- The Atletico Madrid midfielder broke his Three Lions duck with a poacher’s goal
- He and his model girlfriend Aine May Kennedy, 27, first met as teenagers
- Is Harry Kane right to blast England drop-outs? LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Available wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday
England star Conor Gallagher has risked attracting the ire of his girlfriend’s family after finally breaking his Three Lions goal duck in the side’s convincing 5-0 win over Ireland.
The Atletico Madrid midfielder is believed to have met model Aine May Kennedy, 27, when the pair were teenagers.
The couple have been settling into their new Spanish surroundings after Gallagher’s £34million move from Chelsea in the summer, even bringing their dog Fred over for a change of scene.
It came after a tough few months for the 24-year-old, failing to impress in the middle of the park for England during Euro 2024 before being placed into the Blues’ infamous ‘Bomb Squad’ of rejects in August.
He bagged his long-awaited first Three Lions goal in his 21st cap against Ireland on Sunday but Kennedy’s words of congratulations came with a slight proviso.
She posted on Instagram: ‘First England international goal. So proud of you.
Conor Gallagher has left his girlfriend’s family unimpressed after his first England goal
The midfielder slotted home the third goal against Ireland deflecting in a Kyle Walker header
Gallagher and model Aine May Kennedy, 27, are thought to have met as teenagers
‘You dream of these achievements and you never ever stop pushing yourself.
‘Not sure all my Irish family are too impressed.’
It seems Gallagher chose the wrong team to end his goal drought against, with the midfielder’s own family believed to have Irish roots. He is also eligible for Scotland.
The Atletico man showed a poacher’s touch as he stole in at the back post and prodded a home a Kyle Walker header from a Noni Madueke to make it 3-0.
Interim manager Carsley, who vacated the Three Lions hot seat after Sunday’s win, has shown faith in Gallagher, starting him over Lille’s Angel Gomes in both games during the international break.
The midfielder was not the only star to have made a faux pas among the in-laws with a strike against Ireland.
Debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis nabbed a goal thanks to a towering header from a floated Jude Bellingham cross from deep and, despite his ecstatic celebrations, might have regretted the finish afterwards.
His girlfriend Leah’s father is former Ireland captain and hardman Roy Keane.
May Kennedy congratulated Gallagher on his first England goal but included a proviso
But the star (left) made a faux pas scoring against Ireland as Kennedy’s family are from there
Debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis made a similar error as his girlfriend is Roy Keane’s daughter
Keane later joked that Harwood-Bellis’s engagement with daughter Leah could be at risk
The ex-Manchester United skipper provided a cheeky response to the Southampton defender’s goal after the match on ITV.
He said: ‘It’s not done and dusted yet, things can change really quickly in the Keane household.
‘It’s nice for him, it’s good for him to make his debut. He is a really kid good and his family have done a great job.’
In September, England’s clash with Ireland in Dublin was also dominated by questions of loyalty with former Irish international Declan Rice opening the scoring and refusing to celebrate.
Ex-Ireland age-group star Jack Grealish opted for a different approach as he bagged the second of the game, wheeling off in joy and putting his fingers in his ears as boos rang around the Aviva Stadium.