AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS AND THEIR OTHER HALVES...

Football may be called ‘the beautiful game’ but we daresay it is not on the players on the pitch that make it so. The women and the partners behind the players play a perhaps uncelebrated, unseen part in making our favourite footballers shine, the strength behind their tackles, the drive to take on opponents, and the inspiration behind the well placed kicks that make us scream, “GOAL!” These women popularly referred to as WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) of football stars are stars in their own right, some entrepreneurs, philanthropists, beauty queens, some with the digital media savvy that keeps us entertained round the clock. There are a many fair few of them but this is the collection of the hottest, most stylish, most beautiful WAGs…

ADAEZE YOBO (MARRIED TO JOSEPH YOBO)

This is the most camera-ready, picture-perfect, adorable footballing / celebrity couple, since… well, since ever! Commanding most of the mega star wattage is former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and our Instagram favourite, Adaeze Yobo. We especially care for her fashion choices, fit lifestyle and modelesque gait. Else you were told, you could never guess she’s had kids. Hers in a fun style that’s big on quirk and adventure and you can tell from how she rocks her clothes and her ever-ready smile, she’s just here to have fun.

NKECHI OKOCHA (MARRIED TO JAY JAY OKOCHA)

She is the hotter half of a onetime footballing / celebrity and now power, society couple. Nkechi Okocha has proven she is more than a pretty face, hanging on her husband’s arm but is also involved in his companies and business endeavours. The couple that makes money together stays together? Away from business, hers is a striking look that demands attention when she walks into the room, easy for her to do since she towers over everybody else…

GEORGETTE ETO’O (MARRIED TO SAMUEL ETO’O)

Undoubtedly Georgette is a patient woman. She had to wait 10 years in her relationship with Africa’s most decorated and richest football player before he slipped a ring on it. It perhaps was well worth the wait some would say as the ring was a diamond stunner that cost £500,000. Ring or not, the couple has been going strong all these years with Georgette firmly by her husband’s side.

DIAKITE LALLA (MARRIED TO DIDIER DROGBA)

Hailing from Mali, she is the ultra-private, wife of globally renown Ivorien soccer super star, Didier Drogba. She is also the niece of former Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure. She is hardly ever seen publicly and when she is, she is usually at an event with her husband. She did make English newspaper headlines a few months ago when she reportedly got into an altercation with a cleaner whom she felt was ripping her off, charging £430 for her services. Multimillionaire wife or not, Mama Diakite don’t play with her money!

AMARACHI NWANKWO (MARRIED TO KANU NWANKWO)

She was the baby-faced bride who had everyone holding their breath when they saw her walk down the aisle with love of her life, Kanu Nwankwo. A decade and some years later, the couple is still going on strong, and Amarachi, then 18 years old has grown to become oe stunning woman! She used to be much more private but has taken to given us some glimpses into her family life, rocking braids Beyonce would be proud of and matching prints with her daughter.

CHIUGO OGUH (MARRIED TO JOHN OGUH)

She is the newly-wed heartthrob of Nigerian defender, John Ogu and latest entrant into the WAGs community. Trained in Psychology, at the University of Alberta, Canada, she recently announced with her husband that they are pregnant. Hers will go down in history of WAGs as one of the more dramatic proposals as her footballer husband proposed to her post match in front of a packed stadium. *cue single tear*

PROMISE ENYEAMA (MARRIED TO VINCENT ENYEAMA)

Though we knew much of her husband and his match-winning, goal-stopping antics, we didn’t know who was probably behind it all. Now we know. Promise Enyeamah. She is a quiet, probably shy woman who stuns by just being. One look at her and we too were in love!

STEPHANIE KALU UCHE (MARRIED TO KALU UCHE)

A former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (Universe) the beauty queen has certainly come a long way. Having struggled with hormone changes, weight and cystic acne during her pregnancy, she recently launched a wellness brand called Stephanie Nicholas Wellness to help women who were in her shoes to overcome the body-altering journey of nine months. In pictures, she certainly seems to be the yin to her husband’s yang as they always match perfectly.

OLGA DIYACHENKO (MIKEL OBI’S GIRLFRIEND)

She is the daughter of a Russian billionaire and the girlfriend of Nigeria’s preeminent midfielder, John Mikel Obi. The Nigerian footballer is yet to put a ring on it but the couple have twin daughters together although there are rumours they secretly got engaged but no talk of a walk down an aisle yet! The European Business school-trained stunner runs a fashion and apparel company in the United Kingdom.

MENAYE DONKOR (MARRIED TO SULLEY MUNTARI)

She is not your average footballer’s wife. The Canadian-born, once-upon-a-time model and beauty pageant winner is a businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who Soon after the pageant run, established the Menaye Charity Foundation and has overseen providing free, quality education to under privileged children in rural areas. She has also helped provide medical care for over 600 orphans infected with HIV or AIDS. She runs a property development company in Ghana.