Jamie Vardy 'affected and bothered' by chants aimed at wife Rebekah over Wagatha Christie scandal with Wayne and Coleen Rooney

The roots of the controversy stretch back to 2019, when Coleen, the wife of former England captain Wayne Rooney, publicly accused Rebekah’s Instagram account of leaking personal stories about her to the tabloid newspaper The Sun. The revelation came in a dramatic social media post that immediately went viral and earned the nickname “Wagatha Christie” due to the investigative manner in which Coleen claimed to have identified the alleged leak.

Rebekah responded by filing a defamation lawsuit, stating that the allegations had severely damaged her reputation. However, the British High Court ruled in Coleen's favour. The presiding judge, Mrs. Justice Steyn, found that Rebekah's case had not been proven and that the accusation was “substantially true.” She was ordered to pay £1.2 million in legal fees, with an additional £212,000 added later by the court. The ruling dealt a significant financial and reputational blow to the Vardy family.

During their playing days, Rooney and Vardy had maintained a cordial professional relationship. After the Euro 2016 campaign, Rooney even left with a signed Vardy shirt for one of his children, highlighting their camaraderie. However, during the trial, Rebekah's name continued to be chanted mockingly by rival supporters, and the Daily Mail now claims that this persistent heckling had “affected and bothered” Vardy. In one telling moment last season, after scoring against Bristol City at the King Power Stadium, Vardy ran the full length of the pitch to celebrate directly in front of the visiting supporters, an act that some have interpreted as a calculated response to the abuse.

As Vardy’s legendary spell at Leicester nears its conclusion, the 38-year-old has confirmed that this season will be his last with the club he helped guide to a historic Premier League title in 2016. After 13 remarkable years with the Foxes, the veteran striker is preparing for a fresh chapter in his career.

Reports suggest that Vardy could soon be heading stateside, with Major League Soccer clubs DC United and San Diego Wave reportedly keen to secure his services. A move to the U.S. could offer not only a new professional challenge but also a quieter environment away from the headlines that have followed him in England.