Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher’s wife admitted she felt “embarrassed” when her husband’s popularity skyrocketed following the club’s historic Champions League victory in May 2005, as she dealt with the added scrutiny it brought to their lives. Liverpool defeated an AC Milan team overflowing with world-class quality, coming back from 3-0 down to win the trophy on penalties.
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Under Rafael Benitez’s supervision, Liverpool won their fifth European title against Carlo Ancelotti’s team. Carragher’s wife, Nicola, told The Telegraph that her husband’s enhanced celebrity status following the final meant they received frequent attention, along with their two children, James and Mia.
“When the kids were tiny, Liverpool won the Champions League and James was named Player of the Year. She said that her recognition of his face had an impact on her feelings. If we were out in public, I was always concerned that people would look at us. I felt shy and humiliated. I recall being in a restaurant and he was joking around with the kids, pulling faces, hiding under the table, and making a complete fool of himself.”
“As long as the kids were happy, dad didn’t care what others thought. I can confidently say that he is the best father in the world. Yes, he has made mistakes that he regrets, but so have I. If the world concentrated on every stupid thing you or I did, we’d be in trouble.”
The memorable match known as ‘the miracle of Istanbul’ proved to be a watershed occasion for several Liverpool players at the time.
While many had relished the grandeur of the Reds’ treble-winning season in 2001, when they won the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup, winning the Champions League in such dramatic circumstances thrust figures like Carragher into the spotlight like never before.
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