Footballers have long attracted attention for their glamorous counterparts- whether it's because their wrapped in a WAG legal battle or famous in their own right.
But long goes the saying mothers know best, and from the sidelines, it is the players' mothers that have supported their children from the get-go, guiding the young stars as they navigate the quick rise to global stardom.
In the past two weeks alone, a number of parents have demonstrated that a mother's love is often the fiercest.
From Harry Maguire's mother defending her son's honour since repeated instances of ‘bullying’, to Sandra West, David Beckham's mother publicly sharing her apprehension over Victoria Beckham in the early days of their relationship.