You think footballers only score goals? Think again — sometimes they score headlines. From secret texts and super-injunctions to courtroom drama and messy social-media blows, here are 10 of the wildest, most-reported cheating scandals from the world of football.
England and Chelsea captain John Terry was engulfed in a 2010 scandal after reports linked him to Wayne Bridge’s former partner; the row cost Terry the England captaincy and sparked huge press coverage (the woman involved has consistently denied the truest extent of the reports, which were extensively covered and litigated).
Ryan Giggs fought a high-court super-injunction to stop publication of alleged extra-marital encounters; the case — widely reported and later publicly discussed in courts and major outlets — left the footballer’s private life splashed across front pages.
Wayne Rooney faced multiple tabloid allegations over the years (including reports linked to women such as Helen Wood and others) that generated sustained media attention and public debate about players’ private lives. His wife Coleen has since spoken publicly about forgiving and repairing their relationship.
Ashley Cole’s marriage to Cheryl (then Cheryl Cole) collapsed amid repeated tabloid stories and claims of infidelity that were reported across national outlets; the coverage and subsequent breakup were a major WAG-era media story.
Rio Ferdinand sued over an article that alleged a long-running relationship with an interior designer; the dispute went to court and produced a widely reported legal battle about privacy, tabloids and relationships.
Former England winger Adam Johnson was convicted of sexual activity with a 15-year-old in 2016 — a criminal case reported by major outlets that ended with prison time and remains one of football’s most serious off-field scandals. (This item is included because the case was widely covered and changed the player’s life and public standing.)
Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema were among players named in the 2010 Zahia Dehar investigation (allegations that at times involved claims that a prostitute was underage); the affair produced police probes and high-profile trials and long newspaper coverage across France and Europe.
Mauro Icardi’s long, public saga with Wanda Nara (who was previously married to Maxi López) became a notorious football-world love triangle — stories of texts, betrayals and locker-room fallout were widely reported in international sport press. More recently, Icardi and Wanda’s relationship has produced fresh headline rounds about alleged cheating and accusations in both directions.
Separately from the Imogen Thomas episode, Ryan Giggs’ later, widely reported affair with his brother’s then-wife Natasha became one of the most emotive family scandals in football, and was covered extensively in U.K. media. (Included to show the range of how personal betrayals became national stories.)
Okay — a cheat-sheet surprise: not a player but impossible to omit. Sven-Göran Eriksson’s tenure as England manager was defined as much by tabloid obsession over his love life (Nancy Dell’Olio, Ulrika Jonsson et al.) as by tactics — a reminder that football infidelity stories don’t spare managers either.
