Wanda Icardi: I Am A Revolutionary
Wanda Nara discusses the difficulties of being a woman in the football business and representing her husband, Inter's Mauro Icardi
GOAL - Nick Howson
Wanda Nara feels she deserves more respect as the 'revolutionary' agent of husband Mauro Icardi, the Inter striker, but admits she is mocked by wives of other players.
The 32-year-old is at the centre of a contract dispute between the Argentina striker and the San Siro club, which shows few signs of reaching an imminent resolution.
Though players are increasingly enlisting family members to represent them, model Nara is one of the few female figures at the summit of the sport.
And she is demanding more respect from the media and fans alike as she attempts to negotiate a new contract for Icardi.
“This is a very macho world and what I’m doing is revolutionary," Nara told Gente.
"Although there are many relatives who represent players, the role of women in football is more linked to ‘staying at home with the kids and keeping quiet’.
“That’s why I’m a revolutionary. I have friends who are wives of players and many laugh at me.
“They see that what I’m doing as strange, but they’ve asked me to represent their husbands because they know me, they know how I act and defend my interests.
“There is no crisis with Mauro, nor was there one. The stories that have come out are fantasy and very little to do with real life. We’re really happy together.
“It’s very difficult to be a woman in this macho world, but I have people who respect me. Some people have made things up to destabilise me. They’ve got very far.
“Mauro gives me courage. He isn’t the macho type and he’s the first to believe in me. I would never speak ill of any relative."
Amid the ongoing contract talks Icardi has endured a turbulent few weeks being strippedof the club captaincy and missing their last four games.
Inter, meanwhile, insist there is no link between the continued omission and the uncertainty over his future.
Real Madrid and Chelsea have both been heavily linked with Icardi, who has scored 15 goals in 28 games for Inter.
But Nara insists those rumours have been fabricated by the press and Icardi has no plans to leave.
She added: “The truth is that Mauro has two more years left on his contract with Inter and we’re super happy here.
“There’s a lot of talk about whether we’ll move or not, but perhaps the press are the ones who are pressing the most.
“I’ve always said that being Mauro’s representative is easy because he’s a very important player in Europe."
Though scans on an apparent knee injury have revealed no damage to the area, Icardi's marginalisation is likely to continue when Inter travel to Cagliari in Serie A on Friday.
