Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand recalls the day Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he was retiring from football.
After the Red Devils won the Premier League in 2013, the legendary manager resigned from his role.
Fans were upset when he revealed his departure less than two weeks before the season’s last day.
Ferdinand has also acknowledged that the retirement of Sir Alex saddened him and his teammates just as much.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast to former Chelsea player John Obi Mikel, the former defender stated:
“The WhatsApp messages started getting crazy the night before the news hit the media. And in the morning, everyone is texting each other that the manager is leaving.
“I’ll never forget the moment. The air almost sapped out of the changing room, and everyone just looked at each other.”
He continued by saying that after the news, Robin Van Persie, who had only been at United for a year, was on the verge of tears.
He said: “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.”
In 2012, Van Persie left Arsenal for Manchester United in a £24 million deal and won the Premier League title in his first season at the club, winning the Golden Boot in the process.
The striker went on to score 58 goals in 105 games and was a key member of United’s championship-winning squad.
