Riyad Mahrez made an unexpected move to the Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli from Manchester City last summer. However, it appears that the shock was not limited to his fans, as his wife, Taylor Ward, was also caught off guard.
In a revelation during Amazon's new series 'Married To The Game', Taylor Ward shared that she was on a beach holiday when Mahrez called her to announce the sudden move to Saudi Arabia the next day.
A clip from the series, capturing Ward's emotional reaction to the news, has gone viral. Tearfully, she expressed her concern about being alone at home, to which Mahrez responded, "It's part of the game, innit."
In a special interview with the Daily Mail, Ward shared insights into her life in Saudi Arabia.
"So far, the experience has been amazing," she said. "There's obviously no alcohol so I won't be having a glass of wine! To be honest, there's more there than I originally thought. When I went on my first trip, I saw a Nando's. I was just like 'I'm so happy they've got Nando's'."
"The vibe is just very different. It's a lot more chilled out there, it's quieter and calmer, whereas in Manchester life is so busy - there's so much going on and we're always going out for dinner and seeing friends. That's probably what I'm missing the most, seeing family and friends rather than what the country is missing."
"The people have been so lovely - I think that was actually a massive shock, how nice everyone has been. You can't compare it to the UK - it's nothing like here. I'm enjoying it so far, it just feels like I'm on holiday, I don't feel like I've moved there yet."
Families of players joining Saudi clubs often worry about the gender segregation rules in the Gulf State. In the past, Mail Sport reported an incident where the wife of a player, who had joined a Saudi club, was hissed at in a shopping center for wearing shorts.
Despite these concerns, Ward reassured that the rules are starting to become more relaxed.
"I think it depends on where you go. At the moment they're looking at relaxing these rules. From what I had heard, I was worried about that stuff when we first went, but it's surprised me. It's more relaxed from what I was first told."
"I'm not just saying this, I actually really like it. I can't fault it so far, we've really enjoyed it. We've just got our house here so I'll definitely be staying in Jeddah and won't be going anywhere else."
"It's got beautiful beaches, shops, restaurants. I don't think there would be any need to move anywhere else. I'll be in Jeddah for the foreseeable that's for sure."
