Rio Ferdinand says two England players should retire after being 'disrespected' by Gareth Southgate

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has claimed that two England players should retire from the national team after being 'disrespected' by manager Gareth Southgate.

Southgate named his latest international squad last week for the upcoming fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland, which take place in September.

But there was plenty of controversy surrounding the squad, particularly regarding the inclusions of Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips.

When the squad was named, neither Maguire nor Phillips had played a minute of football competitively for their club sides this season.

And Henderson's move to the Saudi Pro League, and backlash against the move from LGBTQ+ communities, led to Southgate fielding numerous questions on the 33-year-old former Liverpool captain's selection.

Another surprise call from Southgate was the decision not to select Raheem Sterling, despite an excellent start to the 2023/24 season with Chelsea under the new management of Mauricio Pochettino.

And Sterling is one of two players, along with West Ham's James Ward-Prowse, that Ferdinand believes should stop playing for the national team.

Speaking on his podcast, 'Vibe with FIVE', the United legend explained: "If I was Sterling, I'd be very disappointed bearing in mind what he's done for this England team when he's been in or around it.

"If you're going by the yard stick that Gareth's using with the likes of [Harry] Maguire and [Kalvin] Phillips, why is it alright for them guys to get in and not him?

"Sterling's probably been the main bright spark at Chelsea. It's just nuts. I'd retire.

"If I'm someone like [James] Ward-Prowse, I'd just retire. Say, 'Listen, don't pick me no more. There's no point. It's disrespectful what you're doing'.

"It is to people like him, especially Ward-Prowse who's been putting up numbers for his team on a regular basis. What more does a man have to do to get a sniff?"

Topics: Rio Ferdinand, England, Raheem Sterling, Chelsea, Premier League, Gareth Southgate

Ryan Smart

Live in constant hope of the top flight as a Preston North End fan. Written in the past for SPORF, GiveMeSport and more.