Keane slams England WAGs for wearing partners' shirts at World Cup as Wright and Neville disagree

Roy Keane took aim at England’s WAGs during a segment on The Overlap podcast, branding it ‘ridiculous’ that wives and partners of players are wearing personalised England shirts at the World Cup in the United States.

The Manchester United legend, who is in America for punditry duties, was asked by former team-mate Gary Neville what he would consign to Room 101. Keane’s answer was immediate: players’ partners wearing England strips with their partner’s surname on the back at tournament games.

“Children is fine, but the wives and partners wearing their jerseys, with their name on the back, wow,” Keane said. Among those spotted in personalised shirts was Ashlyn Castro, girlfriend of Jude Bellingham, during England’s 4-2 win over Croatia.

Keane did not stop there. “A year later they are separated, most of them. And they’re all getting pictures, and they’re pointing at a Jimmy or Johnny on the back, wow. We know who you are married to,” he added, prompting laughter from Neville and Wright.

Ian Wright was quick to push back, arguing the gesture was straightforward: “Her husband is playing and she’s proud of him and she wants to wear his shirt — it seems as simple as that.”

Keane remained unmoved. “They only do it at the World Cup, you don’t see it at Old Trafford or Anfield every week. So what’s with the World Cup?”

The exchange comes as England manager Thomas Tuchel has reversed one of Gareth Southgate’s long-standing tournament policies by allowing partners access to the squad’s World Cup training base — a notable shift in camp culture as the competition enters its second week.