Nancy Dell’Olio claims she ‘intimidated’ Victoria Beckham
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“It’s one thing to be with a footballer – I was with the manager!” Nancy Dell’Olio claims she ‘intimidated’ Victoria Beckham…and insists modern WAGS are ‘less glamorous’ than their Baden Baden counterparts
Nancy Dell’Olio alleged she harassed Victoria Beckham and her fellow WAGS after traveling to Germany with the England team ahead of the 2006 World Cup.
The quaint Black Forest town of Baden Baden played host to a high-profile assortment of wives and girlfriends – including Victoria, Cheryl Cole and Coleen Rooney – as the national side played their final tournament under Swedish manager Sven-Göran Eriksson.
But fiery Italian Dell’Olio, 61, admits that her status as Eriksson’s long-term girlfriend created a distance between herself and the rest of the group, which attracted the attention of the world’s press during high-end shopping trips and boozy nights out, as she preferred to remain out of the public eye.
Looking back: Nancy Dell’Olio claimed she harassed Victoria Beckham after traveling to Germany with England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson’s boyfriend ahead of the 2006 World Cup
She said Tatler: ‘They were all quite intimidated by my presence. It’s one thing to be a footballer’s wife – I was with the manager. We spent one or two evenings together at the hotel, but I had a different kind of routine.
“I knew there were paparazzi and photographers, so I tried to avoid it. They even took pictures while walking in the park.
‘The women]went shopping and they knew they were being followed. It’s not something I enjoyed because I had to live with it.’
Taking part: Baden Baden played host to a high-profile assortment of WAGS – including Victoria, Coleen Rooney and Cheryl Cole – as England took part in the tournament
Despite distancing herself from many of the group’s social activities, she admits to enjoying Victoria’s company as the former Spice Girl supporting husband David, who captained the team to an uneventful quarter-final before crashing to Portugal.
She recalled, “I spent a little more time with Victoria. She’s a sweet, sweet person. Very quiet and reserved – smart and a little controlling. She’s someone who likes to have fun.’
Dell’Olio’s relationship with Eriksson came to an end in 2007, more than 12 months after his five-year tenure with England came to an end at Gelsenkirchen’s Arena AufSchalke.
Friends: Despite distancing herself from many of the group’s social activities, Nancy admits to enjoying the company of Victoria in Germany (pictured together at the 2007 Glamor Women of the Year Awards)
But she still cherishes fond memories of her time with England’s WAGS, insisting that their current counterparts are less attractive.
“They keep it very quiet. They’re less glamorous because I’m not anymore!’ she joked.
“I was called the First Lady of football: there has never been one before and there has never been one after me.”
Cheering them on: The former Spice Girl was on hand to support husband David, who led the England team to an uneventful quarter-final before crashing out in Portugal.