Rio Ferdinand couldn't resist having some banter with his former Manchester United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, after England won their opening Euro 2020 game, while Scotland lost.
The ex-United defender also revealed the legendary manager's prediction for the England vs Scotland group match at Wembley on Friday.
Ferdinand got a sudden, (red) devilish glint in his eye while recording his Vibe With Five YouTube show and - after he had finished analysing England's 1-0 win over Croatia - revealed: "Sir Alex Ferguson has been on my phone all morning.
Advert
"Let me see if I can text him back right now! I'm gonna text him now: 'Are you OK boss?'"
Scotland suffered a 2-0 defeat to Czech Republic in their first major international tournament match in 23 years, Patrik Schick scoring twice (his second a lob over David Marshall from just inside the Scotland half).
However according to Ferdinand, Sir Alex had been brimming with confidence before the first Group D matches took place.
Advert
"He thinks they [Scotland] are going to beat us [England]," said Ferdinand. "He thinks they're going to overrun England. [I told him] they've got to get past this first game before that!"
Now engrossed in finding as many Scots as he could on his phone, the merciless Ferdinand turned his attention to a former teammate. "Who's the other one I've got on my phone who's been blowing it up? Darren Fletcher," he added. "'Fletch, you alright?"'
Ferdinand delivered his own own prediction for the all-British Wembley clash - "Scotland are getting beaten 1-0" - irrespective of the textual hair dryer that was possibly coming his way from Fergie's phone.
Advert
The pair still share a close bond and in a show earlier this year, Ferdinand read ex-United player Ravel Morrison a heartfelt text message from Sir Alex.
England's 1-0 win over Croatia was surprisingly routine. The World Cup runners-up, clearly not quite the force they were three years ago, failed to threaten after Kalvin Phillips and Raheem Sterling combined to give the Three Lions the breakthrough.
Scotland's defeat to the Czechs was, in its own way, entirely routine as well as it featured the classic ingredient of near misses and tragicomic heartbreak.
Advert
Scotland hit the crossbar and missed several chances, but were undone by Schick's first-half header and incredible, second-half opportunism.
It means Scotland likely need to take something from England to stand a chance of qualification and, while Sir Alex is confident they will, his former defender firmly believes otherwise.
Image credit: PA Images/Vibe With Five
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Euro 2020, Sir Alex Ferguson, England, Rio Ferdinand, Scotland
