Since the start of the Premier League in 1992 when the country’s leading sides broke away from the Football League, the lucrative television rights that feed the game have given today’s players a Millionaire lifestyle that’s the envy of those who pay to watch them ply their trade.

At the big clubs in particular, like Manchester United and Chelsea, players can expect to earn in excess of £100,000 per week and the glory they enjoy on the field of play is reflected in the trappings of success that they enjoy off of it.

Mansion-style homes, designer clothing, the fanciest restaurants and expensive cars have become the trademark of the modern football player. But for many of these well-rewarded young men the icing on the cake remains the beautiful girlfriend, and in a world where celebrity status seems to come so much easier than it did before, many of their chosen partners have famous lifestyles of their own.

Wifes of Football Players

Such is the status of these young ladies, the British media have even given them their own name – WAGS, an acronym of Wives and Girlfriends – and many are almost as recognisable as their famous sporting partners.

Although the WAG is a fairly new ingredient in the life of the modern footballer, the joining of celebrity footballer and celebrity partner has been around for years. Perhaps the earliest of note was the marriage of former England captain Billy Wright, who married Joy Beverley in 1958 at the height of her fame with ‘The Beverley Sisters’ – The ‘girl-band’ of their day.

Almost a whole half-century later, and the most famous celebrity couple in football just happen to be a former England captain and the wife he met while she was playing in a girl band of her own!

Victoria Beckham, wife of International footballing icon David Beckham, first met her husband after attending a match at Manchester United whilst at the height of her fame with The Spice Girls. Affectionately known as Posh Spice, Victoria has enjoyed much success in her own right including a solo pop career, modelling, her own fashion range and even her own range of perfumes and sunglasses. David continues to play football at the highest level, and his recent move to Milan has seen the couple become very-much part of the Italian social scene.

Most recently, Victoria has become the face of Armani lingerie and has modelled the range herself in a series of darkly seductive pictures with David by her side. The couple have three children. Brooklyn (10), Romeo (7) and Cruz (4) and are estimated to have a personal fortune of £112 million.

While England International Wayne Rooney was breaking records for become the youngest player to score for his club side, Everton, Coleen McLoughlin still at secondary school where her mother worked as a part-time cleaner. Since then, Coleen has become a major celebrity in her own right. She is a columnist for the world-renowned OK magazine, has presented several of her own television shows and is currently the face for LG electronics in a deal worth £500,000 a year.

Coleen caused a major controversy when she appeared in British ‘Vogue’ magazine with many in the fashion industry viewing her as unworthy of such an accolade. The magazine defended its decision with editor Alexandra Shulman labelling Coleen as ‘beautiful’ and having her own ‘brilliant sense of style.

Wayne and Coleen married in Portofino in 2008, and are expecting their first child in October.

Controversial starlet Abi Clancy continues to make headlines, and not just because of her long-term romance with the Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch. The former singer made the news for all the wrong reasons after being sent home in disgrace from the WAG group that followed their parters to the 2006 World Cup amidst allegations of cocaine use and cheating on Crouch.

The couple split for a short time, with Abi dating actor Jason Statham during 2007. The relationship was short-lived, and the former finalist in ‘Britain’s Next Top Model’ was soon back with Peter. This year, Abi beat off competition from a host of beauties to win the title of ‘Sexiest Wag’ in Zoo magazine. The couple are frequently photographed on the London nightclub circuit and appear to be going from strength to strength as a couple.

For many, however, the new Queen of the WAGS is the immensely likeable Cheryl Cole who found fame as a winning finalist in ‘Popstars – The Rivals’. Cheryl went on to form the hit pop group Girls Aloud and reached the summit of celebrity when she entered a relationship with Ashley Cole of Chelsea and England fame.

The couple have faced a host of personal problems since they married in 2006, particularly in the wake of revelations that Ashley was having affairs with three other women. The couple split for several months, but appear to have put their differences behind them. Cheryl now works as a judge on the British version of The X-Factor’ alongside Simon Cowell, and was voted as Heat magazine’s ‘Sexiest Female’ in 2008.

This year may see a new couple come to the fore as WAG culture continues to dominate the British headlines. Carly Zucker currently works as a fitness trainer in London, and has also carried out modelling work for an assortment of fitness and fashion magazines. She was also a contestant in British reality TV show ‘I’m a Celebrity – Get Me out of Here’ in 2008 where she the third contestant to be voted off the show.

Carly is married to Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole, and is the face of the new ‘Lynx’ campaign where she has appeared in TV commercials as a scantily-clad cavewoman. When the couple wed in June 2009, Carly appeared in the newspapers wearing a £10,000 wedding dress designed by Oscar de la Renta.

Perhaps the last word on WAG culture can be left with the late, great George Best who was as famous for his off-field antics with various young ladies as he was for his on-field heroics for Manchester United. In an interview about his fast-living lifestyle, George quipped “I spent a lot of money on booze, women and fast cars. I just squandered the rest!”.