Rio Ferdinand

Ferdinand was born at King's College Hospital in Camberwell and grew up in Peckham.[10] He is the son of an Irish mother, Janice Lavender, and an Afro-Saint Lucian father, Julian Ferdinand.[11][12]

Ferdinand grew up in Peckham in a large family, his mother was one of six children and his father arrived in Britain with ten other family members.[13] Both parents worked to support the family, his mother as a child carer and his father as a tailor. His parents never married and they separated when he was 14 years old. His father remained close, moving to a nearby estate, and took the kids to football training and to local parks.[11][14] Ferdinand attended Camelot Primary School.[14][15] At school, he focused on maths and revelled in the opportunity to perform before an audience during a school production of Bugsy Malone.[14]

"I always as a kid wanted to do something different, I'd get bored very easily – even playing football or hanging around with my mates. So travelling away from home, meeting new people. ... I enjoyed it."[14]

He chose to attend Blackheath Bluecoat School to make new friends and settled in well, feeling his confidence growing.[11] His second year was marred by the death of a fellow pupil, Stephen Lawrence, and the event demonstrated the ever-present threat of violence.[15] Ferdinand enjoyed physical expression, taking part in not just football and gymnastics classes but drama, theatre and ballet too.[14] He was an able child: he represented Southwark in gymnastics at the London Youth Games,[16] by age 10 he had been invited to train at the Queens Park Rangers academy, and at age 11 he won a scholarship to attend the Central School of Ballet in London.[11] Ferdinand attended the ballet classes, travelling to the city centre four days a week for four years.[14]

Ferdinand's superior footballing abilities were evident even as a child: when he was 11 years old a youth coach, David Goodwin, remarked "I'm going to call you Pelé, son, I like the way you play."[14] Ferdinand was regularly playing in youth teams and at Eltham Town he played as an attacking midfielder but team scouts saw the young player had the physical potential to be a centre-back instead. Teams vied for the young footballer's services and during his youth he trained with Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, Millwall and Queens Park Rangers. Ferdinand was ever curious of different places and even travelled north to Middlesbrough's training ground, spending a good part of his school holidays in a bedsit just to be there.[14]

London team West Ham United was to be his footballing home, however, and he joined their youth system in 1992.[11] He signed his first Youth Training Scheme contract in January 1994 and played alongside players such as Frank Lampard at the academy.[14][17] Success pending at club level, international football also began for Ferdinand; at 16 he joined the England youth-team squad to compete in their age group's UEFA European Championship, gaining his first experience of international competition.[14]

Rio and Anton Ferdinand playing in Tony Carr's testimonial match in 2010.

Originally scouted by Frank Lampard, Ferdinand progressed through the youth-team ranks, earning a professional contract and a place in the first-team squad in the process.[14] On 5 May 1996, he made his senior team debut, as he came on as a substitute for Tony Cottee in the Hammers' last game of the season, a 1–1 home draw against Sheffield Wednesday.[14][18] During the summer of 1997, Manchester United made enquires about Ferdinand before they turned to Henning Berg after West Ham rejected any sale.[19]

During the 1997–98 season, Ferdinand won the Hammer of the Year award at the young age of 19.[20]

In November 1996, Ferdinand joined AFC Bournemouth on loan. He made his debut on 9 November in a 1–1 away draw against Blackpool. He played 10 games for Bournemouth before returning to West Ham in January 1997.[21]

Ferdinand joined Premier League club Leeds United in November 2000 for £18 million, then a British transfer record as well as becoming the world's most expensive defender.[20] Despite an uncomfortable start to his career at Elland Road, beginning with a 3–1 defeat at Leicester City on his debut,[22] Ferdinand settled well and became an integral part of the Leeds team that reached the semi-final stage of the UEFA Champions League, scoring with a header in the quarter-final against Spain's Deportivo La Coruña.[23] Other highlights during his spell in Yorkshire included goals against Liverpool at Anfield[24] and a scoring return to Upton Park.[25]

The following season, in August 2001, he became the club captain after replacing Lucas Radebe and turned in an impressive second campaign, despite Leeds' failure to break into the top three and secure qualification for the competition they had figured in so prominently during the previous season. During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, rumours began circulating that the club were in dire financial trouble and that new manager Terry Venables would be forced to part with his star defender for a substantial amount of cash. Later that summer after Ferdinand's impressive World Cup for England, Leeds accepted a bid of £29.3 million with possible performance related add-ons up to £33.3 million due to their perilous financial position.[26] Years later, Rio admitted he sat in the office of Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale for almost six hours to force the transfer through.[27]

Ferdinand for Manchester United in 2008

On 22 July 2002, Ferdinand joined fellow Premier League side Manchester United on a five-year deal to become the most expensive British footballer in history at the time and the world's most expensive defender for a second time, a title he had lost in 2001 to Lilian Thuram. Ferdinand went on to win the Premier League title with Manchester United in his first season at the club. He collected a winner's medal in the 2006 League Cup, with runners-up medals in the 2003 League Cup and the 2005 FA Cup.[28]

In September 2003, he failed to attend a drug test scheduled to take place at United's Carrington training ground.[29] Ferdinand had left after training to go shopping, only to remember and attempt to return, only to be told it was too late.[30] He later undertook the test and passed,[31] and also later offered to have a hair follicle test,[32] but the FA turned down the offer.[33] The Football Association (FA) Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Barry Bright, imposed an eight-month ban from January 2004 at club and international level and a £50,000 fine, meaning he would miss the rest of the season and some of the next along with all of Euro 2004.[34] United appealed against the verdict and sought to draw parallels to the case of Manchester City player Christian Negouai, who was fined £2,000 for missing a test.[35] In the end, the original verdict was upheld.[36] In September, it was announced that he would make his return against Liverpool;[37] Alex Ferguson praised his "assuredness and composure" as United won the match 2–1.[38]

In a fixture against Charlton Athletic in May 2005, United supporters booed Ferdinand amidst his refusal to sign a new contract.[39][40] Ferdinand still hadn't signed a new contract in July and faced pressure from Ferguson to sign it,[41] taking away his position as vice-captain.[42] Ferdinand was booed during several pre-season friendlies in July and August,[43][44] before finally signing a new four-year contract.[45] Ferdinand later reflected on the saga, saying how he used it as motivation to change the views of United's supporters from negative to positive.[46]

On 14 December, in a game against Wigan Athletic, Ferdinand scored his first goal for United, en route to a 4–0 victory.[47] He followed this later in the month with a powerfully headed goal against West Bromwich Albion.[48] On 22 January 2006, Ferdinand scored a last minute winner against Liverpool at Old Trafford.[49] In the corresponding fixture in the following season on 22 October, Ferdinand scored again in a 2–0 victory.[50]

Following impressive and consistent performances in the league, Rio Ferdinand was named in the 2006–07 PFA Premiership Team of the Season, alongside seven of his Manchester United teammates.[51]

Ferdinand with Olof Mellberg in a match against Juventus in 2008

Ferdinand started the 2007–08 season well, he was part of a United defence that managed to keep six clean sheets in a row in the Premier League, before conceding an early goal to Aston Villa at Villa Park on 20 October 2007.[52] It was also during this game where Ferdinand scored his first goal of the season, which was United's third goal of that game, with a left foot strike which took a very strong deflection off one of Villa's defenders. Just three days later, Ferdinand scored his first European goal for United by opening the scoring against Dynamo Kyiv, with a superb header. United dominated the game and won 4–2.[53]

On 12 January 2008, Ferdinand bagged a rare Premier League goal in a 6–0 hammering of Newcastle United at Old Trafford. In their FA Cup quarter-final match against Portsmouth on 8 March 2008 when Manchester United dominated, Ferdinand made a rare appearance as a goalkeeper, after Edwin van der Sar left the pitch with a groin injury and the replacement keeper, Tomasz Kuszczak, was sent off after conceding a penalty. Despite diving the right way, he was unable to save Sulley Muntari's spot kick, and Manchester United were eliminated from the FA Cup.[54] On 6 April 2008, against Middlesbrough, Ferdinand limped out of the match due to a foot injury. He was rated doubtful whether he would face A.S. Roma in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg on 9 April 2008. He would play the full 90 minutes, though he received three stitches at half-time.[55]

After United's 2–1 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League in April 2008, Ferdinand swore at Chelsea stewards and tried to kick a wall in the tunnel, but instead kicked a female steward, Tracy Wray. Ferdinand claimed to have merely brushed her with his foot.[56] He said he had apologised and sent the steward some flowers. However, Wray showed the bruise on her leg to the media, and her husband claimed that Ferdinand had not apologised or sent flowers.[57]

Ferdinand as captain during the 2008–09 Champions League semi-final.

It was announced on 18 April 2008 that, along with Michael Carrick and Wes Brown, Ferdinand had agreed to sign a new five-year contract, worth around £130,000 a week, that would keep him with United until 2013.[58] On 21 May 2008, Ferdinand captained Manchester United to a Champions League Final victory versus Chelsea.[59] He accepted the trophy together with Ryan Giggs, as Giggs was the on field captain for most of the matches during that season during Gary Neville's absence due to injury.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live he criticised FIFA's approach to tackling racism in football, stating that not enough was being done to punish those guilty of homophobic or racist abuse at matches. Regarding taunts aimed at Emile Heskey in England's 4–1 victory against Croatia in Zagreb, Ferdinand remarked:

"Croatia were fined a few thousand quid. What's that going to do? That is not going to stop people shouting racist or homophobic abuse...If things like this keep happening you have to take points off them. Then the punters will realise the team is going to be punished."[60]

Ferdinand had an injury plagued 2009–10 season, a number of back and knee injuries kept him on the sidelines for months. He returned to action on 28 January 2010, but was banned for four games after being found guilty of violent conduct for elbowing Hull City's Craig Fagan.[61][62]

Due to a knee injury he suffered in the summer of 2010, which ruled him out of the World Cup for England, he missed all of pre-season, the Community Shield and the first four games of the 2010–11 Premier League season. He returned to first-team football in the opening game of the Champions League group stage against Rangers on 14 September. He captained the side and played the full 90 minutes in a goalless draw. He started the season opening game in August 2011, the 2011 FA Community Shield, where United found themselves 2–0 down at half time to city rivals Manchester City. Ferdinand was taken off after 45 minutes along with defensive partner Nemanja Vidić and replaced by Jonny Evans and Phil Jones respectively. United went on to win the game 3–2 and Ferdinand claimed his fourth Community Shield medal of his career. Ferdinand started in the opening Premier League match of the season at West Bromwich Albion, a game United won 2–1, but he went off with a hamstring injury after 75 minutes. After the match, Alex Ferguson confirmed that Ferdinand would be out for six weeks. Ferdinand however recovered much quicker than initially diagnosed and returned to take a place on the bench two weeks later at Old Trafford in United's 8–2 demolition of Arsenal, although he did not play a part in the game.[63] Ferdinand made his return to competitive action in a 1–1 draw against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.

Ferdinand with Queens Park Rangers, October 2014

On 9 December 2012, Ferdinand was struck and injured by a coin thrown from the home crowd during United's 3–2 derby victory away from home against Manchester City.[64]

On 5 March 2013, Ferdinand, unhappy with the referee Cüneyt Çakır's decision to send off Nani during a 2–1 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid at Old Trafford, clapped sarcastically in the referee's face after the game. He escaped any punishment from UEFA for the incident.[65]

On 12 May 2013, Ferdinand scored the winner and final goal of the Alex Ferguson era at Old Trafford in a 2–1 victory over Swansea City. After a corner was missed by everyone, the ball found its way to Ferdinand at the back post and he hit it on the volley to seal the win. On 23 May 2013, it was announced that Ferdinand had secured a new one-year contract that would see him stay with the club until the end of the 2013–14 season.[66] He was not offered an extension when that contract expired, and agreed to leave Manchester United on 12 May 2014. In a letter on his official website, he said "I am feeling fit and healthy, ready for a new challenge and looking forward to whatever the future holds for me."[67]

On 17 July 2014, Ferdinand signed for newly promoted Premier League club Queens Park Rangers on a one-year contract.[68] He returned to Old Trafford for the first time since leaving Manchester United on 14 September 2014 to face his former club in the Premier League in which his side was beaten 4–0.[69]

In October 2014, Ferdinand confirmed in an interview on The Jonathan Ross Show that he would retire at the end of the season, saying "I'm not fearful of retirement, I'm looking forward to it, I can see some good stuff hopefully happening ahead".[70] In May 2015, following their relegation, Queens Park Rangers announced the release of Ferdinand in the summer.[71] He made only 12 appearances for QPR in his only season with the club.[72]

On 30 May 2015, Ferdinand announced his retirement from professional football, three days after his departure from QPR.[73][74]

In 2000, Ferdinand briefly appeared in a sexually explicit video filmed at the Ayia Napa resort in Cyprus along with fellow English footballers Kieron Dyer and Frank Lampard. Channel 4 aired a brief clip as part of their 2004 documentary Sex, Footballers and Videotape, claiming it was used to "remind the viewer that this is based on real life".[143]

In 2002, during the rape trial of their acquaintance Martin King, Ferdinand and former Leeds colleague Michael Duberry denied allegations that Duberry had molested the woman and Ferdinand had threatened her in the Leeds nightclub Hi-Fi on the night of 22 January, as well as further allegations of scuffling and drunkenness. Both men were interviewed by the police but the Crown Prosecution Service announced in April 2003 that they would not face charges.[144] King was found guilty of indecent assault and attempted rape.[145]

During a radio interview on The Chris Moyles Show in October 2006, Ferdinand attracted two listener complaints and criticism from gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell when he called Moyles a faggot, followed by "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm not homophobic", after Moyles had jokingly suggested he was homosexual. BBC Radio 1 later dismissed the exchange as banter, while Tatchell said "since [he] very promptly apologised, I am happy to accept his regret and leave it at that".[146]

In the wake of a court case involving John Terry and Rio's brother Anton, in which Terry was found not guilty of racial abuse, Rio Ferdinand sparked media controversy by expressing amusement at the comments of a Twitter user who referred to Ashley Cole, who had testified in Terry's favour, as a "choc ice", a slang term which is commonly understood to mean "black on the outside, white on the inside". Ferdinand deleted the tweet shortly afterwards and denied choc ice is a racist term, adding, "And if I want to laugh at something someone tweets....I will! Hahahahaha! Now stop getting ya knickers in a twist!"[147] Cole's lawyers released a statement in response, stating that he would not be taking the matter further.[148] Ferdinand's words were condemned as "insensitive and untimely" by Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) chief Clarke Carlisle.[149] In August 2012, Ferdinand was fined £45,000 for his Twitter remarks after an Independent Regulatory Commission found him guilty of bringing the game into disrepute with an "improper" comment which included "a reference to ethnic origin, colour or race."[150]

In October 2014, Ferdinand was again charged by the FA for using offensive language on Twitter, after referring to the mother of a critic as a "sket", a Jamaican slang word for a promiscuous female.[151] Ferdinand was fined £25,000 for the offence and banned from playing for three games.[152] The FA considered Ferdinand's position as a "role model" to be an aggravating factor for the penalty, in addition to it being his second Twitter offence within three years and no admission of wrongdoing.[153]

In March 2015, it was announced that Ferdinand would be the new face of online casino Casino Floor. The announcement provoked strong criticism on Twitter from a number of Ferdinand's followers,[154] who suggested it was inappropriate that a role model for young people should endorse gambling particularly given the well documented struggles of many of his peers with problem gambling.[155]

In September 1997, Ferdinand was convicted of drink-driving and given a one-year driving ban. He had been breathalysed after driving on the morning after a night out, and was found to be one point over the limit.[156] As a result, England manager Glenn Hoddle dropped Ferdinand from the squad to face Moldova in a World Cup qualification match on 10 September, meaning Ferdinand lost out on the chance, at 18 years and 10 months of age, of becoming the youngest England international since Duncan Edwards.[156][157]

In March 2003, Ferdinand was given another six-month ban from driving, and fined £2,500 and six penalty points for driving at an average of 92 mph (148 km/h) along the M1.[158] In May 2005, he was criticised by a magistrate as he received his fourth ban from driving and a fine of £1,500, after being caught by traffic police "travelling at an average of 105.9 mph (170.4 km/h) over a distance of nearly two miles" on the M6 motorway. Upon setting the penalty, the magistrate said Ferdinand "should be a positive role model for young people in society and this does not give out the right message". It followed two previous bans for speeding, in 2002 and 2003.[159]

In August 2020, Ferdinand was banned from driving for six months after he admitted speeding on the A27 at Hangleton in Hove. Ferdinand was reported to have driven at 85 mph. He was ordered to pay a total of £822 in fines and costs.[160]

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to association football and charity,[161] having set up the Rio Ferdinand Foundation in 2022, a charity which works with young people and aids community development.[162]

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ferdinand goal.

List of international goals scored by Rio Ferdinand [195]

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	15 June 2002	Niigata Stadium, Niigata, Japan	26	Denmark	1–0	3–0	2002 FIFA World Cup
2	12 September 2007	Wembley Stadium, London, England	62	Russia	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
3	11 October 2008	Wembley Stadium, London, England	71	Kazakhstan	1–0	5–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification