The Mauro & Wanda Show
World Soccer|April 2019

The career of Inter’s Argentinian striker, supported by his agent wife, is at a crossroads

Paddy Agnew
The Mauro & Wanda Show

This is a story of our times, the story of an iconic footballer and his agent/wife in the age of Twitter and #MeToo. The impact of Wanda Nara, agent to her husband, Internazionale striker Mauro Icardi, tells the tale of a football community still reluctant in some quarters to renounce old-fashioned male chauvinism.

For a start, many Inter fans are worried that Ms Nara’s aggressive marketing of her famous spouse could lead to his departure from the club. And then there are those who believe, basically, that the 32-year-old is interfering in men’s business.

But to put this tale in context, you have to go back six years to the hot summer of 2013 when Icardi, Nara and another footballer, Maxi Lopez, all three of them Argentinian, became the protagonists in a fateful love triangle.

At the time, Icardi and Lopez – who has played for River Plate, Barcelona and is currently with Vasco Da Gama in Brazil – were team-mates at Serie A side Sampdoria. Lopez was then married to Nara, with whom he had three children during their six-year marriage.

The two Argentinians in the Sampdoria dressing room became good friends, with Lopez, who is now 34, helping out his eight-year younger compatriot. They saw a lot of one another, with Icardi often hanging out at Lopez’s house.

Sometime during the summer of 2013, Icardi and Nara started an affair and by November 2013 the whole Italo- Argentinian football world knew about it.

First, Nara announced, via Twitter, that her marriage to Lopez was over. A few days later, again via Twitter, Icardi declared his love for her with a tweet that read: “Te Amo, nunca me sera sencillo decir lo Q siento” (Wanda, I love you, it’s not easy for me to describe what I feel for you).

During that summer, Icardi was bought by Inter, not so much to resolve dressingroom tensions but more because he was one of the best strikers in Italian football.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2019-Ausgabe von World Soccer.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2019-Ausgabe von World Soccer.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS WORLD SOCCERAlle anzeigen
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
World Soccer

Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer

There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer

time-read
5 Minuten  |
July 2024
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
World Soccer

Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer

The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role

time-read
4 Minuten  |
July 2024
Inter cruise to title number 20
World Soccer

Inter cruise to title number 20

Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals

time-read
3 Minuten  |
July 2024
HAT-TRICK HERO
World Soccer

HAT-TRICK HERO

Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final

time-read
6 Minuten  |
July 2024
GOING UP
World Soccer

GOING UP

The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar

time-read
6 Minuten  |
July 2024
Palau soldier on alone
World Soccer

Palau soldier on alone

The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island

time-read
2 Minuten  |
July 2024
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
World Soccer

Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six

As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely

time-read
3 Minuten  |
July 2024
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
World Soccer

AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown

The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner

time-read
3 Minuten  |
July 2024
Disasters brewing
World Soccer

Disasters brewing

There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage

time-read
3 Minuten  |
July 2024
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
World Soccer

Second round of World Cup qualifying underway

Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines

time-read
3 Minuten  |
July 2024