An England icon’s wife was thrown into the spotlight overnight after she went from student to the ‘sexiest WAG ever’ following advice from a Page 3 girl
An England legend made history when he burst onto the scene as a teenager and his childhood sweetheart has been with him through all the ups and downs.
Theo Walcott has remained alongside his wife Melanie since their school days – much like Wayne and Coleen Rooney, to whom the pair are frequently likened. They both shot to fame when he was selected for England’s 2006 World Cup squad, aged just 17-years-old, by then Three Lions boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.
The former Arsenal winger, who celebrated his 37th birthday on Monday, began dating Melanie in 2004 after encountering her at the WestQuay shopping centre in Southampton. While Melanie was revising for her A-Levels he was chosen for the England squad – just months after transferring from Championship side Southampton to the Premier League giants for £12m. Many romances would buckle under such strain, but the pair remained steadfast.
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They got engaged on New Year’s Eve 2012 at their Hertfordshire residence. Walcott and former sports physiotherapist student Melanie tied the knot in 2013 in Tuscany.
However, their life has been far from straightforward ever since Walcott became the youngest-ever senior football player for the England men’s team.
He made his debut at 17 years and 75 days by appearing in a 3–1 friendly win over Hungary at Old Trafford, breaking the previous record held by Rooney, at 17 years, 110 days in 2003.
Melanie was also thrust into the spotlight as she went from studying for her A-levels to hanging around with the likes of Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole.
But she credited Posh Spice for giving her advice about how to handle the noise and pressure that fame can bring.
“Victoria Beckham advised me to have my own life away from football and I’ve always believed in having my own career,” she says.
Reflecting on rubbing shoulders with the infamous England WAGs of Baden-Baden in Germany in 2006, Melanie said: “It was daunting, though all the girls were really nice.”
Melaine also received some more blunt advice, namely from Walcott’s Arsenal team-mate Jeremie Aliadiere’s then Page 3 girlfriend Leilani Dowding, who admitted: “I said keep your mouth shut until you get paid a lot of money!”
While former Miss Great Britain and another Page 3 model Danielle Lloyd admitted she couldn’t comprehend how scary the whole situation must have been for the then-schoolgirl.
“It is difficult for all of us,” she admitted. “We are all used to this situation, but it is still scary for us.”
Melanie soon became accustomed to the attention. She was regularly seen on red carpets with the 2006 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.
And some six years later, Melanie was named ‘sexiest WAG ever’ in 2012 in a poll by dating site whatsyourprice.com.
The pair didn’t delay in starting a family, welcoming their first son Finley James Walcott in 2014. However, they endured a frightening ordeal when Finley was born, as the baby required surgery at eight weeks old to rectify a heart condition.
Fortunately he now enjoys perfect health. Their second son, Arlo, was born in 2016. And Melanie has taken to fundraising for the Children’s Air Ambulance, while juggling work and the responsibilities of being a mum.
The couple’s charming children also regularly appear on Theo’s Instagram, with Finley caring for his younger brother in many of the posts of family holidays.
Walcott hung up his boots in 2023 after returning to his boyhood club Southampton, where his incredible journey began.
The winger played 397 times for Arsenal in all competitions and notched nearly 180 goal involvements. He lifted the FA Cup in 2015 and 2017.
He also earned 47 caps for England, scoring eight times, and is now seen on Sky Sports as a pundit.