“I played with Rio for the first two or three years of my career. I saw he come through as a young boy – he started as a No 10 and moved back to center-half. He practiced heading – heading maybe 50 balls after training when he was 17 to improve his game. To then see him at Manchester United as an absolute world-beater was amazing because I knew how much it meant to him. He was top class.” Frank Lampard.
Rio Ferdinand is widely accepted as one of the first defenders to start his team’s attack from the base of the midfield. This was possible due to his highly impressive range of passing as well as his sense of football. His footballing ingenuity has earned him a legendary status in the football world, placing him above fellow defenders in his prime. Ferdinand played with a number of teams, with Manchester United the most notable of them all. He was hugely successful at the Red club, going on to become one of the most decorated players of his era, as well as the Premier League’s illustrious history.
Few players can be likened to Rio Ferdinand, whether on and off the soccer pitch. On the pitch, many have commended his excellent positioning and reading of the game. His defending exploits were outstanding, earning him an extended stay at the heart of the Manchester United historic defense. Off the pitch, Ferdinand is again unique. He has an impressive business acumen that sets him apart from the majority of his fellow players. But that is not what makes Ferdinand special. In an environment, such as England, it is usual for players to be silenced by the harsh fans and inconsiderate English media, but Ferdinand defied the norm to be heard.
Rio Ferdinand – Background
The Manchester United great, Rio Gavin Ferdinand, was born at King’s College Hospital in Camberwell on November 7th, 1978, to Julian Ferdinand and Janice Lavender. Janice was only 17 when she had Rio for Julian, and it should be noted that the two never got married until their separation when Ferdinand was 14. Ferdinand had just a sibling, Anton, but came from a large family. Mum was a child carer while dad was a tailor. Later in his career, Rio would describe Janice as a“supermum” and said she “cooked and cleaned, and moved heaven and Earth to ensure my younger brother Anton and I got to school or youth clubs on time.”
Ferdinand grew up in Peckham, a crime-infested and violent state. He attended Camelot Primary School and did very well with studies, Mathematics particularly. At a time, he was opportune to perform on the Bugsy Malone platform during a school production.
After his primary education, Ferdinand decided to attend Blackheath Bluecoat School, a school with a larger population so he could meet more people and make more friends. Peckham was a violent state, as stated earlier, and no event could have portrayed it better than the death of Stephen Lawrence in Rio’s second year.
As a child, Ferdinand enjoyed physical expressions and took an active part in gymnastics, football, drama, theater, and ballet. He participated in the London Youth Games as a gymnast for Southwark. At the tender age of 10, the young prodigy was invited to train at the Queens Park Rangers academy, and at 11, he won a 4-year-scholarship to the London Central School of Ballet.
For a boy who would go on to win such an impressive haul of trophies over an exceptional career, it is noteworthy to know that Ferdinand’s family was relatively uninterested in football, with his father maintaining a preference for kung fu. This is not to say that Ferdinand was not supported by his immediate family at all (considering that Julian used to the kids to training grounds as a form of bonding), but his family was not very keen on football.
“My Dad didn’t care much for football. He was more into kung fu. But I played every day, every weekend, every hour.
After school, I’d be outside messing about with skills or kicking about on the estate… We might have been on a council estate in south London, but our outlook was international. A guy called Stefan had all the latest videos from Serie A in Italy, which was the best league in the world at the time. So we’d troop over to Stefan’s house, watch Italian football, then go out and try to replicate what we’d seen.” Rio Ferdinand, #2sides.
These formative years were very pivotal to Rio’s successful career as his hard work and determination eventually paid off.
Rio Ferdinand – Youth
“I’m going to call you Pelé, son; I like the way you play.”David Goodwin, Ferdinand’s youth coach when he was eleven.
As all football geniuses are, Ferdinand was outstanding from a very early age. From 11, he was playing in youth teams with and against players far older than he was, but the young lad was not one to be scared of challenges.
Initially, Rio started as an attacking midfielder, and it wasn’t until his time with Eltham Town that coaches noticed his natural flair for tackling, excellent sense of positioning and superior reading of the game, and decided to try him as a center back. His role as an attacking midfielder would later influence him greatly at the prime of his career as he is widely believed to have been the first defender to start his team attacks from defense and even play as a midfielder cum defender.
Rio was pursued by a lot of clubs as his talent was easy to see. As a youth, he trained with Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, Millwall, and Queens Park Rangers. He was very interested in knowing new places, and this was a significant reason for his travels during this period. At a time, he spent his school holidays at Middlesbrough’s training ground.
Eventually, having satisfied his inquisition, Ferdinand opted to play for West Ham United, and he joined the London club’s academy in 1992. At the academy, he played alongside Frank Lampard, who was already becoming an established star at the time. In January 1994, he signed his first Youth Training Scheme contract.
Ferdinand’s first taste of international football arrived when he was just 16, playing for the England youth team in the UEFA European Championship. It should be noted that at this time, he had not experienced any success at the club level.
“I tipped him at 16 to be the greatest center-half in Europe, and I think, for a time, that is exactly what he was.”Harry Redknapp
Rio Ferdinand – Adulthood
Ferdinand’s adulthood was spent primarily as a footballer, with other phases of aspects of his life coming after his retirement or sparingly in-between his career. Professionally, he played for West Ham United, Bournemouth, Leeds United, Manchester United, and, finally, Queens Park Rangers.
West Ham United
Ferdinand started at West Ham as a youth player and steadily ascended to first-team due to consistent showings at center back. His first senior appearance was on 5 May 1996, coming on as a substitute for Tony Cottee in a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. As recognition of Rio’s outstanding contribution to the team, he won the Hammer’s Player of the Year for the 1997-1998 season. This was a feat achieved at 19.
Manchester United soon came calling but looked elsewhere when West Ham made it clear he was not for sale.
Bournemouth
Ferdinand had a very short stint with Bournemouth, joining the team in November 1996 and returning to West Ham in January 1997. Before his return, he featured in 10 matches, making his debut in a 1-1 draw against Blackpool. It seemed Ferdinand had a knack for sharing the spoils in his first matches.
Leeds United
Upon his return to West Ham, Ferdinand played for three more seasons before moving to Leeds United in the summer of 2000 for £18 million, a tag that made him the most expensive defender in the world.
He made his debut in a forgettable fashion, losing 3-1 to Leicester City. This was soon followed up with remarkable displays, and the team went ahead to reach the semifinals for the UEFA Champions League that season, with Rio himself scoring a header in the quarterfinals against Deportivo LA Coruna.
At this time, Ferdinand was forging a reputation as a goalscoring defender, and this was well illustrated with his goals against Liverpool at Anfield as well as at Upton Park against his former club.
Ferdinand became club captain in August 2001. However, despite putting in a remarkable string of displays, any hope of doing better in Europe was crushed as the club could not secure a top-three finish and miss out on the UEFA Champions League qualification.
“If any player has a bad game its there in the back of your mind in the next game. There is always a hangover. It is like a wounded animal in a way, as you want to get out there as quick as possible and rectify it.”— Rio Ferdinand
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the club was toeing bankruptcy and needed to sell players for funding. The rumored casualty, although it was to be a win-win for the player, was Rio Ferdinand. After the World Cup, Ferdinand’s stock had risen due to a commendable performance with the England national team. The rumors soon turned into reality, and the club was caught between selling their defending genius for money and holding onto him to risk bankruptcy.
In the end, Ferdinand moved to Manchester United, although he had to force the transfer through. On July 22nd, 2002, he joined Manchester United for a figure above £30 million, the breakdown being £20 million for the actual payment and up to £10 million for add-ons. This was a deal the club could not turn down anyway considering the dire situation its finances were in. This fee made Rio the most expensive defender in the world once more, retrieving the title that had been previously held by Lilian Thuram.
Manchester United (2002 – 2003)
“I thought I would be at United for a couple of years, maybe three or four, and then go abroad somewhere. But I just fell in love with Manchester United. I fell in love with winning, fell in love with the history of the club, and being part of it was something I could never have imagined.”Rio Ferdinand
Ferdinand is most remembered for his time at The Theater of Dreams. Many may believe that the first club he played for was Manchester United. At the club, he won several prestigious honors, the UEFA Champions League inclusive. Also, he won multiple individual awards because of his peerless exploits on the pitch. In his first season with the club, he won the Premier League that had remained evasive hitherto.
Rio Ferdinand – Drug Test Fiasco
In September 2003, barely a season after joining Manchester United, Ferdinand found himself in the middle of a doping saga with the FA.
Ferdinand was scheduled to undergo a doping test at the United’s Carrington Training Ground, but it happened that he missed it due to his forgetful nature. After training, he had gone shopping only to remember on his way. He had returned immediately but couldn’t hold the test anymore. The following day, he underwent the test, but it was deemed too late and unacceptable by the FA. In his willingness to show that he had always been clean and did not miss the test to buy his body system time to erase all use of drugs, he offered to take a hair follicle test that would show the records for the previous six months, but the FA declined once more.
The FA, under the tutelage of the recently appointed chairman, Barry Bright, was out to make a statement, and Ferdinand had fallen victim. In the quest to show that indiscipline would not be tolerated from players, the FA placed an eight-month ban on Ferdinand, disqualifying him from participating in club and international football. This sanction was imposed without any probation or listening.
As expected, this decision generated widespread outcry and anger. Manchester United appealed the ruling, referencing that Manchester City’s Christian Negouai was banned for just two weeks when he missed a doping test. The FA, backed by the FIFA, had refused the appeal. The bodies had cited that Negouai’s case was unforeseen, unavoidable, and out of his control as he had been stuck in traffic. His was a sharp contrast to Ferdinand’s, who the associations claimed had “failed or refused” to show up for the test. In the words of Sepp Blatter, the then FIFA President, “the comparisons are inappropriate.”
However, there was an unexpected reaction to this decision. It so happened that this fiasco was happening just before the selections for Euro 2004. The immediate effect was the omission of Ferdinand from the released squad. Fellow Manchester United player and respected England international, Gary Neville, took this upon himself and led a delegation of fellow players to Barry, demanding that Ferdinand’s sanction was reversed and threatening strike action if the judgment wasn’t.
Barry maintained his stance, however, and the entire England team went on strike, refusing to play in the match coming up just a few days later. The consequences of the strike, however, forced many players to rethink and back out of it, leaving Gary and few in the strike. Upon some interventions, however, the strike was canceled, and Gary himself played in the said match.
As a further stamp on the sanction, the FA looked to increase the duration of the ban to 12 months, which was exactly half of the maximum possible term. After much raucus, though, the initial judgment was upheld, and Ferdinand had to miss eight months of football.
Return to Action (2004 – 2008)
After the expiration of the ban term, Ferdinand returned to the pitch, picking up the mantle just where he had left it. His first goal for Manchester United wouldn’t come until December 14th, 2005, in a 4 – 0 win over Wigan Athletic. His next goal was against West Bromwich Albion, a well-placed header. His next goal is regarded as perhaps the most important of his goals: a last-minute winner against Liverpool at Old Trafford. The following season, he scored again in a 2 – 0 win over the red Meyersiders.
“Now, the position of the center-back is not just about defending or being nasty or tough. It’s about knowing how to play football, control the ball, pass and be more comfortable in possession. This is something that ten years ago [in England] they didn’t understand. Rio was the first one who did it.”Gerard Pique
The following season was another year for the Reds, with Ferdinand, alongside seven other teammates recognized in the 2007 PFA Team of the Season. This was in cognizance of the persistent and incredible level of consistency and excellence reached by the team that season.
The following season, 2007 – 08, saw Ferdinand at his best as usual. As an evidence of the team’s defense, the club went six matches without conceding a goal. This streak was, however, broken by an early goal against Aston Villa, a game which Manchester United later won, with Ferdinand himself scoring his first of the season as United’s third of the night.
Prior to this season, Ferdinand had not scored for Manchester United in Europe. This jinx was soon broken in a victory over Dynamo Kyiv. His goal was a powerful header, a pacesetter that led the way for a 4 – 2 win. His next goal was in the Premier League in the 6 – 0 home mauling of Newcastle United.
On March 8th, 2008, Ferdinand made his debut as a goalkeeper against Portsmouth in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. The actual keeper, Edwin Van Der Sar, had been unable to continue the match after suffering a groin injury; the replacement, Tomasz Kuszczak, was dismissed after conceding a penalty and Ferdinand was the closest to a goalkeeper left among the ranks. He, however, failed to save the resultant penalty kick and, consequently, United were dumped out of the competition.
“He was a great player, without a doubt the best center-half I ever played with. I would say for a time as well he was the best center-half in the world. He was such a pleasure to play with and play in front of. To play in front of him, he made your job so easy.”Paul Scholes
Ferdinand’s unending spates with injuries started in a match against Middlesbrough on 6 April 2008. The injury here was to the foot, and there were doubts about his availability to play in the coming showdown with AS Roma in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. The match was played on 9 April, and Rio eventually played the full time, although he had to be stitched at halftime.
In the same month, after a 2 – 1 loss to Chelsea, Ferdinand was involved in a swearing melee with stewards, and in trying to kick a wall in the tunnel, he hit a female steward. What happened next is unknown, but Ferdinand claims to have apologized as well as sent flowers to her in goodwill, but the husband had gainsaid these claims, stating that Ferdinand had not apologized or sent any flower.
On 15 May, Ferdinand, alongside Wes Brown and Michael Carrick, signed a new contract that would keep the trio at the club until 2013. This new contract meant each player would be earning £130, 000 per week.
“Rio Ferdinand was so calm and composed. He read the game so well, and his technique was superb. There is no panic from him, and that is what you need at the back. If the defence is shaky, it brings negativity to the whole team. Rio’s main attribute was bringing a balance to the side.” Mikael Silvestre
Glory In Moscow
Ferdinand won many honors during his time at Manchester United, but the UEFA Champions League stands out. This was because whereas other trophies were won at least twice, he won the Champions League only once.
On 21 May, Ferdinand captained Manchester United to a historic win over Chelsea in Moscow, Russia. The match was even at 1 – 1 throughout, and even with the extra time, none of the teams could manage to score. United eventually won on penalties, with John Terry missing the decisive penalty.
The celebratory scenes were symbolic. Ferdinand lifted the trophy with Ryan Giggs because the latter had been the stand-in captain during Ferdinand’s long absence through injury. This was an apt reminder that the exceptionally gifted defender was getting past his prime.
Rio Ferdinand – The End?
Following the 2008 Champions League win, it appeared that Ferdinand was past his prime. The defender was aging, and with that had manifested an unpleasant part of his game: injuries and suspensions. It was conspicuous that he was losing his sense of positioning and tackling, and was more often than not, in the midst of poor decisions with and without the ball. In fact, one would have been forgiven for thinking it was the end of this football maestro.
Ferdinand’s 2009/2010 season was poor and even disappointing. This was caused by a persistent, unending cycle with injuries. During this period, he suffered ceaseless back and foot injuries, going from a spell on the sidelines to another. On 28 January 2010, he played against Hull City after a lengthy injury layoff but would quickly return to the sidelines, not due to injuries this time, instead of for an elbow on Craig Fagan, an opponent. This earned him a ban for four games.
The summer of 2010 brought with it more misery for Ferdinand. He suffered an injury that ruled him out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for England. Subsequently, he missed the pre-season games, the Community Shield decider, and the first four games of the 2010/2011 season.
On 14 September, he had his first first-team appearance for the season in the first Champions League match, which was against Rangers. He was captain for this duel, and the game ended in a drab draw. The positive was that Rio played fulltime without sustaining an injury.
In August 2011, Ferdinand reached a new low. He had begun the first game of the season, a Community Shield fixture against Manchester City. At half-time, United were two goals down due to some unbelievable defending at the back. The manager replaced him and his partner, Nemanja Vidic, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones. Manchester United went on to win the match 3 – 2. With the victory, Ferdinand secured his fourth Community Shield trophy.
Ferdinand started the first match of the Premier League against West Bromwich Albion, the game ending 2 – 1 in United’s favor. Ferdinand was, however, taken off in the 75th minute due to an injury to the hamstring. He was expected to be sidelined for eight weeks but returned just two weeks later, securing a place on the bench in the 8 – 2 humiliation of Arsenal at the team’s hand. His return was made against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium, a game that ended in a 1 – 1 draw.
In a derby against Manchester City on December 9th, Ferdinand got injured due to a coin hurled from the stands. United won the match 3 – 2.
Ferdinand’s next goal finally arrived, and it arrived most grandly. It was scored in a 2 – 1 win over Swansea City. With the match tied at 1 – 1, a last-minute corner kick evaded every player in the box, choosing instead to find its way to Ferdinand, who was at the back post. With an incredible show of self-belief and accuracy, he instantly launched a volley that would decide the tie in United’s favor. The goal was the last of the historic Sir. Alex Ferguson’s era and it secured the team the Premier League title for the season.
Rio Ferdinand – Queens Park Rangers
Ferdinand’s contract was extended for a year, during which he played under David Moyes and ended the season miserably along with the club. On 17 July 2014, he joined the Queens Park Rangers on a one-year deal. His time with the club was nothing impressive, save for a 4 – 0 loss to Manchester United when he returned to Old Trafford.
On 30 May 2015, Ferdinand retired from club football, and three days later, retired from professional football.
“Retirement is an important subject, but it’s hardly talked about. It is almost taboo… Most footballers have a ‘Peter Pan’ lifestyle, and the end of their career comes as a shock.” Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand International Career
Currently, Ferdinand sits second at the all-time appearances for Black players for the England national team with 81 appearances. Ashley Cole holds the first position with 107.
On 15 November 1997, Ferdinand made his first full appearance for England in a match against Cameroon. As a 19-year-old, this made him the youngest defender to ever play for England. Ferdinand soon established himself as a regular starter in the national team and would have played more matches but for his injury plagues.
Ferdinand has three goals to his name for the national team. The first (although some consider an own goal by Thomas Sørensen, an opposing player) was against Denmark in the World Cup second-round match; the second game against Russia in a Euro 2008’s qualifier, and the last came against Kazakhstan in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
Ferdinand was part of England’s World Cup squad in four consecutive tournaments but appeared in just two due to injuries. He didn’t play in any Euro competition due to the aforementioned doping ban and the team’s failure to qualify for the 2008 version. He played under seven different coaches but didn’t win any honor. He was a part of the golden generation that promised so much but delivered quite a little.
Rio captained the England national team on some occasions, frequently alternating with Chelsea’s John Terry. After an embattled spell with injuries, Ferdinand retired from international football in May 2013. According to him, it was time to give young players opportunities.
“Rio has been the best defender in the country if not Europe for a couple of years. His maturity and leadership have been key factors in the team’s success. He is someone that young players learn from and that more experienced players respect.”Sir Alex Ferguson
Relationship Life
Ferdinand was married to Rebecca Ellison, a former fitness trainer he met during his time at West Ham United. Rebecca passed away in 2015 at the tender age of 34, leaving Ferdinand devastated and torn.
Rebecca was a native of Essex and became an accountant after her career as a fitness coach. She got married to Ferdinand in 2009 at the Carribean. Before the marriage, she had Lorenz, the couple’s first son in 2006. A second son, Tate, followed three years later before the arrival of a daughter, Tia, in 2011.
Rebecca was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and had taken immediate measures. Following a series of chemotherapy treatments, she thought she was cured but was proven wrong when cancer returned, spreading to her bones. Upon her death in 2015, the footballing world was shocked and grieved, understandably so as she had kept the sickness private and hidden to the outside world.
In a heart-wrenching statement, Rio confirmed the death of Rebecca: “My soul mate slipped away last night. “Rebecca, my wonderful wife, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. “She was a fantastic loving mother to our three beautiful children. She will be missed as a wife, sister, aunt, daughter, and granddaughter. “She will live on in our memory as a guide and inspiration.”
Recently, Ferdinand appeared in an advert for Child Bereavement UK and, commenting on what he would say to Rebecca if he had the chance to meet her once more, had said,“If I was able to have one more minute with Rebecca, I’d probably, well I’d definitely ask her about what she wanted with the children growing up at different stages, poignant moments in their development. “I would tell her I love her.”
Life After Rebecca
Rio has stated that his world collapsed after Rebecca’s passing and had turned to alcohol in his sorrow. However, he has now chosen to focus on his kids and try to fill Rebecca’s roles in their lives.
According to him, “it is only nights that can still undo me. I usually wake up between 2-3 am, when the horror of what my children have lost hits me again, keeping me awake until dawn.”
In 2017, rumors broke that Ferdinand was seeing former Towie star Kate Wright and that the two were trying to keep things private. Soon after, it turned out to be true as the two made their relationship official.
On 27 September 2019, Ferdinand married Kate Wright at the D Maris Bay hotel in Turkey. The occasion was in the presence of Ferdinand’s three children – Lorenz, Tate, and Tia – along with the couple’s other close family members.
Interest In Boxing
In September 2017, Ferdinand decided to try out boxing. According to him, it would help him get over the grief left by Rebecca’s departure. This could have been influenced by his early relationship with a kung fu lover, given that boxing was a combative sport too.
Ferdinand was to be sponsored by a gambling company, Betfair. The company was responsible for his qualifying attempts for the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) license. In turn, Ferdinand was to serve as an ambassador of the brand, a move that generated some outcry with many believing Rio was an elderly figure who should be against gambling.
In May 2018, the BBBC declined to give Rio a license and, consequently, he declared that he was, in his words, “hanging-up his glove.”
Controversies
Rio, for all of his brilliance on the pitch and valuable insights on life generally, has enjoyed his robust share of controversies. From the earliest days of his career, he found a way to be entangled in one marring situation or the other.
A standout of such incidences was the driving ban he received in 1998 (which was just the first of many more to come). This ban was a punishment for drink-driving, and it so happened that this was when Queen Elizabeth’s chauffeur was suspected to be drunk while driving, hereby getting involved in an accident that killed her. Although Ferdinand was not directly connected to the incidence, the public outcry for drunk-driving was loud at this time, and someone needed to be punished. Rio came in handy and, thus, had to be dropped from the World Cup squad in order to satisfy the nation.
Rio has also been involved in several racist rows. Most of the time, he has been against it, demanding stricter sanctions for racist chants or reactions.
“I was shocked by how much sympathy there was for (Luis) Suarez. Huge numbers of people in the media and social media were saying, ‘Poor Suarez, maybe there’s nothing racist about it…’ People paid lip service to the idea that racism was a bad thing. But they didn’t have a clue what racism was, or how its victims felt.”#2sides, Rio Ferdinand
When John Terry was alleged of abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rio’s brother, he had shown no mercy and restricted no word from being spoken. He would go on to label a witness who testified in favor of John Terry a “choc ice,” a racist slang used to say that a man was black outside but white inside.
“For me, the biggest idiot will always be John Terry,”Rio Ferdinand
Trophies and Recognitions
Club
West Ham United
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999.
Manchester United
Premier League: 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–1, 2012–13.
Football League Cup: 2005–06, 2008–09.
FA Community Shield: 2003, 2007, 2008, 2011.
UEFA Champions League 2007–08.
FIFA Club World Cup: 2008.
Individual
West Ham United Hammer of the Year: 1997–98.
PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 2001–02, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2012–13
Premier League Player of the Month: October 2001.
ESM Team of the Year: 2007–08.
FIFPro World XI: 2007–08.
London Youth Games Hall of Fame: 2010 inductee.
Premier League 20 Seasons Awards (1992–93 to 2011–12).
Fantasy Teams of the 20 Seasons (Panel choice).
English Football Hall of Fame: 2016 Inductee.