Eni Aluko reveals private Ian Wright messages after apology fell flat: 'I was wrong'

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Fintan Starkey

By Fintan Starkey


Published: 19/07/2025

- 16:24

The former Arsenal player criticised Ian Wright earlier in the year

Eni Aluko has admitted that she was wrong to criticise Ian Wright earlier in the year when she claimed he was blocking opportunities for female pundits in women’s football.

The former Lioness has said she respects Wright’s decision to refuse her public apology and claims she has tried to make peace in private with the Arsenal legend.


Eluko caused furore in April after she claimed that Wright should be aware of how much space he takes up in the women’s game.

Aluko backtracked on her claims and posted a public apology on Instagram. Wright responded with his own social media post, refusing to accept the apology and stating that he wanted to move on. Now Aluko has opened up on the incident.

Eni Aluko PA |

Eni Aluko has revealed she could have handled the situation with Ian Wright better

“I think I could have done better in responding to the question I was asked, and just keeping it as a general issue,” she admitted.

“I’ve always been the person, to be honest, to hold my hands up and say: ‘Listen, I got that one wrong. That was, that was a mistake.’ If I had been on the other end, I would probably have felt the same.

“Apologies are acts of respect. Apologies are a show of humility. I did a lot to try to apologise to Ian privately. So when you're seeing a public apology, it's actually the last resort. But it was a public forum that I spoke about him on, and I felt a public apology was important.”

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Since the incident, Aluko has been subjected to an onslaught of abuse online, and in April, she won the first stage of a High Court Libel claim over a bitter online row with former footballer Joey Barton.

A judge ruled that comments made by Barton on X were defamatory after she had accused her father of being financially corrupt and said she had been playing the “race card.”

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Ian Wright GETTY |

Ian Wright refused to accept EnI Aluko's apology

“The way to change some of these things in society where women are made to feel they don't belong in certain spaces is always to speak up about it. That's the only way you change it. If you bury your head in the sand and pretend like it's not happening, nothing really changes.

“The police have been helpful. They understand the impact that online abuse is having in the real world. It's not unique to me, but it's the reality, unfortunately.”

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The original comments came from an interview with Women’s Hour in April, in which the former Lioness said: “I’ve worked with Ian a long time and, you know, I think he’s a brilliant broadcaster, but I think he’s aware of just how much he’s doing in the women’s game.

"I think he should be aware of that.

Eni Aluko Getty |

Eni Aluko has returned to punditry for the Women's Euros

“The fact of the matter is, there is a limited amount of spaces available. If we had a situation where there was an equal opportunity in the men’s game for broadcasters and coaches that there is in the women’s game, it’s a free for all.

Aluko returned to punditry for the Women’s Euros with ITV and has made it clear she wants to put the incident behind her.

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