Champions League final against Real Madrid: Liverpool’s WAGs pose at Eiffel Tower

Liverpool’s WAGs have been seen in Paris posing by the Eiffel Tower ahead of tonight’s Champions League final against Real Madrid.

The girlfriends and wives of Real Madrid and Liverpool players have touched down in the French capital to cheer on their boys before the match begins tonight at 8pm. 

Posing on Instagram were models Mishel Gerzig and Saffron Khan, and Brazilian influencer Karoline Lima. 

Julia Vigas, who is married to Liverpool’s Thiago Alcântara, posed for a cute snap in a team shirt in front of the Eiffel Tower as did brunette beauty and Instagram star Gera Ponce who is dating Luis Diaz. 

Wife of Liverpool goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, Natalia Becker, showed herself boarding a plane while Tamara Tia Gomez, wife of Liverpool’s Joe Gomez, opted for a suggestive snap with a Christian Dior luggage.  

The Reds are looking for their seventh win in the competition, while Real, who are the most successful team in Champions League history, will hope to add to their 13 titles.

Mother-of-three Mrs Becker, 31, who is a doctor, first met the Liverpool goalkeeper in 2012 in their native home of Brazil, and took their children along for the game. 

She will be there with them to cheer on her goalkeeper husband who was integral to Liverpool’s Champions League and Premier League triumphs in 2019 and 2020.

Mrs Gomez, 24, also showed herself enjoying the restaurant Aéro Paris-Passy which is aimed at chic Parisians. 

Thiago Alcantara’s wife Julia Vigas, whose focus is on running her family hotel business, also took her kids to Paris for the match. 

Brunette beauty and Instagram star Ms Ponce, 24, was born in La Guajira, Colombia, just like her 25-year-old boyfriend Liverpool star Diaz.

She snapped plenty of pictures in front of the Paris’ most famous landmark and boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight. 

Saffron Khan, 20, has been dating boyfriend Liverpool’s Curtis Jones since 2019, also showed herself boarding the plane and a video of the Eiffel Tower ahead of the match. 

The stunning model, who is signed to M Models Management, often shares snaps of her luxurious holidays and lavish lifestyle with her 40k Instagram followers. 

Israeli model Mishel Gerzig, 25, who met Real Madrid’s Thiabaut Courtois through Instagram, may have stolen the spotlight as she posed for a kiss with her boyfriend in front of photographers in the stands. 

Gerzig was sitting matchside when she was captured embracing Courtois while holding his neck as he was doing an open training session at Stade de France yesterday.  

The model, who regularly shares snaps of her photoshoots with her 430k followers on Instagram, is signed to Itm Models.

She is also very vocal about supporter Belgian Courtois – and is a regular visitor to his games for Real. 

Carlo Ancelotti, manager of Real Madrid, also kissed his wife Mariann Barrena McClay at the open training session. 

Brazilian influencer Karoline Lima, 26, has been regularly blogging about the her arrival and the match all day since she stepped off the plane to her over two million followers on Instagram. 

She is the girlfriend of Real Madrid’s Eder Militao and is previously been romantically linked with Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar.

Karoline was also at the training session telling Militao ‘I’m keeping an eye on you’ on Instagram. 

Sandra Garal, 28, who met footballer beau Marco Asensio when she worked as a waitress in a nightclub and now works as a model, showed herself looking on at Real Madrid during training. 

She also posted pictured from the flight and with her pass to get into the stadium. 

Ahead of the match Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said he would ‘maybe’ give up his wife Mina Bonino, who was also pictured at training yesterday, to beat Liverpool in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Valverde said: ”It’s a unique trophy for any player in the world. I’m willing to give so many things. Except my son… maybe my wife.

‘No, no – it’s a joke. But I’d give a lot – it’s not every day you manage to play in a final. Hopefully we can win the title.’ 

Shalimar Heppner, wife of David Alaba of Real Madrid, is not as famous as her father Frank Heppner, who is known as the Gordon Ramsey of Germany.  

On Instagram, she showed herself Brazilian influencer Karoline Lima who also appeared in many stories with the players’ wives and girlfriends. 

Mrs Barrena McClay, the wife of Carlo Ancelotti the head coach and manager of Real Madrid was also seen taking to Ana Galocha, the Spanish actress wife of assistant manager Davide Ancelotti during a Real Madrid Training Session at Stade de France. 

Ancelotti’s wife is a Canadian businesswoman who is the owner of Mondo Uomo Enterprises Limited. 

UEFA officials have set up a Fan Zone for Liverpool fans in the east of the city at Cours de Vincennes, six miles from the ground, with the gates opening from midday and food and drink on offer as well as music from the Lightening Seeds.

Real who are only expected to have around 30,000 fans in Paris have a similar zone set up for them close to the stadium in the north of the city.

Around 7,000 police officers will be on duty for the game and the sale of alcohol around the ground has been banned from 6pm on Saturday until 2am on Sunday morning but fans will be able to drink in the stadium.

The area around the famous Champs-Elysses in the centre of Paris was closed on Thursday by police and will not reopen until Sunday evening.

A Paris police statement said: ‘For this occasion various measures have been put in place by the Prefecture de Police to ensure the smooth running of the match and to guarantee the fans safety in the vicinity of the Stade de France and the fan zones.’

The final was originally due to have been played in Saint Petersburg but UEFA moved it to France after stripping Russia of the glamour game following their invasion of Ukraine.

But some fans may not make it to match after facing long queues at the Port of Dover and UK airports.

Thousands of fans descended on the Kent port on Friday to board cross-Channel ferries en route to Paris for Saturday’s match.

Airline passengers were also stuck in lengthy queues at airports such as Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and Bristol. 

One group of Liverpool fans also used a speedboat to get to France after their easyJet flight was cancelled.

The die hard supporters were trying to get to Paris in time for Saturday’s Champions League final against Real Madrid. 

Paddy O’Toole and 12 others had to charter the novel way to cross the Channel late on Friday after their initial plans to fly were scuppered.

Two of the fans, Adam and Tom Dring, flew down to Heathrow to try and get another flight but they were unsuccessful so decided to team up with family friend Paddy who lives on Jersey.

The lads flew from Heathrow to Jersey and Paddy contacted a friend who runs a boat chartering firm called Le Mourier on the island.

Paddy told the Liverpool Echo: ‘They got a flight to Jersey last minute and they met up with us and asked could we get them to France.

‘We felt sorry for the young lads so we had to do something.’ 

How do the Liverpool WAGs measure up against the Spanish support squad? From a devout Christian doctor to a world-famous pop star, the Champions League finalists have VERY glamorous cheerleaders

By Harriet Johnston 

From a devout Christian doctor who’s a goodwill ambassador for the WHO to a member of one of the world’s must successful girl groups, the wives and partners of the Champions League finalists make for an impressive bunch. 

Liverpool taken on Real Madrid in Paris on Saturday night with the Reds looking for their seventh win in the competition, while Real, who are the most successful team in Champions League history, will hope to add to their 13 titles. 

And with stunning models, gorgeous influencers, proud parents and even a doctor all in the mix, there’s sure to be no shortage of support for the different teams.

While some might be recognisable for their own career achievements, such as popstar Perrie Edwards who is dating Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, others live a much more low-key life –  including Thiago Alcantara‘s wife Julia Vigas whose focus is on running her family hotel business. 

Here’s the WAGS who’ll be cheering their husbands and boyfriends on from the stands on Saturday…

LIVERPOOL’S SUPPORT SQUAD  

PERRIE EDWARDS 

DATING:  Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Superstar singer Perrie Edwards is one of the most famous Wags in the world -having spent the last decade as part of the pop group Little Mix.

She’ll be cheering on her long-term boyfriend  Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on Saturday night. 

The couple have been romantically linked since late 2016 and have previously gushed about how much they enjoyed spending the first nationwide lockdown at home together.

They made their relationship Instagram official in January 2017 and spent lockdown together, before Alex’s Premier and Champions League duties resumed.

Perrie, who was previously engaged to Zayn Malik, welcome her first child with Alex in August. 

NATALIA BECKER 

MARRIED TO:  Alisson Becker

Natalia Becker, 31, who is a doctor, first met the Liverpool goalkeeper in 2012 in their native home of Brazil.

She went on to complete her degree at the Catholic University of Pelotas before they went on to marry  in 2015.

Alisson previously praised his wife for leaving Brazil to move to Rome with him months after graduating.

He said: ‘That meant a lot to me. I enjoyed supporting her while she was finishing her studies at university.’

The couple welcomed their third child last year following the birth of daughter Helena in 2017 and son Matteo in 2019. 

‘I guess that made me a bit different to other footballers,’ Alisson once said.’ And, if you don’t feel well, it’s better to be living with a doctor than a model.’

Natalia often shares snaps of her family on social media, and often posts photographs with her husband both on and off the pitch. 

Natália, a proud Christian, has 294,000 Instagram followers and regularly updates her account with photos of family outings and jet-set holidays. 

She is also close to her fellow Liverpool WAGs and recently stepped out to support James Milner’s wife Amy at a charity event. 

Meanwhile she also works for the WHO as Goodwill Ambassador for Health Promotion. 

EMELIA SCARLETT 

DATING:  Harvey Elliott 

TikTok star Emilia Scarlett, 19, is believed to have been dating Harvey Elliot since November last year. 

With over 270,000 followers on the social media platform, the teenager often shares video clips dancing and showing off her latest skimpy outfits.

More recently, she has been posting a glimpse into her life with Harvey, revealing he asked her to be his girlfriend with a blue balloon.

Like fellow WAG Saffron, she is also signed to M Models Management, although it is unclear if she has landed any jobs yet through the agency.

She revealed in April she was also started her own personal styling and shopping account on Instagram.  

RUTE CARDOSO 

DATING: Diogo Jota

Rute Cardoso, 26, from Portugal, met her footballer beau when they were just 13-years-old.

The pair, who were school friends, have been together ever since and she has followed him wherever his football career has taken him.

From his early career training with Pacos Ferreira to Porto to a spell in Spain at Atletico Madrid and then to the Midlands with Wolves, the two have always been together.

And she appears to be a keen football fan, who regularly graces the Molineux pitch with Jota in snaps she posts on social media.

The two welcomed their first child together in February 2021. 

Following Jota’s move to Liverpool, Cardoso took to Instagram to pay tribute to Wolves, saying: ‘I would like to thank the @wolves staff and fans for the amazing time during these 3 years!

‘It was a pleasure to be part of this family.’ 

GERA PONCE

DATING: Luis Diaz

Brunette beauty Gera Ponce was born in La Guajira, Colombia, just like her boyfriend Luis Diaz, 25. 

Gera graduated with a bachelors degree in economics from a local university before following Diaz when he left Colombian side Junior for Porto in Portugal. 

The Instagram star was once again by her boyfriend’s side as he made the move to Liverpool at the start of the year.

Despite Diaz’s busy match schedule, the couple still find time to jet off on five-star holidays in Mexico, Ibiza and Paris. 

Luis and Gera became parents for the first time in November when they welcomed daughter Roma. 

Now the family are building a life in Merseyside, where they live in a stunning new build mansion. 

REBECA TAVARES

MARRIED TO: Fabinho  

Brazilian midfielder Fabinho, 28, is married to former footballer Rebeca Tavares, who grew up watching the sport.

‘My family are a typical Brazilian family, we always watched football and I’ve loved football since I was a kid,’ she once said. 

Born in Brazil, Rebeca’s family moved to Spain when she was six years old and she adopted the country as a second home. 

She met Fabinho in 2013 and the couple wed two years later.

The talented sportswoman played football to a high level in Spain and then in Monaco, where she played at AS Monaco Women, the sister team to Fabinho’s AS Monaco. 

Rebeca is now retired from the sport but said it is a ‘dream’ to watch her husband play in the Premier League. 

She was ecstatic when Fabinho signed his £44million Liverpool deal in 2018, sharing a photo of her kissing the badge of a Liverpool football top. 

RACHEL ROBERTS

DATING: Andy Robertson

Scotland captain Andy Robertson, 28, has his own mini fan club in the form of his girlfriend Rachel Roberts and their children, Rocco, and Aria.

The couple met as teenagers while they were both students St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock, in East Renfrewshire.

‘Rachel was the year below me in school [near Glasgow], but we hung about with the same friends,’ Robertson has said of the early days of their relationship. ‘We got together when I was 19.’

They welcomed their son, Rocco, in 2017, and proud father Robertson said at the time that Rachel had taken to motherhood like a ‘duck to water’.

Daughter Aria arrived in January 2019. There are reports that the couple are engaged but that has not been confirmed.

The family moved to England in 2018 when Robertson signed for Liverpool.

Rachel is now friends with fellow Liverpool WAG and Little Mix star Perrie Edwards, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

JULIA VIGAS

MARRIED TO: Thiago Alcântara 

According to reports Thiago Alcântara met Julia Vigas when he was playing for Barcelona in 2012. 

The Spanish couple were married in their home state of Catalonia in 2015, and have since welcomed two children Gabriel, five and Siena, two. 

According to the Liverpool Echo, she is said to be a hotel owner; running a resort with her family in Costa Brava. 

The mother-of-two is always sharing snaps of the family both on the pitch and away from it, with holiday photos from holidays in Dubai and Ibiza over the last year.  

SAFFRON KHAN 

DATING:  Curtis Jones

Saffron Khan, 20, has been dating boyfriend Curtis Jones since 2019, but the pair tend to keep their romance private on social media. 

The stunning model, who is signed to M Models Management, often shares snaps of her luxurious holidays and lavish lifestyle with her 40k Instagram followers. 

REAL MADRID’S SQUAD

Sandra Garal

DATING:  Marco Asensio

Sandra Garal, 28, met footballer beau Marco Asensio when she worked as a waitress in a nightclub.

The two began dating in January 2019, but kept their relationship under wraps for months.

They finally confirmed they were together at the wedding of  Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio.

Sandra, who studied architecture at Madrid’s Superior Technical School of Architecture, now works as a model. 

She regularly delights her 300,000 with her risque shots on Instagram.

She often posts photos of her epic holidays, fashion photoshoots and favourite outfits. 

MISHEL GERZIG

DATING:  Thiabaut Courtois

Mishel Gerzig, 25, from Israel, has been dating shotstopper Thiabaut Courtois since last year, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.

She previously revealed how they met on Instagram, telling YTNews: ”Thibaut saw a picture of me with my dog, Milo. He responded to my photo by writing ‘cutie’.

‘I immediately knew who he was, because I love football. I said ‘thank you’ and we started corresponding.’

‘He started asking me questions about Israel, about the army. In April I had several jobs in Madrid, and then we met for the first time face-to-face. 

‘We met again in early July, that’s when the relationship between us became romantic.’

Meanwhile he later confirmed the news by sharing a snap of the two together along with the caption: ‘The love of my life.’ 

The model, who regularly shares snaps of her photoshoots with her 430k followers on Instagram, is signed to Itm Models.

She is also very vocal about supporter Thiabuat – and is a regular visitor to his games for Real. 

DAPHNE CANIZARES

DATING:  Dani Carvajal

Wedding planner Daphne Cañizares has been dating Dani Carvajal since October 2018.

The two are believed to have met through Daphne’s sister Melanie and brother in law Joselu, who is Carvajal’s friend.  

Together with her friend, she founded the company Blue Weddings which specialises in ‘chateau weddings.’

According to an online description, they organise weddings ‘that takes place in a unique and memorable space such as a country house, a country estate, an urban hotel, an old palace, a farmhouse or the one you’ve always imagined.’ 

She also works as a model, a career she began in her childhood when posing with her twin sister Melanie.

In the early months of their relationship, the couple regularly travelled on exotic holidays including trips to Morocco, Ibiza, Altea, Dubai and the island of Cozumel. 

The couple welcomed a son, Martin, at the end of 2020.  

ARGENTINE MINA

DATING:  Federico Valverde

TV presenter and journalist Argentine Mina, 28, has been dating midfielder Federico Valverde since 2019.

The pair welcomed a son called Benicio in 2020, and the pair often share their family snaps on social media, where Argentine has over 500,000 followers. 

She has previously spoken of having an eating disorder since the age of 15, posting an Instagram caption in which she penned: ‘I have suffered from anorexia and bulimia, and when I say ‘I suffer’, it is because I am still struggling with the ghosts of food, the body and the distortion of body image.

‘And even if you are physically healthy, eating disorders are mental illnesses that take years to heal. Years of therapy, of acceptance and control.’

Federico has been swept up in controversy ahead of the match at the weekend as he  ratcheted up the tension, claiming Mohamed Salah ‘disrespected’ the Spanish side.

After beating Villarreal in the semi-final, the Egyptian had said he would rather play Real than their last-four opponents Manchester City in the final because he wanted to avenge their final defeat against the same opponents in 2018.

Salah told BT Sport in May: ‘I want to play Madrid, I have to be honest. City are a really tough team, we played against them a few times this season, but I think if you ask me personally, I would prefer Madrid.

‘Because we lost in the final against them, I want to play against them, and hopefully win against them.’

But Valverde told Marca that the forward’s comments were disrespectful to the club’s badge and its players, and insisted they would serve as extra motivation for the final.

He said: ‘Obviously they’re words that everyone can take however they want. I’m his opponent and it’s like disrespecting the Real Madrid badge, the players…

‘The only thing we must do is give our best, try to show why we’re in the final and let’s hope we can give another trophy to the fans and to Real Madrid.’

KAROLINE LIMA 

DATING:  Eder Militao

Brazilian influencer Karoline Lima, who has over 2 million followers on Instagram, has been dating Eder for over a year.

After the couple announced their relationship last summer, their romance has progressed quickly and they are now  expecting their first child together.

She was recently seen on the pitch celebrating their LaLiga triumph alongside Karim Benzema and David Alaba.

According to Esporte, she was previously been romantically linked with Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar.