The Everton defender praised his wife Samantha after the update
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James and Samantha Tarkowski
James and Samantha Tarkowski(Image: Prime Video)
James Tarkowski supported his wife as she made an emotional admission. Tarkowski has become a crucial part of Everton’s side since signing for the blues in the summer of 2022.
The centre-back has played 88 times over the last three seasons. He is expected to play again when Sean Dyche’s side face Manchester United at Old Trafford this afternoon in the Premier League.
Away from the pitch, Samantha is married to Everton defender James Tarkowski. The couple have been together since 2015 and married in 2023. They have a daughter together called Ivy. Samantha announced in April that she was pregnant again.
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Samantha has got her personal training qualifications and in a documentary earlier this year said she wanted to open a gym to help women feel great about themselves. The Amazon series, entitled Married to the Game, showed various wives and girlfriends of footballers about their personal lives.
During the series, Samantha admitted she found it hard being in the public eye at times. She said: “Everyone seems to think a footballer has to be with a very stereotypical, super skinny, really glamorous, gorgeous woman, whereas actually he's just my husband, he's just James to me. I don't think of him as a footballer at all.”
Samantha is a personal trainer
Samantha is a personal trainer(Image: Prime Video)
“I'd like to think people's perception of me isn't a thing to me, but it is. I want to be liked, I put a lot of pressure on myself fitness wise, body wise, because I want people to think, ‘Yeah, she looks good, I'd like to look like that’.
“I struggled for years with eating disorders, poor self esteem, poor body image, there is still a part of me that still struggles with that. I'm a woman in football, it's hard work, it's tough, because all people want to do is bring you down.”
Samnatha was brought to tears in the emotional update. She said: “You're constantly fighting against people that want to bring you down, it's hard work, and social media plays a huge part in that. It's so dangerous and being a mother of a daughter, that makes me feel... I want to keep her away from that as much as possible. I want to make her feel empowered, and that was actually- I'm getting emotional, sorry, I don't know why I'm crying.
“When I had Ivy, I wanted even more to be this empowered woman to show her that that's so important. I can't speak, I'm sorry. It's so important to be a strong woman, to know that actually the way you look is so minor compared to who you are and I think having a daughter changed everything.”
Speaking about his relationship with his wife, Tarkowski said: “I don't think Sam realises how amazing she is both physically and internally. I think she's opened her eyes a bit more to it over the years but I think initially when we first met she had no self love or self worth but over time she's realising more and more.”