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The English national team won’t have four of its most loyal supporters cheering at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil this year. Team captain and midfield Steven Gerrard asked his wife Alex Curran-Gerrard to remain at their home in Merseyside, England with their three daughters, so he could put all his focus on the competition.
Read on to see how Curran keeps busy while she’s not cheering on her husband at the stadium or in front of the telly.
1. Steve Gerrard Banned Curran and his Family From the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup
Think they know there dads going away today !!! #goingtomisshim pic.twitter.com/7hFCrjj79S
— Alex Gerrard 8 (@AlexGerrard7) June 1, 2014
Gerrard wants to give his team 100 percent during the World Cup matches, even if he has to sacrifice time spent with his family. He suggested the presence of players’ families at the Germany games in 2006 resulted in England’s lackluster performance. Four years later, before heading to South Africa, he told his wife and two daughters at the time to stay behind. Gerrard explained to the Mirror why he made the decision to rather travel alone after the 2006 FIFA tournament.
Usually the day you get to see them is a day after a game – and that is when you are at your most tired. The last thing I want to be doing is getting dragged here, there and everywhere by three young girls – which is not their fault, but I have to sacrifice that side of it for hopefully six weeks or eight weeks and hopefully get the rewards.
Gerrard will remain in contact with his girls via Skype and Facetime and his wife still has the World Cup fever.
Starting to get very excited !!!!
— Alex Gerrard 8 (@AlexGerrard7) June 10, 2014
2. Alex Curran and Steve Gerrard Exes Hooked Up
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Curran and Gerrard started dating in 2002 after they split from businessman Tony Richardson and actress Jennifer Ellison, respectively. The Guardian suggested in 2006 that the women “swapped boyfriends” before Curran made Ellison her “sworn enemy.”
On June 16, 2007, Gerrard and Curran married at the Cliveden estate in Berskhire. The couple already had two children together: daughters Lilly-Ella, born on February 23, 2004, and Lexie, born on May 9, 2006. They welcomed their third daughter Lourdes on November 2, 2011.
3. She Launched a Fashion Collection and Perfume Fragrance
The fashion columnist for Daily Mirror and OK Magazine launched her own fashion line in 2010 called Forever Unique by Alex Gerrard Collection after releasing her fragrance “Alex” in 2007. Curran split her 2010 autumn/winter collection into Alex Glam and Alex Rock to “reflect her different dress senses,” according to Daily Mail.
Lipsy chose Curran to model its 2013 VIP Collection. She gave Lipsy some of her favorite fashion tips for the fashion brand’s fans.
I am a firm believer of wearing what you feel comfortable in and what suits you. This way you will feel confident in any outfit you wear. I have learnt over the years not to just follow the trends and rather stick with what suits me best.
4. Robbers Threatened Curran and Her Children in Their Home
In 2007, four masked robbers attempted to steal the safe located inside the Gerrard’s home while Steven was competing in Liverpool’s Champions League in Marseille France. The thieves threatened to kill Curran’s two daughters if she didn’t show them where the safe was located. The safe proved to burdensome to carry out, but the criminals did manage to carry off jewelry worth thousands of pounds, according to the Mirror.
Curran told the Mirror about the “absolutely terrifying” experience.
Lilly and Lexie were my biggest concern. Thankfully, they’re fine as they managed to sleep through the whole thing. I’m still feeling really shaken up and too traumatised about the whole thing to talk about it much. I just don’t want to relive it all.
The crime was linked to five other raids at the homes of other Liverpool players in an 18-month span. One perpetrator, Martin Wilson, was sentenced to seven years and four months for the crime in 2010, according to The Guardian.
5. Curran and Her Husband Have Both Been Involved in Bar Brawls
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Police questioned Curran about an alleged assault at the Shangri-La restaurant in 2006. The victim in the assault claimed the soccer wife attacked her with a bottle that injured her eye. Curran was arrested on “suspicion of assault,” and was released on bailed “pending further inquiries,” a spokesman for Merseyside Police told the Daily Mail.
Two years later, Steven landed himself in a bar brawl at the Lounge Inn in Southport, England. He was eventually cleared despite admitting to punching the other bar patron, claiming it was in self-defense, according to BBC News.