Meet the Frauen und Freundinnen... that's German WAGS to us Brits

By Emily Sheridan

Loving the limelight: Bastian Schweinsteiger's girlfriend Sarah Brandner is one of the more high-profile WAGS due to her modelling career


With most of the English WAGS out of the way following Fabio Capello's strict decree over contact, it'll be up to their German counterparts to provide the glamour in the stands for Sunday's clash.

The Italian manager gave the order because he was keen for his players to avoid any distractions at the World Cup.

However today he did give his players permission to meet their wives and girlfriends following the team's victory over Slovenia.

Matters are a little different in the German camp where their WAGS, staying in the five star Sheraton Pretoria, have been allowed more contact. They've also been given bodyguards by the German FA.


Blonde ambition: Brandner has become a successful model since she started dating Schweinsteiger two years ago


So who are the women we'll see in the stands when Steven Gerrard and the boys take on Philipp Lahm's team in Bloemfontein?

A leading figure in the German WAGS is the Abbey Clancy of the group - blonde model Sarah Brandner, 21.

Brandner, girlfriend of winger Bastian Schweinsteiger, has become a celebrity in her native country since she started dating the Bayern Munich star two years ago.

Just months into their relationship, she garnered the most media attention from the German press at Euro 2008 and even gave fashion tips for TV on what to wear in the stadium.


Pop star lover: Dennis Aogo and his fiancee Alessia Walch in Italy last month


In a sight that would see anti-WAG Capello seeing red, the blonde sat in the front row of the Austria and Switzerland tournament two years ago, sharing a public kiss with Schweinsteiger for the cameras when Germany won a game.

Following in the footsteps of former England pop star WAGS Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole, is Dennis Aogo's fiancee Alessia Walch.

The 22-year-old brunette is a guitarist with German pop group Mayor's Destiny and has been dating the 23-year-old defender for a year.

Arriving in South Africa earlier this month, the couple denied internet rumours she had previously dated Aogo's teammate, midfielder Sami Khedira - which could have been an awkward situation in the players' camp.


Glamour girls: Tim Wiese's girlfriend Grit Freiberg (left) and Mesut Ozil's girlfriend Anna-Maria Lagerblom - ex-wife of Finnish player Pekka Lagerblom


High-earners: Goalkeeper Tim Wiese (left) and midfielder Mesut Ozil in South Africa this week


Following Michael Ballack's injury, Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm has stepped in as captain. His fiancee Claudia Schattenberg, 26, is now one of the top WAGs.

If Germany do manage to reach the final, the couple will be cutting it very fine with their wedding plans.

The pair, who have dated for two years, are hoping to wed on July 14 - just three days after the World Cup final.

Another popular WAG is student Anna-Maria Lagerblom, the 28-year-old girlfriend of Werder Bremen winger Mesut Oezil who scored Germany's goal last night against Ghana.


All loved up: Mario Gomez and girlfriend Silvia Meiche (left) and Miroslav Klose and wife Sylvvia (right)


Although dating the third generation Turkish-German player for two years, she is no stranger to WAG-dom, having previously been married to FSV Frankfurt midfielder Pekka Lagerblom.

Living in the limelight is something she's become accustomed to thanks to her sister Sarah Connor, a singer.

Among the more long-standing WAGs is Bayern Munich player Miroslav Klose's wife Sylvvia and Lukas Podolski's girlfriend Monika Puchalski.

Striker Klose, 32, who moved from Poland to Germany when he was seven, married fellow Pole Sylvvia six years ago and they have five-year-old twins, Noah and Luan.


Wedding bells: Captain Philipp Lahm and fiancee Claudia Schattenberg will marry just three days after the tournament ends


Podolski - another Polish-German player who still has Polish citizenship after moving to Germany when he was two, has been dating Puchalski since 2003 and they have a two-year-old son Louis.

Frau Klose and Puchalski are long-time friends with fellow German WAG Grit Freiberg, partner of goalkeeper Tim Wiese. The pair have a three-year-old daughter, Alina.

A new addition to the German WAGs is model Kathrin, who started dating goalkepper Manuel Neuer last year and has embraced the team by modelling in the team shirt.

While many of the WAGS appear to be models or full-time mothers, Jerome Boateng's girlfriend Sherin Sendler is studying fashion.


Youngsters: Thomas Muller and his new wife Lisa married in December when she was just 20


Sendler has become close friends with Ozil's partner Lagerblom, with the two women been seen wining and dining around Pretoria in the company of two bodyguards hired by the German FA.

Among the youngest of the WAGs is model Lisa Müller, who married midfielder Thomas Müller in December at the tender age of 20.

Another young couple are Mario Gomez, 24, and girlfriend Silvia Meichel, 22, who have been dating since their teens.

While the German team appear to welcome the support of the players' WAGS, England manager Capello has not been so forthcoming.


Missing out: Michael Ballack, who was forced to step down as captain after being injured, and his wife Simone


In a recent interview with the Mail On Sunday's Live magazine, Capello said he warned his players about wannabe WAGS.

He said: 'I tell my players that girls hang around them because modern-day footballers already have millions in their bank accounts by the age of 25.

'Before, such girls used to hang around film stars or television celebrities. Now it's the turn of footballers, who are robustly built, and this helps them a lot.

'These girls are all the same, all part of a set. Adjusted here, inflated there.

They are all interchangeable and false.'

Despite his dislike of WAGS, Emile Heskey's fiancée Chantelle Tagoe, Matthew Upson's girlfriend Ellie Darby and Glen Johnson's wife Laura were all spotted in the stands at Port Elizabeth yesterday to cheer the team on to victory.


All together now: The German WAGS - many of them partners of players no longer in the squad - at World Cup 2006 in Germany

source: dailymail