Eni Aluko and Laura Woods Clash: A Deep Dive into the Punditry Feud
Delve into the ongoing feud between Eni Aluko and Laura Woods as they exchange heated words over punditry opportunities in football.

The public war of words between Eni Aluko and Laura Woods has continued, with the former England international hitting back at the ITV and TNT Sports presenter. Aluko has recently said her path towards punditry roles in the women's game has been blocked by England and Arsenal legend Ian Wright, leading to Woods quipping that "caps don't win automatic work". Now, Aluko has claimed Woods' comments have left her feeling "gaslit".After retiring from her playing career, Aluko sought out punditry opportunities and was featured on television channels like ITV and the BBC, giving her opinions on both men's and women's matches.The former Chelsea and Juventus forward has called for punditry roles in women's football to be "gatekept" and recently reopened her feud with Wright, who has long been a champion for the female game. Aluko revealed her disappointment that two of six punditry spots for last year's Women's Euro 2025 final on ITV and the BBC went to men, specifically calling out Nedum Onuoha and Wright while she and Lionesses legend Fara Williams weren't involved.She added: "It’s nothing against Ian, it’s nothing against them, I’m just saying broadly speaking we need to be aware of that because if we’re building a game where the limited opportunities are now being taken by men, where we can’t go into the men’s game and get the same opportunities, we’re stuck.”Aluko appeared on talkSPORT on Tuesday to defend her position and was targeted by Jordan, who swerved her concerns about equal opportunities and instead criticised her for being a boring pundit.He said: “I don’t think you are particularly enlightening, illuminating, engaging or charismatic.“The language that you use is, to me, it’s steeped in the sense of entitlement. The sheer weight of the entitlement you seem to believe you have would re-sink the weight of the Titanic. I think you have been quite fortuitous.“I think because of initiatives like DEI, they’ve allowed people to be put into positions in the men’s game that I don’t think they’ve merited, and now that cedes an attitude that you’ve become a stalwart in the men’s game.”Eagle-eyed followers of the story quickly became aware that the pair had clashed further during the following ad break, with Aluko and Jordan seemingly in the middle of a row when the show returned to the air.Woods made her position very clear on Monday, defending Wright and claiming that "If you want to grow something, you don’t gatekeep it".She added: "We want to encourage little boys and men to watch women’s football too, not just little girls and women. And when they see someone like Ian Wright taking it as seriously as he does, they follow suit. That’s how you grow a sport.”Aluko has now revealed her surprise at Woods' comments, revealing she thought the presenter was an ally and that she had praised her for her punditry work in person.She said: “Laura was actually one of the people I would consistently go to. We got on like a house on fire and I’d consistently go to her and say, 'How do you think it went?' You know, 'what do you think? How did it go?' Again, I’m that person, right?“Laura consistently, and I had to look at the messages yesterday and think, hold on, I feel a bit gaslit here. Laura consistently said to me, 'I think you’re a brilliant broadcaster. I think you’re a brilliant pundit'.“So I think there’s a little bit of serving her argument at this point, which I respect.“Listen, she’s you know, she doesn’t agree and that’s fine, but you know, I think there’s an insinuation in there that you don’t meet the standard.“And again, I have to, I’ve worked too hard for people to just conclude that because you’re not seeing me on screen, I’m not good enough. That’s not true.”Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingWhere Aluko goes from this point is unclear. She was let go from her ITV contract last year, having reportedly left bosses at the broadcaster 'angry and bemused' following her initial comments about Wright. Woods, meanwhile, continues to work as a presenter for both ITV and TNT Sports, but whether her friendship with Aluko will survive this public row remains to be seen.
The Punditry Battle Begins
The public conflict between Eni Aluko and Laura Woods escalated as Aluko accused Woods of 'gaslighting' her in response to comments made by the talkSPORT presenter. The dispute revolves around access to punditry roles in women's football, with Aluko expressing frustration over perceived barriers in the industry.
Aluko's Quest for Equality
Having transitioned from her playing career to a punditry role, Eni Aluko has been vocal about the need for equal opportunities in the broadcasting world. She highlighted instances where male pundits were favored over women in key broadcasting roles, pushing for a more inclusive approach to sports analysis.
Simon Jordan's Critique
talkSPORT presenter Simon Jordan delivered a scathing critique of Eni Aluko's punditry style during a live radio appearance, sparking further controversy. Jordan questioned Aluko's contribution to sports analysis and criticized what he perceived as a sense of entitlement in her approach to broadcasting.
The Clash Intensifies
Evidently, tensions between Aluko and Woods came to a head as the two clashed on air and off air, with personal opinions and professional perspectives colliding. The debate over gender equality, meritocracy, and access to opportunities in sports punditry became a focal point of the dispute.
Friendship at Stake
The fallout between Aluko and Woods raises questions about the future of their friendship in light of their public disagreement. Despite past camaraderie, conflicting views on gatekeeping and diversity in sports broadcasting have strained their relationship, leaving their connection in jeopardy.
The Road Ahead
As the controversy unfolds, the trajectory for both Aluko and Woods remains uncertain. With Aluko facing challenges in securing broadcasting roles and Woods navigating her position as a presenter, the aftermath of this feud could have lasting implications for their careers and the wider conversation on inclusivity in sports media.









