How families of football stars adjust to life in Saudi Arabia

Taylor Ward's life changed dramatically after a phone call from her husband, former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez, who informed her that he had signed with Saudi club Al Ahli in Jeddah.

"I just burst into tears. I was honestly inconsolable," Ward tells The Times. "Being married to a footballer, we’re so privileged. It’s an amazing life, don’t get me wrong. But there are parts that are hard as well, like moving abroad and being away from your family."

Ward described the difficulties of adjusting to life in Saudi Arabia, including the strict dress codes for women in the sweltering heat, gender-segregated gyms and the need to travel to Bahrain or the UAE to legally drink alcohol.

Riyad Mahrez and his family in Saudi Arabia. Photo by Instagram/@taylorwardx

Mahrez and Ward now live in an eight-bedroom house with their two-year-old daughter Mila and Mahrez's two daughters from previous relationships, Ayla and Inaya. Their home features cream-colored carpets and sofas, an entertainment area, a bar and a spacious kitchen.

Despite the comfort, Ward says loneliness remains a constant. Language barriers have been a major hurdle, and even after learning Arabic, Ward still struggles with simple tasks like grocery shopping and once mistakenly drove onto the wrong side of the highway.

Ward, who appears in "Married to the Game," an Amazon TV series about the wives and girlfriends of famous footballers, is just one of many adjusting to life in the Middle East.

The growing community of football stars’ families in Saudi Arabia includes Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner Georgina Rodriguez, Fabinho’s wife Rebeca Tavares and Roberto Firmino’s wife Larissa Pereira. Alex Curran, wife of England and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, also spent time in Bahrain while Gerrard coached Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.

Curran chose to live in Bahrain for a more liberal lifestyle. She lives in a six-bedroom villa worth more than $13,000 a month in Manama, the country’s capital. Bahrain offers far fewer restrictions on dress code and activities compared to Saudi Arabia.

Steven Gerrard and his wife Alex Curran during a dinner date in Saudi Arabia. Photo by Instagram/@stevengerrard

The Gerrard family also enjoys free membership at two of Bahrain's most exclusive wellness clubs, based in the Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carlton, and frequently visits the Bahrain Rugby Club. For shopping, spa and leisure, they turn to the luxury Moda Mall at the World Trade Center.

According to Daily Mail, many European footballers’ wives have faced public harassment and been denied entry into shops and restaurants in Saudi Arabia due to their attire. This influenced the Gerrards’ decision to base themselves in Bahrain.

"Gerrard comes here (the Bahrain Rugby Club bar) quite a lot," a source told Daily Mail. He likes a beer, he likes to socialize and have a chat about football, and you won’t get that in Saudi Arabia. And it’s easier for women to live here, which is why his wife probably wanted to be here. You can go around in shorts or a vest and nobody will bother you, so that makes Bahrain more attractive."

Cristiano Ronaldo and his family at the Al Nassr introduction ceremony at Mrsool Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 3, 2023. Photo by AP

On the flip side, one major advantage in Saudi Arabia is safety.

Numbeo ranked Saudi Arabia as the 14th safest country to live in this year, compared to the U.K.’s 87th position.

"I can actually sleep at night now," Ward told The Sun. "We’ve been burgled in the past and it puts you off having nice things. There’s so many burglaries and bad things going on especially in Cheshire. It’s a massive problem. I used to say to Riyad, ‘Please don’t buy me a watch for my birthday, I don’t want to be a target’. Now that we live in Saudi, you actually get the opportunity to enjoy and wear nice things."

However, not every star has experienced security. Since Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr in 2023, he and Georgina Rodriguez initially enjoyed a relatively peaceful family life in Riyadh, often seen out with their children.

But the couple recently received threats, prompting Ronaldo to fire his security team earlier this month and hire new bodyguards over safety concerns.