Eni Aluko’s mother has spoken out about the emotional toll her daughter is experiencing following a public fallout with football icon Ian Wright.
Sileola Aluko told MailOnline that the former Lioness is “traumatised and upset” by the high-profile dispute, which erupted after Eni accused Wright of hindering opportunities for women in football.
“This situation has affected Eni quite a lot and has left her traumatised and upset,” Mrs. Aluko said. “I’m doing my best to keep her calm and just be a good mum. I’m constantly in touch with her and even met her for lunch the other day.”
She continued: “I told her that football is not the whole world and that you don’t become a bad or useless person in one day. It’s been tough for her—she has a lot of strong opinions—but she’ll get through this. She’s faced many difficult challenges in her life before.”
Mrs. Aluko stressed that her main concern is her daughter’s well-being: “The most important thing for me is to support her and make sure she doesn’t suffer emotionally or physically, and that she stays healthy.”
The row began after Eni made remarks during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, where she claimed that both Ian Wright and former Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton had negatively impacted her punditry career. Aluko is currently suing Barton for libel after he referred to her as a “race card player” on social media in early 2023.
Aluko, 38, issued a public apology to Wright, 61, on Friday, but the Arsenal legend rejected the gesture in a subsequent social media post.
