Rio Ferdinand

Lore & Background

Ferdinand began his football career playing for various youth teams, finally settling at West Ham United where he progressed through the youth ranks and made his professional Premier League debut in 1996. He became a fan favourite, winning the Hammer of the Year award the following season. He earned his first senior international cap in a match against Cameroon in 1997, setting a record as the youngest defender to play for England at the time. His achievements and footballing potential attracted Leeds United and he transferred to the club for a British record fee of £18 million in November 2000. He spent two seasons at the club, becoming the club captain in 2001, before he joined Manchester United in July 2002 for around £30 million, breaking the British transfer fee record once more. At Manchester United, he won the Premier League, his first major club honour, in a successful first season at the club. In September 2003, he missed a drugs test and was banned from football for eight months from January until September 2004, causing him to miss half a Premier League season, Manchester United's FA Cup triumph, and the Euro 2004 international competition. Upon his return, he established himself in the Manchester United first team and received plaudits for his performances, featuring in the PFA Team of the Year four times in five years. More club success followed with another Premier League win in the 2006–07 season and a Premier League and UEFA Champions League double the following year. His career at United, in which he won six Premier League titles and 14 trophies, ended when his contract expired in 2014, and he subsequently joined Queens Park Rangers where he played for just one season before being released from the club as a result of their relegation from the Premier League. He announced his retirement from professional football on 30 May 2015.

In Their Own Story

Old Trafford, a cold February evening. The floodlights hum. Ferdinand lines up at the edge of his box, the ball sitting a few yards ahead after a scrappy challenge. The crowd is a low, nervous roar — a top flight opponent pressing high, two wingers darting inside. He doesn't turn. Doesn't shout. He simply waits, weight on his back foot, eyes tracking the striker's shoulder. The man lunges. Ferdinand lets the lunge pass him by, then, in one fluid half-turn, lifts the ball over the pressing line and into the space behind. The pass is not powerful. It is not even particularly long. It is, simply, inevitable. The striker is already facing away. The crowd exhales. And Ferdinand is already walking back into his box, hands on his hips, as if nothing of consequence has happened. As if he were merely checking the time.

Reader's Guide

Rio Ferdinand is widely regarded as one of England's greatest defenders. He won six Premier League titles with Manchester United and 14 trophies overall. He played 81 times for England and was part of three World Cup squads. After retiring, he became a television pundit for TNT Sports.

Did You Know?

• Ferdinand joined Leeds United in November 2000 for a British record fee of £18 million.
• He won six Premier League titles with Manchester United, not five.
• Ferdinand earned 81 caps for England, not 37.
• He retired from professional football on 30 May 2015, not in 2014.