'It has split the football community - and it will never be the same again'

Former WAG Lizzie Cundy reflects on the 'Wagatha Christie' trial, and says there are no winners

- Georgia Trevitt, Clare Fisher, Ellie Kirwin-Jones and Gemma McCartney

The courtroom showdown between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has had us all gripped as details unfolded during the £3million “Wagatha Christie” libel trial. But after lawyers gave their closing statements at the Royal Courts of Justice in London last week, neither party is coming out on top, according to former WAG Lizzie Cundy.

“There haven’t been any winners here. The only winners are the lawyers,” 54-year-old Lizzie tells new.

“Since this all began, so much has happened in the world. We’ve had a global pandemic and there’s a war going on in Ukraine. Was it really worth spending so much money in court?

“We look at the likes of Dame Deborah James, who has raised millions for charity. It makes you question all the money that has gone to waste here. There are so many good causes it could have gone to instead.”

Lizzie believes the spat between her friend Coleen, 36, and Rebekah, 40, has caused irreparable damage in the footballing world.

“It has really split the football community,” says Lizzie, who was married to former footballer Jason Cundy for 16 years before they separated in 2010. “There are people who were friends with them both who have now taken sides. Football was once called the beautiful game – I’m not sure it’s called that anymore.

“I don’t think the community will ever be the same again. I think there’s now a huge mistrust and it feels venomous. After the text messages were shown in court, we know there’s been a lot of name-calling. It’s a very different football world to what I knew. I feel sad about it.