How Gerrard's wife Alex shunned super strict Saudi for a 'dream life' in Bahrain

Steven Gerrard’s wife Alex Curran has been hailed for pulling off a ‘tactical masterstroke’ over her rival WAGs by insisting that they live in Bahrain while her illustrious husband is managing a football club in Saudi Arabia.

WAGs living in the conservative, Islamic Kingdom, where alcohol is banned, have complained of cultural restrictions being placed on them and facing abuse over how they are dressed, with some claiming that they have even been refused entry to shops and malls for showing off part of their arms, legs or chest.

But these restrictions are no concern for Alex, 41 who friends say is living her ‘dream life’ in Manama, the capital of neighbouring Bahrain with Steven, 43 and their four children.

Bahrain, which has a population of just over 1.4 million people, is located just an hours’ drive from the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Dammam, where Gerrard is coach of its largest club, Al Ettifaq.

Gerrard, who is on a salary of £15million per year, making him the fourth highest paid football coach in the world, frequently commutes to his job along a 15-mile cause way which connects Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.

While he has been given a luxury villa in Dammam by his club and occasionally stays there, he tries to spend as much time with Alex and the children and is regularly spotted in Bahrain’s expat hangouts.

Last September, he quashed rumours that he was permanently based in Bahrain when he called up a local radio station and said that he was ‘back and forth’ to Saudi while his family are permanently based in Bahrain.

The couple married in 2007 and have three girls and a boy; Lilly Ella, 19; Lexie, 17; Lourdes, 12 and Lio, 7.

But despite the routine of day-to-day family life, there is also time for Alex to pursue the luxury WAG life she has become accustomed to thanks to Bahrain’s lavish malls, restaurants and bars which have earned it the reputation of being the party capital of the Gulf region.

Alex and her family live in a luxury six-bedroom villa in the Hamala area of the city close to members of Bahrain’s royal family and others from the country’s elite. It costs around £10,000 per month and comes with its own swimming pool, tennis court and games room and is in a compound behind a high gate.

Their three youngest children are enrolled at Bahrain’s most exclusive English language school, which is in the world’s top 100 and where fees are almost £11,000 per year each.

As part of his contract, Gerrard and his family have also been given free membership of the country’s two most exclusive health clubs which are based at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel and the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

The Gerrards are regular visitor to the Ritz’s open-air bar, located close to its private beach, where Premier League games are shown on giant screens.

Mo Al Khalifa, a lawyer who has sat with Gerrard and his family watching games and is also a member of the Ritz health club, which costs around £5,000 per year, said: ‘Nobody bothers him because it’s not that kind of place. We are used to seeing rich and famous people here.

‘They’re a lovely family, they come together to watch the football, especially if Liverpool are playing and you can tell that they are really enjoying life in Bahrain.’

The Gerrards are also regularly seen at Bahrain Rugby Club, an exclusive expat hangout which is made up of pristine sports pitches and has a large sports bar where the former Liverpool legend enjoys a pint and chats with the locals.

Daniel McRae, a Liverpool fan who was in the bar watching the team during a recent Premier League game said: ‘Gerrard comes here quite a lot. He likes a beer, he likes to socialise and have a chat about football, and you won’t get that in Saudi Arabia.

‘And it’s easier for women to live here, which is why his wife probably wanted to be here. You can go around in shorts or a vest and nobody will bother you, so that makes Bahrain more attractive.’

For Alex, one of her favourite destinations is Manama’s World Trade Centre which houses over 80 luxury fashion labels - including Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Versace.

Another location in the country where she has been spotted strolling in the sunshine is the Avenues, a stylish waterfront shopping centre with over 130 leading brands and more than 60 restaurants and cafes.

Alex and Steven have also been seen out enjoying a meal at Cut, an American steak house in the Four Seasons hotel run by Wolfgang Puck, the Michelin-starred celebrity chef, where steaks can cost anything up to £200.

But for one WAG, Bahrain’s liberal air and glitzy appeal was not enough. Rebecca Burnett, wife of former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was said to be one of the main reasons why he chose to break his £350,000 per week contract with Al Ettifaq earlier this month and moved to Ajax.

According to reports, Rebecca and their two daughters never felt comfortable in Bahrain. The girls were studying at the same school as the Gerrard’s children and the family lived in a lavish villa close to them.

One woman who met Rebecca said: ‘As nice as Bahrain is, it is a bit like being in bubble. It can get a bit dull because it’s like living in a very fancy all-inclusive resort.’

But for many of Bahrain’s British expat community, which numbers around 4,000, Alex’s choice of opting to stay and live there instead of Saudi Arabia is a ‘no brainer.’

Many gather each day at The British Club, which was founded in 1935, for a few drinks, which are heavily subsidised. Resembling a quaint British local, pints on sale in the bar cost around £4.50 as opposed to £13 in the rest of Manama.

Like Gerrard, Mike Jackson, 65 also commuted for work to Saudi Arabia from Bahrain before retiring recently.

As he poured himself a cup of tea, he said: ‘The reality for many expats in this area is that it’s better to cross the border and work in Saudi but not live there.

‘I can understand why Gerrard is doing this because I did it for many years. Alex no doubt feels safer in Bahrain and life is a lot freer for her. I know that things are changing but overall, Saudi remains a very conservative and religious society.’

He added: ‘I had no problems raising my daughters in Bahrain, but I wouldn’t have done that in Saudi and I’m sure Alex and Steven feel the same.’

The law in Saudi, making it compulsory for all women, including foreigners, to cover their hair and wear an Abaya, was only scrapped in 2019.

One woman who can relate to Alex’s demand to live in Bahrain and not Saudi Arabia is Jackie McKinstry, Mr Jackson’s partner who did the same when he landed a job as a project manager in the country 18 years ago.

She said: ‘When Mike got a job in Saudi, I told him that I didn’t want to live there because I don’t look good in black.

‘Bahrain is like a village. It’s very small, friendly and free. I can totally understand why Alex would want to be here with her family.’