Two of Wayne Bridge's former clubs, Chelsea and Brighton, will meet at the Amex Stadium on Tuesday night
Wayne Bridge consoles England team mate John Terry following defeat during the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Quarter-final match between England and Portugal played at the Stadium Gelsenkirchen on July 1, 2006 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Wayne Bridge's life after football has been an interesting one(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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Wayne Bridge's two former clubs Chelsea and Brighton clash tonight and the former defender will likely be watching with vested interest. Bridge's life since retirement has been full of ups and downs as he takes his fame to new heights.
The 45-year-old spent six seasons at Stamford Bridge and formed bonds with his teammates, including former England captain John Terry. The pair were even neighbours in a gated community in Surrey as they both plied their trade for Chelsea.
However, this friendship faltered due to rumours circulating that Terry was having an affair with Bridge's then-girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel. The pair separated in 2009, when the defender was at Manchester City, and Terry was stripped of the national team captaincy by England manager Fabio Cappello.
Bridge retired from international football to avoid Terry and ignored calls from senior members of the City squad who urged him to reconsider. The defender played his final game for England against Brazil in November 2009 but continued to play club football until 2014.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bridge made over £7million ($9m) from his career in sport and beyond, which he spends on his new life with popstar Frankie Sandford. The pair married in 2014 just before Bridge's retirement and they have two sons together - Parker and Carter.
Since retiring, the former left-back has boosted his fame elsewhere. Bridge appeared on the 16th edition of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and gained a whole new fanbase because of it.
England team mates Wayne Bridge and John Terry sit together on the bench in 2008.
Wayne Bridge spent years working with Terry(Image: AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)
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Wayne Bridge's girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel.
Bridge's then-girlfriend Vanessa was accused of having an affair with his teammate(Image: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
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The ex-England international came in fifth place on the show, with Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt going on to win. Sandford, who gained fame with pop band The Saturdays, also appeared on the show in its 21st season and finished third, behind eventual winner Danny Miller.
Bridge attempted to build a career in boxing four years after hanging up his boots, beating Spencer Matthews via unanimous decision in an exhibition match to raise money for Sport Relief. He then agreed to fight KSI in 2025 but cancelled the bout two days later as a result of the influencer's outburst on his ex-girlfriend's alleged affair with Terry.
The former defender claimed that KSI "crossed a line" when mentioning the scandal and he is yet to return to the boxing ring. Nowadays, Bridge tends to stay away from the spotlight and enjoys playing poker with his friends.
Wayne Bridge and Frankie Bridge attend the 2019 'TRIC Awards' held at The Grosvenor House Hotel on March 12, 2019 in London, England.
Wayne married the popstar in 2014(Image: Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
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Wayne Bridge and Frankie Bridge with children Parker and Carter attend the Headline Gala screening of "The Wild Robot" during the 68th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on October 13, 2024 in London, England.
The couple have two kids together(Image: Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage)
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Speaking to 888poker in 2017, he admitted his playing style was "rash" but not to be taken too seriously. Bridge said: "I usually just play with my mates for the get-together and laugh. As soon as I've had a couple of beers I'm pretty kamikaze."
When asked which former footballers he'd like to play with, Bridge added: "I'm not sure what his poker face would be like but I'd love to see Craig Bellamy play.
"His talk around the table would be great and he'd get into people's heads. Also just for the pure banter Jimmy Bullard would be entertaining."
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