Cover Once known as a shorthand label, today’s World Cup WAGs are running their own businesses, building audiences and shaping fashion and media culture far beyond match day (Photo: georginagio/Instagram)
Once known as a shorthand label, today’s World Cup WAGs are running their own businesses, building audiences and shaping fashion and media culture far beyond match day (Photo: georginagio/Instagram)
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An look at powerhouse World Cup WAGs leveraging digital platforms to run independent financial empires
Today’s football power couples command attention both on and off the pitch. While the sport’s biggest stars earn headlines for record-breaking contracts and trophy wins, many of their partners have built impressive careers of their own in fashion, beauty, entertainment, business and social media. What was once reduced to the catch-all label of “WAGs” is now widely acknowledged as a group of equally accomplished and valuable individuals as well as life partners.
From launching beauty brands and fashion labels to securing major endorsement deals and building vast digital audiences, these women have transformed visibility into successful businesses and personal brands. Their wealth often reflects years of work across multiple industries rather than their connection to the game alone.
Here, we take a closer look at nine of the most prominent partners of elite footballers, examining their net worth, career achievements and the ventures that contribute to their financial success, ranked by estimated wealth.
Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo’s investments: inside his billion-dollar portfolio
Antonela Roccuzzo
The wife of Argentine legend Lionel Messi, Roccuzzo leads the financial rankings among World Cup WAGs, translating her massive digital footprint of nearly 40 million Instagram followers into a highly lucrative personal brand. Splitting her time between Rosario and Miami, her commercial strategy bypasses traditional brick-and-mortar retail in favour of premium corporate alignments. She holds major, long-term ambassadorship contracts with sportswear giant Adidas and luxury designer Stella McCartney. Proving her distinct marketability outside of football circles, beauty powerhouse Anastasia Beverly Hills signed Roccuzzo as their Global Brand Ambassador, anchoring her position as an independent lifestyle icon.
Georgina Rodríguez
Partner of global icon Cristiano Ronaldo, Georgina Rodríguez has built one of the most recognisable personal brands in football’s celebrity orbit. Before stepping into the spotlight, she worked as a sales assistant in a luxury boutique. Today, she is a model, influencer and media personality with a global audience that extends far beyond the football world. Much of her success has been driven by her Netflix reality series, I Am Georgina, which gave viewers a glimpse into her life, family and career while attracting audiences across multiple countries.
With more than 68 million Instagram followers, Rodríguez has become a sought-after partner for fashion and luxury brands. Her portfolio includes campaigns for Guess, an ambassadorship with Italian swimwear brand Calzedonia and regular appearances at major fashion and jewellery events. Whether attending red carpets or sitting front row at fashion shows, she has established a presence that stands on its own, turning social media influence and brand partnerships into a highly successful business.
Ester Expósito
Girlfriend of French star Kylian Mbappé, Expósito occupies a completely unique space among World Cup WAGs because her multi-million-pound net worth is anchored entirely in her own highly successful acting career. Best known internationally for her breakout role as Carla in the smash-hit Netflix drama Élite, she has since built a respected filmography across European cinema and television, including major roles in Bandidos and El Llanto. This independent industry baseline is heavily reinforced by a powerful presence in the luxury fashion market. Backed by an audience of over 24 million Instagram followers, Expósito holds a prestigious global ambassadorship with legendary Roman jeweller Bulgari, and she recently expanded her commercial portfolio by fronting major global campaigns for avant-garde fashion house Marine Serre and Spanish clothing label Desigual.
Bruna Biancardi
Long-time partner of Brazilian star Neymar, Biancardi has parlayed her background in marketing into a thriving digital and fashion enterprise that extends far beyond standard influencer endorsements. A prominent fact in the football world, she commands an audience of over 11 million Instagram followers, driving massive engagement for her curated commercial partnerships. She recently expanded her business portfolio by co-founding a dedicated line with Brazilian clothing brand Cloft, which specialises in premium, minimalist loungewear and maternity apparel. Outside of her own fashion initiatives, Biancardi has secured lucrative long-term campaigns with global beauty giants such as L’Oréal Paris and high-end swimwear labels, cementing her status as an independent force in international lifestyle commerce.
Katie Goodland
Married to England captain Harry Kane, Goodland has carved out a career that reflects her long-standing interest in health, fitness and wellbeing. After studying sports psychology at Middlesex University, she qualified as a fitness coach and personal trainer, working with clients in East London before balancing her professional commitments with family life during moves between London and Munich.
Unlike many public figures connected to elite football, Goodland has maintained a relatively private profile, focusing on wellness content rather than constant media attention. Through her social media platforms, she shares insights on fitness, parenting and healthy living, building a loyal audience along the way. Her partnerships have largely reflected those interests, including collaborations with family and wellness-focused brands such as Daisy First Aid. The result is a personal brand shaped by her professional expertise and everyday approach to health and wellbeing.
Ashlyn Castro
The partner of England and Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham, Castro brings a distinct touch of California cool to the circle of World Cup WAGs, utilizing a highly curated aesthetic to build a lucrative career in digital media and commercial modeling. Based out of Los Angeles, she has steadily grown her combined online presence to more than 850,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, establishing herself as a sought-after content creator well before her high-profile appearances in the family box at the Santiago Bernabéu. Her business model is anchored in premium lifestyle and travel collaborations, securing partnerships with trending fashion and beauty brands during her international travels from Mexico to the Middle East. Beyond commercial campaigns, Castro has leveraged her expanding platform to lay groundwork for a future non-profit venture aimed at supporting mental health initiatives.
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Tolami Benson
Fiancé of Arsenal and England star Bukayo Saka, Benson is a textbook example of the “new-gen” World Cup WAG, balancing a corporate day job with a highly influential public profile. After graduating with a degree in public relations and media from Birmingham City University, she climbed the corporate ladder in London to become a Senior Planning Executive at the major media and investment agency Zenith. She originally took social media by storm during international tournaments with her viral, custom-designed supporter style—such as a bespoke leather racing jacket detailing her partner’s original academy squad number. Embracing her rising status as a British fashion fixture, Benson recently crossed over into mainstream lifestyle commerce by launching an exclusive, heavily publicised capsule clothing collection with high-street giant River Island.
Inés García
Inés García perfectly embodies the newest generation of World Cup WAGs, experiencing a stratospheric rise in public visibility following her highly publicised debut alongside her partner, Barcelona and Spain national team winger Lamine Yamal. Based in Seville, the 21-year-old content creator had already established a distinct digital presence, accumulating over half a million followers on TikTok by documenting her curated lifestyle, traditional appearances at the Seville April Fair, and effortless street fashion.
Rather than fading into the background, García has smoothly parlayed this viral interest into a viable commercial enterprise. Following her official appearance at Barcelona’s end-of-season title celebrations, her rapidly growing portfolio has expanded to feature brand partnerships with cosmetics label Yepoda, high-street lingerie retailer Women’s Secret, and global e-commerce powerhouse AliExpress. She has even crossed over into independent design, launching her own custom clothing line, Coco, with Closet Barcelona, laying a strong foundation for future corporate expansion within the European beauty and fashion markets.
Megan Pickford
Married to England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, she brings a highly relatable, family-focused approach, balancing a busy domestic life with a steady online presence. A graduate of the University of Sunderland, she has been alongside her partner since their secondary school days in Tyne and Wear, navigating the transition from academy football to a custom-built home in Cheshire. Now raising three young children—their son Arlo and daughters Ostara and Misty—she uses her digital platform of over 140,000 Instagram followers to document premium fashion, travel and the realities of modern motherhood. While she secures occasional, highly selective sponsorships with luxury lifestyle and children's brands, Pickford deliberately directs much of her public focus toward regional non-profit events and local charity fund-raisers, anchoring her commercial value in authentic, community-driven engagement.
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
