Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's life with private wife, star daughters and 'devastating' accusations

Chelsea icon Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is set to represent the Premier League masses on the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing. And beyond merely securing a paycheque, Hasselbaink, who scored 87 times in 177 outings for Chelsea, has already disclosed his real motivation for taking to the dance floor.

Following his confirmation to star on the BBC smash hit programme, he said: "The drive is more about showing my girls that I can put myself in a vulnerable position and try to learn a new skill, try to compete and work hard to become better and be open-minded."

This sentiment feels particularly fitting given two of Hasselbaink's four daughters motivated him after featuring in a Netflix adaptation of an enormously popular film. His spouse, meanwhile, chooses to remain away from public view as football.london examines some of the peaks and troughs the football legend has encountered over the last decade.

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The Enigmatic Mrs Hasselbaink

Very little is publicly known about Hasselbaink's wife, and one could assume her absence from the limelight is intentional. Nevertheless, there have been those uncommon moments when partner Natalie has been photographed alongside the former Premier League hitman.

It's believed the pair tied the knot in 2012, shortly before Jimmy commenced his move into senior management. The Sun reported the couple exchanged vows at Cowarth Park in Ascot when they tied the knot.

Based on her private Instagram account, the mysterious Mrs Hasselbaink appears to have some connection with developmental language disorder (DLD) and tackling the neurodevelopmental condition. Beyond this, the couple are parents to three daughters together, while Hasselbaink also has one other daughter from an earlier relationship.

Daughters' dazzling debuts

When it comes to the family's broader achievements, Hasselbaink boasts two daughters who are already creating ripples in the entertainment industry. This comes after Miah and Lauren Hasselbaink secured roles in Netflix's adaptation of Matilda the Musical, which was released back in 2022.

The siblings took on supporting parts in the blockbuster production, which boasted A-list talent including Stephen Graham, Emma Thompson and Lashana Lynch. Both girls are currently under the wing of Mary Liz Management, while Miah has already secured additional work, appearing in The Man In My Basement alongside Willem Dafoe.

Drawing parallels between his Strictly journey and his daughters' artistic pursuits, Hasselbaink emphasised his delight in immersing himself in their creative worlds. His venture onto the dance floor could well represent the most daunting challenge of his professional life to date.

"That's our thing. I've got a daughter as well that used to be in the West End and does performing arts and drama," he told Covers. "She can dance and sing, and my middle daughter as well. So, the dancing and the singing and stuff.

"It is very common in my household. They are not footballers, so I have to integrate myself into their world, which I do with all pleasure."

'Devastating' accusations

One of the most troubling chapters in Hasselbaink's career centred on allegations of misconduct that emerged following a Telegraph sting operation in 2016. The newspaper alleged Hasselbaink had travelled to Singapore and discussed a £55,000 payment for Queens Park Rangers, whom he was managing at the time, to recruit specific players.

Reporters had disguised themselves as representatives from a bogus investment company seeking involvement in player transfers. The Telegraph quoted Hasselbaink as stating (regarding a fee): "Look, just try to make me happy... come up with a nice figure."

QPR supported their manager at the time, though he was dismissed from his role approximately five weeks later. Sky Sports reported the Dutchman was "devastated" by the allegations, with Hasselbaink refuting any misconduct while acknowledging he may have been "naïve.

"You reflect, you think back and you criticise yourself and you must say that I have been naïve," he said in September 2016, the day following the Telegraph report. "But then, with everything with it, I have never asked for money for myself to take a player or to bring a player to the club. I would never do that. That's the painful thing about it."

Hasselbaink wasn't the sole football personality implicated in the investigation, with at least one other official resigning as a consequence. He subsequently managed Northampton Town and Burton Albion before accepting an assistant coaching position with England's national team, a role he departed last year.