Peter Crouch has admitted to chatting up Xabi Alonso's wife, Nagore Aranburu, after being stitched up by teammate Jamie Carragher during his early days at Liverpool in 2005. The former striker, then living out of a hotel, was single and free before meeting his future wife Abbey Clancy.
Crouch's Embarrassing Mistake at the Hotel
Speaking on the Stick to Football show with Gary Neville, Roy Keane, and Ian Wright, Crouch recalled: "I'm in the hotel, and there's a lovely-looking Spanish girl on reception. She's smiling all the time, being really nice. I'm thinking, 'I'm in here.' I thought, 'It must be me, it must be my vibe.'"
The Spanish receptionist was actually Nagore Aranburu, who had been married to Alonso since 2008 and was learning English at the time. Crouch, unaware of her relationship, confided in Carragher about the girl. Carragher, knowing the truth, gathered the team—including Alonso—and asked Crouch to tell his story again.
Carragher Stitches Up Crouch
"It's Carra [who stitched me up]. I'm telling him about this Spanish girl, and he knows full well which one it is. So he gathers all the lads around, including Xabi, and says, 'Crouchy's got a story.' And I've explained it again, and they've all burst out laughing," Crouch said.
Thankfully, Alonso saw the funny side. Crouch laughed: "He was as good as gold, he knew I had no chance!"
Crouch's Liverpool Career and Beyond
Crouch spent three years at Liverpool before moving to Portsmouth in 2008 for £11 million, after manager Rafael Benitez initially held out for £15 million. He later played for Tottenham and Stoke City, retiring in 2019. Alonso, meanwhile, recently became Chelsea head coach after a short stint as Real Madrid boss.
