Rio Ferdinand at Manchester United Report

Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand Biography

Darryl Rio Ferdinand is a twenty nine year old central defender. Rio Ferdinand, as he is better known, has been in the center of some events that he would rather not associate himself with, but the Englishman has pulled through and is on top form.

Rio Ferdinand’s family contains many successful footballers, including Les Ferdinand and West Ham United defender Anton Ferdinand.

Rio Ferdinand originally started playing football for Queens Park Rangers at youth level, before moving to West Ham United, where he enrolled in the famous academy as a striker. He spent three years there at youth level, in which he transferred from centre forward to centre back before joining the adult team.

While at West Ham United, Rio Ferdinand made one hundred and twenty seven appearances over a five year reign at the club, before going on loan at Bournemouth FC for a one year period.

Ferdinand then signed for Leeds United for eighteen million pounds in 2000, making him the most expensive English defender in the history of the game. He then spent two years at Leeds United, making fifty four appearances and scoring two goals.

It was while at Leeds United that his potential was recognized, and a host of top clubs were interested in signing the defender, but it was Manchester United that signed him for a sum in the region of thirty three million pounds, meaning he regained his ‘World’s Most Expensive Defender’ tag, and also being made the most expensive British player ever. He has spent six years at Old Trafford to date, including one hundred and eighty four appearances, and winning several trophies with the club, including winning the Premier League three times, the Community Shield twice, the Champions League and the Carling Cup. Rio Ferdinand has also been in the ‘team of the year’ four times, thrice while at Manchester United. While at the club, in 2003, Rio Ferdinand had an eight month ban from football after missing a drugs test. The incident sparked much controversy, with Manchester United appealing, but Ferdinand still missed the rest of the 2003-04 season as well as Euro 2004.

Rio Ferdinand’s international career has been a fairly successful one, even though he missed Euro 2004. Overall, Ferdinand has played sixty four matches, in which he has scored two goals and captained his international side once, and he seems to be a crucial part of Fabio Capello’s plans for the English international team.