https://www.scmp.com/rss/524284/feed The latest news and top stories on Rio Ferdinand, a highly decorated former England and Manchester United centre-back. Known for his exceptional defensive prowess and leadership, he won six Premier League titles and the Champions League. Since retiring, he transitioned into a prominent media career, notably as a long-standing analyst for BT Sport/TNT Sports and the BBC, providing insightful commentary on major football events. He recently departed TNT Sports to focus on his 'Rio Ferdinand... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press Argentina and Lionel Messi will play Algeria to open their World Cup title defence as part of a group that also includes Austria. The United States were drawn on Friday to start against Paraguay at Inglewood, California, on June 12, a day after Mexico host the opener against South Africa. The US reached the semi-finals at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and have got as far as the quarter-finals only one other time, in 2002. US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3335426/fifa-2026-argentina-open-world-cup-against-algeria-us-starts-against-paraguay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3335426/fifa-2026-argentina-open-world-cup-against-algeria-us-starts-against-paraguay?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 19:28:33 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Tomasz Kuszczak and Nemanja Vidic both suffered embarrassing moments in Saturday’s exhibition match between teams of Manchester United and Liverpool old boys. The good news for the ex-United pair was that not many people were inside Kai Tak Stadium to witness their howlers. Without doubt, the official 27,081 attendance figure seemed wildly generous. Kuszczak got especially lucky in that he committed his error very early. The game kicked off around six minutes before the stated 5pm start time,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329529/manchester-united-and-liverpool-old-boys-underwhelm-hong-kong-fans-stay-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329529/manchester-united-and-liverpool-old-boys-underwhelm-hong-kong-fans-stay-away?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 14:00:20 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Manchester United legend Michael Carrick has said he is in no rush to return to management, and alongside former Liverpool player John Arne Riise, promised to put on a show for fans at the Red on Red legends game in Hong Kong on Saturday. The pair will once again pull on the Liverpool and Manchester United colours as they feature in a team of retired legends, captained by former teammates Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand, at Kai Tak Stadium. Carrick, who won the Premier League five times with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3329262/man-united-icon-carrick-ponders-management-future-ahead-hong-kong-match?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3329262/man-united-icon-carrick-ponders-management-future-ahead-hong-kong-match?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 09:30:09 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Rio Ferdinand has said the Red on Red legends match at Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday would provide a welcome opportunity to “see the old gang again and have a few beers”. The decorated former England defender will skipper a “Rio 11” made up of ex-Manchester United players including Michael Carrick, Dimitar Berbatov and Nicky Butt, who finished his career with Hong Kong club South China in 2011. They will tackle a “Gerrard 11” captained by Liverpool great Steven Gerrard, who last week rejected the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329063/rio-ferdinand-driven-pride-giving-back-and-beer-united-v-liverpool-old-boys-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3329063/rio-ferdinand-driven-pride-giving-back-and-beer-united-v-liverpool-old-boys-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 04:30:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters England’s golden generation failed to live up to their potential because they were “egotistical losers” who fostered an unfriendly environment and were unable to work together, former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard said. In the 2000s, big things were expected from an England squad that included the likes of Gerrard, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard, but the team never progressed past the quarter-finals at a major tournament. Gerrard and Ferdinand will face off... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3328182/englands-golden-generation-were-egotistical-losers-ex-midfielder-gerrard-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3328182/englands-golden-generation-were-egotistical-losers-ex-midfielder-gerrard-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 03:35:05 +0000