Marcos Senesi's English WAG shrugs off criticism over supporting Argentina vs England

July 17, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Marcos Senesi's English WAG shrugs off criticism over supporting Argentina vs England

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Kelci Bowers supported Marcos Senesi whilst reaffirming her pride in England.
The former England youth international defended wearing Argentina's shirt.
Bowers and Senesi first met during Bournemouth's retro kit photoshoot.

Kelci Bowers has addressed criticism following England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, making it clear that supporting her boyfriend did not diminish her pride in representing her own country.

The 22-year-old footballer, who previously featured for England at youth level, has attracted plenty of attention throughout the tournament because of her relationship with Argentina defender Marcos Senesi.

Kelci Bowers: "Proud of my country"

Whilst cheering on Senesi, Bowers regularly shared photos wearing Argentina's famous sky-blue and white shirt, prompting some England supporters to question where her loyalties lay.

Following Argentina's 2-1 victory over England in Atlanta, Bowers celebrated with Senesi on the pitch after the final whistle.

However, she also took to Instagram to send a simple message that underlined her connection to England.

Proud of my country.

Bowers explains her divided allegiances

Before the semi-final, Bowers acknowledged that the situation was unusual but insisted there was no conflict between supporting Senesi and remaining loyal to England.

Speaking to The Times, she explained that her connection to the Three Lions would always remain a significant part of her life.

I grew up wearing an England shirt and had the privilege of representing England, so that connection will always be incredibly strong.

She added that watching her partner compete in one of the biggest matches of his career naturally changed her perspective.

When your partner is playing in one of the biggest games of his career, naturally you want him to do well too. I'll be supporting Marcos personally whilst still feeling incredibly proud whenever I see England on a stage like this. I'm incredibly proud of him.

Bowers also defended her decision to embrace Argentine culture, saying there was nothing wrong with wearing the national team's shirt or celebrating her boyfriend's achievements.

Supporting Argentina, embracing the culture in Argentina and posting on my social media wearing the Argentina shirt is something that I've been doing. And I don't really feel like there's anything wrong with that.

How Marcos Senesi and Kelci Bowers met

The couple's relationship began shortly after Bowers joined Bournemouth.

Both players were invited to take part in the club's retro kit launch, held at an American-style diner on Bournemouth seafront.

At the time, it was Bowers' first week with the club, whilst Senesi had recently established himself following his move from Feyenoord Rotterdam in 2022.

She revealed that after posing together during the shoot, the pair continued talking on Instagram.

During the shoot we had a few group photos together, as well as a couple of shots with just the two of us. Afterwards, we started chatting on Instagram. Looking back now, it's really special that we have those photos from the very first day we met.

Their relationship has since gone from strength to strength, even as football loyalties briefly collided on one of the sport's biggest stages.

Bournemouth move sparked viral fame

Bowers' profile rose dramatically in 2024 after announcing her move from Southampton Women to Bournemouth Women.

In the short announcement video, she greeted supporters and expressed her excitement about joining the club.

The clip quickly exploded across social media, reportedly attracting more than 21 million views within a week despite Bournemouth Women's relatively modest following on X at the time.

The unexpected viral success significantly boosted Bowers' online profile and introduced her to a much wider football audience.

Bournemouth Women's video announcement gets 20 MILLION views in 24 hours

A simple video announcement by Bournemouth Women's has gone viral on Twitter, simply because the signing is easy on the eyes to put it lightly.

A career spanning England and the United States

Originally from Fareham, Hampshire, Bowers progressed through Southampton's academy before earning international recognition with England Under-16s.

She later continued her development in the United States, representing Louisiana State University during the 2022/23 season, making seven appearances before returning to England.

Primarily a defender, she later joined Bournemouth, where Senesi was already an established member of the men's first team.

Meanwhile, Senesi has become a regular in the Premier League and has also earned senior international recognition with Argentina.

Life beyond football

Away from the pitch, Bowers balances football with modelling after signing with W Model Management.

Although she posts relatively infrequently on Instagram, her content typically combines updates from her football career with glimpses of travel, fashion and everyday life.

Her growing public profile, combined with Senesi's continued success at club and international level, has made the pair one of football's increasingly recognisable couples.

Despite the criticism surrounding her support during the World Cup, Bowers has consistently maintained that backing her partner and remaining proud of England are not mutually exclusive - a message she reinforced immediately after the semi-final.