When you hear the word WAG, you probably think of high heels in hospitality boxes, sun-drenched getaways, and endless selfies in designer gear. But for Sophie Lawlor, 23, from Youghal in Co Cork, life as the long-time partner of Irish footballer Jake O’Brien is a whole lot more real and a whole lot more routine than people think.
Now living in the UK and expecting their first baby, Sophie is giving an honest look at the real side of Premier League life. Her boyfriend Jake, 24, also from Cork, signed for Everton in a £17 million move from Lyon in the summer of 2024.
While he’s been adjusting to life in the top tier of English football, Sophie has been quietly navigating everything else that comes with it. That includes uprooting her life, rebuilding from scratch, and preparing for motherhood far from home.
“People don’t see the boring Monday-to-Friday life,” Sophie says. “Yes, we’re lucky in many ways. We’ve had amazing holidays and great experiences. But day-to-day, I’m walking the dogs, cleaning the house, getting ready for visitors. Because we live away, we have family over nearly every second weekend. It’s lovely, but it can be full-on.”
The couple met as teenagers back in Cork and started dating long before contracts and transfers became part of the picture. They spent almost two years doing long-distance during COVID, something Sophie still remembers as incredibly tough.
“I was home, most of my friends had boyfriends nearby, and I spent a lot of time on my own,” she recalls. “So when the chance came to finally live together, I couldn’t wait.”
Since then, they’ve lived in multiple cities and countries, including a stint in France when Jake was playing for Lyon. Sophie admits that while she was excited in the beginning, it’s become more emotionally challenging with time.
“This is our fourth season living together, and it’s definitely getting harder,” she says. “My best friend just had a baby, Jake’s niece and nephew are growing up, my goddaughter too. And I’m missing all those little milestones. That’s tough.”
Even her own dreams have had to take a backseat. Sophie trained as a makeup artist and is steadily building a social media presence, but moving constantly has made it hard to build momentum.
“I was so excited to move abroad and build our life together. But now that I’m growing up, I’m realising that I might be putting my own career on hold for Jake’s. Still, I’m lucky. I don’t have to work right now and I get to focus fully on the baby.”
She’s also refreshingly honest about the loneliness that comes with the lifestyle.
“Since moving away from Cork four years ago, I haven’t made one proper friendship. Between the language barriers in France and people being at different life stages, it’s been really isolating. Most of the women had kids and didn’t really have time for someone new in their 20s. I understand it, but it still stings.”
She’s hopeful that motherhood will bring new connections. “Now that we’re expecting a baby, I feel like I’ll be pushed to put myself out there more. For my son.”
Jake’s schedule doesn’t exactly allow for downtime either.
“People think, ‘Oh, he’s in the Premier League now, he’s made it, he can chill’ but that couldn’t be more wrong,” she says. “Jake gets three weeks off a year, max. Even on holidays, he’s training. He holds himself to really high standards and I admire that about him.”
A typical week for Jake? “Training Monday to Friday, a match at the weekend, sometimes two in one week. One day off if we’re lucky. It’s full-on.”
Sophie admits that football is always there, always lingering in the background, even when it’s meant to be off time.
“Football’s always the number one priority. But it’s what gives us this life, so we respect it. I think becoming a dad will give Jake even more drive, though.”
So how do they keep their relationship strong with so much pressure and so little time?
“Communication. It’s everything. When we first moved in together, it was a shock. I think a lot of girls think they want to be with a footballer, but once you’re in it, it’s a lot more intense than people realise.”
The baby’s due later this year, and Sophie’s starting to think about privacy and boundaries, especially as Jake’s public profile grows.
“With Jake being in the public eye, I’ve definitely questioned whether I’ll post our son online. It’s something I’m thinking about a lot. I want to protect him.”
As for the WAG label, she takes it with a pinch of salt. “It sounds glamorous, and sometimes it is, but the day-to-day can be really hard. Jake might only get a day or two off when the baby’s born, then he’s back to training and there’s a match at the weekend. That’s just our reality.”
When asked what advice she’d give someone stepping into this world, Sophie’s answer is simple.
“Be comfortable in your own skin, and be okay in your own company. That will mean more than anything.”
And finally, what is she most proud of?
“Our relationship. We’ve had to grow up really quickly. You can’t just be a normal 23 and 24 year old couple. What’s next for me? A whole lot of chaos raising my son.”
