Twelve years ago, a bevy of British WAGs descended on the sleepy German spa town of Baden-Baden for the 2006 World Cup.
And the wives and girlfriends of England’s finest footballers – including Victoria Beckham, Coleen Rooney and Cheryl Cole – caused quite a stir.
They quickly became notorious for their extravagant shopping sprees, trawling the local stores wearing skimpy outfits while being trailed by the paparazzi.
Twelve years ago, a bevy of British WAGs descended on the sleepy German spa town of Baden-Baden for the 2006 World Cup. The group included Cheryl Cole, Coleen Rooney, Victoria Beckham (pictured left to right)
Six reportedly splurged £57,000 on clothes and shoes.
And Steven Gerrard’s now wife Alex Curran apparently clocked up a £25,000 hotel bill – which included 60 bottles of pink champagne.
Many fans blamed the WAGs antics for England’s elimination in the quarter finals on penalties against Portugal.
But this year’s World Cup in Russia will be very different.
Gone are the hordes of high-profile celebrity spouses which accompanied their footballing partners to Germany in 2006.
This year’s England squad are taking along their childhood sweethearts and long-term girlfriends for a much more low-key and sensible affair.
Team captain Harry Kane has known his wife Katie Goodland since primary school. The couple are now expecting their third child
Happy family: Raheem Sterling with his fiancee Paige Milian and their young son
Team captain Harry Kane has known his wife Katie Goodland since primary school.
She is now heavily pregnant with the couple’s third child.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was 14 when he first dated his girlfriend Megan Davison.
Centre-back John Stones is a couple of years ahead. He had been with his girlfriend Millie Savage since the pair were just 12.
Rebekah Vardy with her footballer husband Leicester star Jamie Vardy. The pair have two children together
Dele Alli, who is believed to have been dating his model girlfriend Ruby Mae for two years
Stoke City star goalkeeper Jack Butland is a picture of happiness with his ex-Emirates stewardess girlfriend Annabel Peyton
Ashley Young and Gary Cahill have known their spouses since they were youngsters.
Even Raheem Sterling, one of the squad’s most high-profile faces, is a picture of commitment. He and his fiancee Paige Milian have a child together.
And far from glitzy shopping sprees, Miss Milian insists she likes nothing more than a shopping spree at Primark (but also has a penchant for Gucci, naturally).
Rebekah Vardy has said the WAGs of 2018 are ‘one big extended family’ and many players have children of similar ages.
The Vardys have two children together: Sofia, two, and Finley Jaiden, one. Both also have children from previous relationships.
Glamour model Annie Kilner will be at the side of her beau Kyle Walker at this year’s World Cup
Ashley Young married childhood sweetheart Nicky Pike in 2015 (left together)
Centre-back John Stones has been dating long-term girlfriend Millie Savage since the age of 12
Also in the squad is Dele Alli, who is believed to have been dating his model girlfriend Ruby Mae for two years.
Stoke City star goalkeeper Jack Butland is a picture of happiness with his ex-Emirates stewardess girlfriend Annabel Peyton.
Jordan Pickford will be supported at the World Cup by childhood sweetheart Megan Davison.
Gemma Acton with her husband, Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill
Manchester United defended Phil Jones married wife Kaya Hall in a lavish ceremony last year
Maria Hansen has been an item with mid-fielder Eric Dier for several years
Glamour model Annie Kilner will be at the side of her beau Kyle Walker. The pair have been dating for seven years and have a two-year-old son.
Fern Hawkins has been dating Leicester defender Harry Maguire for six years. The besotted couple frequently enjoy romantic holidays together.
Maria Hansen has been an item with mid-fielder Eric Dier for several years.
Manchester United defended Phil Jones married wife Kaya Hall in a lavish ceremony last year.
Gemma Acton, the wife of Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill, stays off social media and focuses on raising their two children children, Freya, five, and Frank, three.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Keiran Trippier, 27, married long-term girlfriend Charlotte in Cyprus in 2016. Their son Jacob was born six months later.
Manchester City defender Fabian Delph’s wife Natalie has stayed predominantly out of the spotlight, and is rarely pictured with her husband.
The living arrangements for this year’s tournament will also be a departure from 2006, when the England squad were based close to their partners.
This year’s WAGs will be setting up shop 20 miles from their partners in St Petersburg – far enough away to dispel any rumours they are distracting their partners.
ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jack Butland (Stoke), Nick Pope (Burnley)
DEFENDERS
John Stones (Manchester City), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Harry Maguire (Leicester), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ashley Young (Manchester United), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Kieran Trippier (Tottenham)
MIDFIELDERS
Eric Dier (Tottenham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Dele Alli (Tottenham), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Fabian Delph (Manchester City)
FORWARDS
Harry Kane (Tottenham), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
