, “Oh, that’s a bit desperate?” But honestly, I see it as being clever. I definitely went for it!

Putting aside her family’s status, Lizzie says she’s still hurt by being linked to that world, especially after becoming friends with Meghan Markle, who was a little-known actress at the time and later became the Duchess of Sussex.

I’ve always been very direct about my thoughts on Meghan, as I knew her before she met Prince Harry. I played a part in helping her become part of the social scene she was aiming for, she explained.

She was looking for a boyfriend from Britain, and I ended up meeting her. We clicked right away. She was a genuinely kind and supportive person, and I wanted to be there for her. I’m very familiar with London and knew the perfect people to introduce her to. Ultimately, I wanted to help Meghan.

However, Lizzie shares that she was very surprised when the Suits actress seemingly ended their friendship after starting a relationship with Prince Harry.

She explained: ‘I genuinely like Meghan, so I was quite surprised when she suddenly stopped responding to my messages, something she apparently did to others as well, like Piers Morgan and many others who had supported her.’

I was simply thrilled for her. Meeting Harry was like winning the lottery, and I genuinely hoped she would become as iconic as Princess Diana.

I’ve often spoken openly about her. I was upset by her comments about the Royal Family, particularly right before our late Queen died. And I didn’t appreciate how she behaved towards the British public, because, truthfully, we really did care for her.

We were initially very happy to receive her. It’s just really unfortunate how things have unfolded for Meghan.

Even with everything that’s happened, Lizzie maintains that there’s always a chance for Meghan to reconnect, if the Royal living in the US ever wants to be friends again.

As a close friend, I want her to know I’m always available if she ever wants to reconnect. I’m hoping we can rekindle our friendship, if she’s open to it, of course. I’ve made it clear I’m here for her whenever she feels ready – just a phone call away, shall we say.

The latest issue of Loaded is out now.  

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2025-10-01 12:19