Top facts about Wayne Bridge, English former defender

Wayne Michael Bridge (born August 5, 1980) is a former English footballer who played as a left defender.

Wayne Bridge’s age

is 41. Here you can find out the most important facts about Wayne Bridge, ex-England left-back.

Bridge, a Southampton Academy graduate who made his Premier League debut in 1998, also played for Chelsea, West Ham,

, Fulham, and Sunderland throughout his career.

Between 2002 and 2009, Bridge made 36 appearances for England, being included to two FIFA World Cup rosters and the UEFA Euro 2004 squad.

Wayne Bridge had a long-term romance with French model Vanessa Perroncel. They were even parents to a child together. However, after 7 years together, they decided to call it quits. Following that, various stories claimed that Wayne's old colleague, John Terry, was having an affair with Vanessa.

Sven-Goran Eriksson gave Wayne Bridge his full England debut against Holland in 2002, after he had already represented England at youth and under-21 levels.

When it was found that Wayne Bridge's former

and England team-mate John Terry had been having an affair with Bridge's former fiancée Vanessa Perroncel, the mother of his son Jaydon, it made the top pages of English media in 2010.

In this context, Wayne Bridge said on February 25, 2010, that he did not want to be picked for England, therefore ruling himself out of the World Cup.

Top facts about Wayne Bridge:

The first fact about Wayne Bridge is that he has a long history with the England national football team. His overall number of appearances in matches presently stands at 36! That's a tremendous and astounding amount, and it demonstrates how dedicated he is.

Wayne Bridge early life

Bridge was born in Southampton but relocated to Olivers Battery, Winchester, when he was a little child. Regarding

Wayne Bridge’s childhood

, it should be mentioned that he went to Winchester's Oliver's Battery Primary School and Kings' School.

Micky Adams saw him when he was playing for Olivers Battery and suggested him to Southampton, who signed him as a trainee in July 1996.

On 13 August 1997, he made his reserve team debut as a center-forward against Portsmouth, and he went professional in January 1998. There is not any information regarding

Wayne Bridge’s parents

.

Wayne Bridge personal life

Bridge was in a relationship with Vanessa Perroncel, a French model, from 2005 till 2009. Jaydon Jean Claude Bridge, the couple's son, was born on November 21, 2006. Bridge signed a new four-year deal with Chelsea the following day, on November 22, 2006.

A High Court judge issued a super injunction in January 2010 to prevent the media from publishing that Bridge's former colleague John Terry had an affair with Perroncel soon after they separated up. A week later, the injunction was removed.

Perroncel won a suit for maintenance for their son against Bridge on March 25, with the High Court giving her £6,000 each month until Jaydon is 18 years old.

On 3 October 2010, the News of the World issued an apology to Perroncel for intruding into her personal life and stating that she had rejected the allegations leveled against her and Terry.

Frankie Sandford of The Saturdays announced her engagement to Bridge on Twitter on April 8, 2013. Parker Bridge, their son, was born on October 18, 2013. The couple married in a private ceremony on July 19, 2014.

Sandford and his wife announced that they were expecting their second child in January 2015. Carter Bridge was born on August 15, 2015.

An important

fact about Wayne Bridge

is that he appeared in the 2016 season of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! but was eliminated on December 2nd.

After crossing the El Morado glacier in Chile, he won the first celebrity season of Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2019.

Bridge commented about his passion for poker, which began when he and his pals formed a monthly house game in their neighborhood. He performs in one-day live events, and his style of performance has been characterized as 'kamikaze.'

Wayne Bridge professional career

Bridge began his football career at

, where he had previously learned his trade at Olivers Battery. He signed a professional contract in January 1998, and on August 16, 1998, he made his debut as a substitute for John Beresford, who had suffered a serious knee injury.

Initially deployed as a left midfielder, he was quickly retrained as a full-back and replaced the experienced Francis Benali in the starting line-up following the arrival of new coach Glenn Hoddle in 2000.

He scored his first goal for the "Saints" on May 14, 2000, from a free kick against Wimbledon FC, and he did not miss a game in the two seasons from 2000 to 2002.

He was regarded as one of the best players at his club, and in addition to being called up to England U-21 on a regular basis, he also made the senior squad that traveled to Japan and South Korea for the 2002 World Cup.

Above all, he was known for his consistency, and with his good ball handling and qualities both on defense and in attack via cross runs, he was the best English left-back of his generation, alongside Ashley Cole.

In the 2002/03 season, he worked well with Chris Marsden before him at Southampton, and the club achieved a notable eighth place in the league as well as a place in the FA Cup final against Arsenal (0:1). His unbroken run of 113 Premier League games came to an end against Liverpool on January 18, 2003.

Bridge joined league rivals Chelsea in mid-2003 for £7 million, becoming one of

's first signings. His first year with the "Blues" was a great success for him.

He was a regular at left-back, only being replaced on a few occasions by Celestine Babayaro, and his interaction with winger Damien Duff, who had been signed on the same day, shaped Chelsea's strong left side.

Wayne Bridge club career

A notable fact about Wayne Bridge is that he made his first-team debut on August 16, 1998 (the first day of the 1998–99 season), replacing John Beresford, who had suffered a serious knee injury.

Southampton

Bridge earned his first senior start in a 5–0 loss against Charlton Athletic on August 22. Bridge featured in most of Southampton's league games (on the left wing) until early December before losing his spot to Hassan Kachloul as Southampton failed to get points (just two points after nine games).

Bridge was only used on few occasions for the rest of the 1998–99 Premier League season, as  Saints barely escaped relegation. He made 15 starts and eight substitute appearances in his debut season as a first-team player.

Bridge continued to make rare appearances on the left wing the next season, until injury to Francis Benali and the poor form of his designated successor.

A notable

fact about Wayne Bridge

is that he was given the chance to play left-back by Patrick Colleter, and he quickly established himself as a regular in the Saints starting lineup.

In the 1999–2000 season, he made 15 starts (plus four substitute appearances), scored his first senior goal in the penultimate match of the season, against Wimbledon, on 14 May 2000, with a powerful free-kick over the wall, which saw Wimbledon relegated to Division 1 after 14 years in the top level.

An important fact about Wayne Bridge is that he was an ever-present at left-back for Saints in their last season at The Dell, when they finished tenth in the Premier League standings. Bridge was named Southampton Football Club's Player of the Year for the 2000–01 season.

"His forward runs were a fascinating sight at The Dell and subsequently at St Mary's," said Bridge, who was "fast, determined, skillful, and full of young promise."

In the next season, he was once again an ever-present as Saints ended comfortably in mid-table in their maiden season in their new stadium.

Bridge's attitude and consistency, along with his excellent level of fitness, allowed him to play every match until he walked off with an injury in a 1–0 loss to

on January 18, 2003.

This puts an end to a Premier League record of 113 straight appearances by an outfield player (since surpassed by Frank Lampard, Jr.). Bridge's streak began on March 4, 2000, when he played 10,160 minutes of Premier League football without missing a single minute due to injury or suspension.

Bridge was being pursued by stronger teams at this point, and in the 2003 close season, he was eventually enticed to join Chelsea for £7 million.

In the 2003 FA Cup Last loss against Arsenal, he made his final appearance for the club. He made 173 appearances for the Saints main team during his five years with the club, scoring two league goals against Wimbledon and Bolton Wanderers.

Chelsea

Bridge joined Chelsea in July 2003 for £7 million plus Graeme Le Saux after five years with Southampton. He was a consistent starter at Chelsea from the outset.

In the 2003–04 Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal, he had his best performance. Chelsea advanced to the semi-finals as Bridge scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute, ending an 18-game losing streak against Arsenal.

The goal was subsequently named the season's best goal. In the 2003–04 season, Bridge also scored against Beşiktaş and Portsmouth.

A notable fact about Wayne Bridge is that he began the 2004–05 season playing frequently under new manager

, but on February 20, 2005, he suffered a catastrophic ankle injury in an FA Cup match against

.

This put an end to his season and meant he would miss the League Cup Final the following weekend. In his absence, Chelsea won the Premier League, although Bridge had already made enough appearances (15) to earn a winner's medal.

Chelsea recruited Spanish left-back Asier del Horno for the 2005–06 season, and Bridge experienced a difficult time regaining his place in the squad after recovering from an injury that kept him out for the last months of the previous season.

That season, he only made two appearances for Chelsea, both in domestic cup competitions. Due to his lack of first-team chances, he joined Fulham on loan on January 19, 2006.

At Upton Park, he made his debut in a 2–1 loss to West Ham United. He seemed to profit from the transfer, as he was included to England's 2006 World Cup team for the tournament in Germany.

Chelsea won the Premier League for the second year in a row; however, Bridge was not eligible for a medal since he had not played a single league game for the club all season.

Bridge's major competitor for the Chelsea left back position was

, another England international. Bridge played the whole game in Chelsea's 3–0 win against Manchester City on the first day of the 2006–07 Premier League season, producing a crucial cross for

's third goal.

However, his early-season form was not enough to keep him in the left-back position, with Mourinho favoring Ashley Cole in most games. Bridge took over as Chelsea's primary left-back after Cole's injury in a 3–0 Premier League triumph against Blackburn Rovers early January 2007.

A notable

fact about Wayne Bridge

is that he scored one goal in the 2007 League Cup semi-final 1st leg encounter for an injury-plagued Chelsea team against League Two club Wycombe Wanderers.

Bridge won two cup finals in the 2006–07 season, winning the League Cup Final against Arsenal 2–1 and the FA Cup Final against Manchester United 1–0.

An important fact about Wayne Bridge is that he appeared in his third cup final for Chelsea in little over two years, a 2–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the 2008 League Cup Final.

After Bridge was found to have handled the ball in the penalty area, Tottenham was granted a penalty, which they converted, winning 2–1 after extra time.

Bridge carried the captain's armband in the League Cup fourth round clash against Burnley in the 2008–09 season in the absence of

and

, but the Blues lost on penalties.

Manchester City

Mark Hughes confirmed on 2 January 2009 that Manchester City had agreed an undisclosed fee with Chelsea for Bridge, believed to be around £10 million, and on the following day, Manchester City agreed personal terms with the player, who later passed his medical, allowing the transfer to be completed and he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract.

Bridge made his debut for the club in a 1–0 victory against Wigan Athletic in the league two weeks later, after been presented to the home supporters during an FA Cup home encounter against Nottingham Forest.

He was assigned the number 25 to his team. Bridge wore the number 3 during the 2009–10 season, which was previously worn by Michael Ball.

City defeated Chelsea 4–2 at home for the first time in the Premier League season on February 27, 2010.

 Bridge was engaged in a widely publicized incident before to the match in which he refused to shake hands with Chelsea captain and former club and international teammate John Terry, who was the subject of claims that he had an affair with Bridge's ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel at the time.

With the emergence of two new left-backs, his place as a Manchester City left-back steadily eroded. Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini recruited Aleksandar Kolarov from Lazio in the summer of 2010, and Gal Clichy from Arsenal in the summer of 2011, signaling Bridge was surplus to needs at City.

West Ham United

Bridge joined West Ham United on loan until the end of the season on January 12, 2011. He made his West Ham debut in a 3–0 defeat against Arsenal on January 15, 2011. Bridge made 18 appearances for West Ham in all competitions until his loan came to an end.

Sunderland

An important fact about Wayne Bridge is that he joined Sunderland on a loan agreement until the end of the 2011–12 season, which was confirmed on January 31, 2012.

In Sunderland's 3–0 win against Norwich City the next day; he made his debut as an 82nd-minute replacement for Kieran Richardson.

On March 10, 2012, he made his Sunderland debut in a 1–0 victory against Liverpool, and he also played in the FA Cup quarter-final draw with Everton the following week.

Brighton & Hove Albion

A notable fact about Wayne Bridge is that he was revealed to be joining Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan on July 6, 2012. He made his League Cup debut for Brighton on August 14, 2012, in a 3–0 loss against Swindon Town.

In a 5–1 home win against

on August 25, 2012, he scored his first league goal since scoring for Chelsea in December 2003.

Bridge scored three goals in 37 league appearances for Brighton, helping them finish fourth in the league and qualify for the play-offs. He appeared in both of Brighton's semi-final games against

, which they lost 2–0 on aggregate.

Bridge praised Brighton manager Gus Poyet for reviving his football career at the conclusion of the season. According to The Independent, "Brighton has been fantastic for me.

I'd want to express my gratitude to the chairman and the fans. Gus has reignited my passion for football, which had faded during my time at Manchester City."

Wayne Bridge Retirement

Wayne Bridge signed a one-year deal with Reading in June 2013, after the club had been demoted to the Football League Championship. Bridge picked Reading over Queens Park Rangers and Brighton, both of whom wanted to extend his loan.

Bridge was released by Reading on May 6, 2014, after playing 12 games in his first season with the club, and subsequently retired from professional football.

Wayne Bridge international career

All of Bridge's managers (Jones, Hoddle, and Gray) anticipated full international recognition during his tenure with Southampton.

He quickly established himself as a regular for England's under-21 squad, and the managers' prediction came true when Sven-Göran Eriksson handed him his first full cap against the Netherlands on February 13, 2002.

A notable fact about Wayne Bridge is that he rapidly established himself, making two substitute appearances in the 2002 World Cup, however he did not play at all in Euro 2004, with Ashley Cole favored.

Bridge filled England's troublesome left midfield position throughout qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, but lost it to Chelsea colleague Joe Cole when he was injured. In November 2005, he returned to the England squad for a friendly against

, filling in for the injured Cole at left defender and earning his 21st cap.

Bridge assisted Joe Cole's goal with a long pass into the box during England's 3–0 win over Estonia in a Euro 2008 qualifying match on June 6, 2007.

On November 14, 2009, Bridge made his last appearance for England against Brazil. Following accusations involving England captain John Terry and Bridge's former girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel, Bridge announced his definitive departure from international duty on February 25, 2010.

Wayne Bridge quotes

“When I was younger, playing for England was not a significant goal of mine.”

“My desire was to play for Southampton, and as a youngster, I used to go to all of their games, so the concept of one day swapping my seat in the stands for a spot on the pitch seemed like a pipe dream until it came true for me at the start of the 1998-99 season.”

“When you start playing regular first-team football and rumors of an England call-up start to circulate, it does cross your mind, but my debut against Holland in Amsterdam in February 2002 seemed like a significant step up from the U21 squad.”

“Even though I went on to play another 35 times for England, my debut remains the night that stands out as the most memorable of my international career.”

“In many respects, playing for England marks the conclusion of a journey. The ultimate ambition for every player, and I vividly recall that game in Holland, owing to the fact that I left the field feeling as though I had made a favorable impression and performed well. Darius Vassell scored his first goal in that game, and it was a memorable night for my family and myself.”

“We had a World Cup Finals on the horizon that year, and I had just recently entered the manager's plans [Sven-Goran Eriksson], but there was still a possibility for me to make the final 23-man team if I performed well in the next few games before the tournament.”

“Finally, I went to the World Cup, and although I knew the only way I could play for England was if Ashley Cole was injured or banned for a game, having those caps and being able to say you've represented your nation is something no one can ever take away from you.”

“Obviously, the biggest regret is that the teams I was a part of did not do better in the tournaments they were in, and if I understood why the magnificent players we had did not accomplish more in World Cup finals and European Championships, I'd be England manager right now.”

“Even though we were competitors with our club teams, there was never a major issue among the players on the group, in my experience. Everyone got along nicely and wanted to perform well for England whenever the team came together, unless they had kicked each other the previous weekend.”

“We were conscious of the pressure and expectation, but the caliber of the players we had in England sides during the 1990s would not have been scared by it. When it came to the major tournaments, they managed all of that and more for their clubs, but for some reason, it didn't happen for us.”

Some quick facts about Wayne Bridge:

After missing five months due to a significant knee injury, Wayne resigned from football at the age of 33. However, the nagging issues that plagued his subsequent career were noticeably missing throughout his youth.

He played 113 Premier League games in a row (for a total of 10,160 minutes of football) between March 2000 and January 2003, establishing a record for an outfield player that was subsequently broken by Frank Lampard.

Bridge played 36 times for England and spent ten years at two of the most successful English teams in the modern age, joining Chelsea for £7 million in 2003 and then transferring to Manchester City for about £10 million.

Wayne, on the other hand, only won the Premier League once, with the Blues in 2004-05. As his home team prevailed again the following season, he was loaned out to Fulham, and then missed City's 2011-12 league victory after making another temporary transfer to West Ham.

The left-back was praised for his defensive abilities more than his goal-scoring ability, but his best Chelsea moment came on a foray into the opposition penalty area.

He surged into the Arsenal area and tucked home a thrilling, important winner with the Blues' Champions League quarter-final game with Arsenal hanging on a knife's edge at 2-2 in 2004.

Bridge maintained a quiet profile throughout his playing days, avoiding the spotlight and instead relying on his on-field performances to speak for him.

However, he was thrust into the limelight when it was revealed that his former Chelsea teammate John Terry had an affair with Wayne's ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel. Because of the charges, Bridge was forced to retire from international football.

When he met Chelsea as a Manchester City player in 2010, he insulted Terry by snubbing his pre-match handshake with the former England captain.

Wayne said before entering the jungle that he wanted to be remembered for more than "not shaking someone's hand."

Bridge may not have wanted fame, but his wife, Frankie from The Saturdays, is no stranger to the spotlight or the scrutiny of reality television, having finished second on Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.

The couple started dating in late 2010 and married in a small ceremony in July 2014. Parker, who is three years old, and Carter, who is one, are their two children.

He's stated that the iconic Bushtucker trials make him "scared," but does the ex-footballer realize what he's getting himself into?

Rats, insects, snakes, and claustrophobia are among Bridge's top fears — definitely not something he'll encounter in the forest...

Premier League athletes are renowned for partaking in some of life's more costly pursuits, but simple joys are closer to Bridge's heart.

Apart from his family, he believes his phone and the comfort of his bed and pillow are among the things he'll miss most in the jungle.

Bridge's personal highlight was his decisive goal in the Champions League, which allowed him to advance to the second leg of the quarter-finals at Arsenal.

An important fact about Wayne Bridge is that he suffered its first significant setbacks during the 2004/05 season. First, he remained a key member of a solid defensive line that allowed only eight goals in his first 27 Premier League games.

In February 2005, he suffered a double ankle fracture in the FA Cup against Newcastle United, effectively ending his season. He missed out on a League Cup victory, but by winning the English championship, he had accrued enough 15 league appearances to earn a title medal.

Asier del Horno, a Spaniard, has been signed. Bridge faced more competition in the 2005/06 season, and despite the fact that coach José Mourinho was not entirely satisfied, Bridge did not return to the team after his recovery, with the exception of two cup games.

Instead, Mourinho deployed trained central defender

on the left flank, and in order to avoid jeopardizing his World Cup ambitions in Germany (and due to a general lack of match practice), Bridge moved on loan to league rivals FC Fulham in January 2006.

He helped Chris Coleman's "Cottagers" to a safe midfield position before returning to Chelsea in May of the same year.

With the arrival of England left-back Ashley Cole, Bridge's prospects for a long-term future at Chelsea appeared bleak, but he fit in admirably as a substitute.

He even signed a new four-year contract and played a key role in the national cup victories. He was in the starting lineup for both finals and played a role in the League Cup semi-finals.

He also benefited from Cole's temporary injury concerns and his own ability to fill in at left midfield. He had knee surgery in March 2007 and returned in the final stages of the season.

Because of Cole's excellent form during the 2007/08 season, Bridge, despite being largely unaffected and consistently called up for England, only made 19 starts for Chelsea. His return to the League Cup final, which he lost 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur, was a highlight.

Six months later, the Blues Bridge was renamed Manchester City Bridge. The transfer fee was ten million pounds, and, as with his previous transfer to Chelsea, "City" with a new financially strong owner on the "Shopping Tour" quickly became aware of him - Bridges teammate Shaun Wright-Phillips was in Manchester changed in the summer of 2008.

Bridge quickly took over the regular left-back position, which had been considered a weak point for the "Citizens" for several years.

However, hopes of a long-term revival of his career at the highest level were dashed when a knee injury in December 2009 sidelined him for two months, followed by groin issues for another month.

Furthermore, his performances were generally unsteady, which was exacerbated by the media pressure applied to him as part of the "John Terry affair." Sportingly, the ambitious goal of qualifying for the Champions League with a fifth-place finish in the Premier League was not met.

Bridge was defeated at Coach in the 2010/11 season. Roberto Mancini is far behind Gael Clichy, Aleksandar Kolarov, and Pablo Zabaleta in the pecking order, and he was loaned out to West Ham United until the end of the season in January 2011.

After another loan spell at Premier League club AFC Sunderland, where he only made the starting XI three times by the end of the season, he was able to play at the next station Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2012/13 season in the second division to revive his career once more.

This was followed by a switch to second-rate Reading FC in the 2013/14 season. He finished his playing career here after another year. Due to knee issues, he was rarely used in Reading.

Bridge developed into one of the best left-backs in English football during his time at Southampton FC in the early 2000s, and he was expected to have a long career with the national team.

Following appearances in the U-18 and U-21 teams, he made his Three Lions debut against the Netherlands in February 2002, and, surprisingly, he was part of the England squad for the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea shortly afterwards.

An important fact about Wayne Bridge is that he was substituted twice there and was consistently nominated in the following period, despite the fact that he usually only played as a substitute behind regular player Ashley Cole. The task distribution was identical at Euro 2004 in Portugal, and Bridge was always forced to sit on the bench.

Bridge frequently played in left midfield during qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. In the English game, this position was regarded as problematic. Bridge, however, did not rise above the status of a stopgap, and Chelsea colleague Joe Cole eventually took over after recovering from injury.

After failing to qualify for Euro 2008, he played his 36th and final senior international against

on November 14, 2009.

His only goal came against Iceland five and a half years ago, when he scored a 6:1 victory. Following media reports about an alleged affair between his partner at the time and his national team colleague John Terry, he resigned in February 2010.

Wayne Bridge social media

Regarding

Wayne Bridge social media

, it should be mentioned that he has an Instagram page (

) with 290k followers. On the page, we can see various pictures of him with the fans and his family.

He also has a Twitter account (

) with more than 42k followers. He rarely posts new stuff on his Twitter page.

Wayne Bridge body measurements

Speaking about

Wayne Bridge body measurements

, it should be mentioned that the he is 180cm and 80kg.

Wayne Bridge net worth and salary

Wayne Bridge's net worth

is estimated to be $9 million after playing for elite teams like Chelsea and Manchester City. Football was his main source of income.

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