Lucia Loi, the girlfriend of England and Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, has opened up about her struggle with endometriosis in an emotional social media post during the 2026 World Cup. The 28-year-old was seen in tears in a photo shared on Instagram, writing about the pain and frustration of living with the condition.
Emotional Post During World Cup
Loi was present at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as England defeated Panama 2-0 to advance to the knockout stages. Rashford, who scored in the opening group match against Croatia, started on the left wing in the third fixture. In her Instagram post, Loi described how she had planned to celebrate a friend's birthday but was sidelined by endometriosis.
She wrote: "This was me last night. I had my heels on, my makeup done, and I was ready to go and celebrate my friend's birthday. Endometriosis had other ideas." Loi added: "I've been meaning to post about this for so long, but I never really found the courage. Last night, though, I felt so much anger at the fact that so many women go through this while there are so few effective treatment options and the condition remains so under-researched."
Support and Awareness
Loi's post received an outpouring of support, including from fellow WAGs. Megan Pickford, wife of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, commented: "Oh my darling, such an important message." Jack Grealish's partner, Sasha Attwood, wrote: "Love you special girl." Loi also sent love to others living with women's health conditions, saying: "Over time, I have found some things that have helped to an extent and intend to share more of that. I'm sending so much love to anyone living with a women's health condition."
According to the NHS, endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows outside the uterus, often on pelvic organs. During the menstrual cycle, this tissue thickens, breaks down, and bleeds, but cannot leave the body, causing severe inflammation, pelvic pain, painful periods, scar tissue, and potential fertility issues. It affects approximately one in ten women in the UK and has no known cure.
Relationship Journey
Loi and Rashford met at Ashton-on-Mersey School in Greater Manchester and have been together on and off for years. They separated in 2021 but remained close friends, rekindled their romance in 2022, and got engaged, though wedding plans were later abandoned and they split again in 2023. After Rashford's loan move to Barcelona, the couple reunited and Loi is now supporting him at the World Cup as England aims to win the tournament.
