• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Man Utd player was 'almost in tears' after Sir Alex Ferguson told him he was retiring

Home> Football> Football News> Man Utd

Published 10:44 25 Jan 2024 GMT

Man Utd player was 'almost in tears' after Sir Alex Ferguson told him he was retiring

Rio Ferdinand has recently opened up on the moment Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement to the Manchester United squad.

Tom Jenkins

Tom Jenkins

Rio Ferdinand has recalled the emotional moment Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement to the Manchester United squad.

Sir Alex left his role as manager of United in 2013, after 26 seasons at the helm at Old Trafford, winning 13 English titles.

Fittingly, Sir Alex ended his managerial career by lifting the Premier League title after bouncing back from missing out on the final day in the previous season.

Advert

The Scot claimed at the time that this was the 'right time' for him to step back from his managerial duties, the then 71-year-old had won it all with the club and given the fortunes of his squad since it might have been a wise decision.

One of Sir Alex's biggest achievements during his time at United was the 1999 treble where he won the Premier League, FA Cup, and the Champions League, becoming the first English team to accomplish the feat.

United's record was only equaled by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side last season.

Advert

Given Sir Alex's legacy at the club it was always going to be a huge moment when the news broke to the world that he would be leaving.

Rio Ferdinand recently opened up on the moment Sir Alex announced his retirement to the rest of the squad, well before the rest of the world of football knew.

Speaking on the The Obi One Podcast, Ferdinand said: “I’ll never forget the moment. The air was almost sapped out of the changing room, and everyone just looked at each other."

Robin Van Persie with Sir Alex- Getty
Robin Van Persie with Sir Alex- Getty

Advert

Ferdinand also revealed that one player took the decision much harder than the rest of the squad: “I remember that Robin van Persie signed because the manager was there, and I remember looking at him straight away, and he was almost in tears.

“Although he’s had hardly a season with the manager, he adored the gaffer. The guy was gobsmacked.”


Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Football, Manchester United, Robin Van Persie, Sir Alex Ferguson, Rio Ferdinand, Premier League

Tom Jenkins
Tom Jenkins

Tom Jenkins is a Social Editor and Journalist for SPORTBible. Specialises in Football and F1 but has experience covering a variety of sports such as MMA, Boxing and Cricket. Suffers weekly as an Evertonian.

X

@tomjenkns

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
8 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    Sir Alex Ferguson left 'furious' by 'careless' piece of commentary by Martin Tyler as full story revealed

    Martin Tyler angered Sir Alex Ferguson with his comment on commentary and apologised to the Manchester United legend.

    Football
  • 8 hours ago

    Thibaut Courtois calls out his own Real Madrid teammates as he makes outrageous claim after PSG defeat

    Real Madrid were eliminated from the Club World Cup following their crushing defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

    Football
  • 8 hours ago

    Real Madrid fans turn on two players after embarrassing defeat to PSG in FIFA Club World Cup

    Los Blancos were hammered 4-0 by the Champions League winners.

    Football
  • 8 hours ago

    PSG handed Club World Cup final blow as two players immediately banned for Chelsea clash

    Paris Saint-Germain will be without two key players for the Club World Cup final against Chelsea.

    Football
  • Sir Alex Ferguson ripped into former Man Utd star for what he allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to do
  • Ex-Man Utd star names the one player who was treated different to everyone else and was like a son to Sir Alex Ferguson
  • Man Utd legend Sir Alex Ferguson refused to speak to the BBC for SEVEN years in bitter dispute over his son
  • Steven Gerrard revealed the eight-word question he wants to ask Sir Alex Ferguson after claiming Liverpool legend isn't a 'top, top player