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Rio Ferdinand explains why Ian Wright left him thinking “I can’t stand this guy”
The ex-Manchester United defender has conceded that he was not left best pleased with boyhood hero Ian Wright after their first meeting on the pitch at contrasting ends of their playing careers

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has admitted he used to hate coming up against Arsenal icon Ian Wright, who would actively try to ‘get under his skin’.

The Red Devils ace conceded he idolised the Gunners hero growing up, only to be left seething with Wright’s conduct after the first time they faced off on the pitch. At the time, Ferdinand was still at West Ham and making his way in the game at the highest level.

Like Wright, Ferdinand was born and raised in south London and has since confessed that that meant growing up, every young footballer from that area worshipped Wright. The ex-United ace was no different until the time came to actually try and thwart the Arsenal star’s influence on the pitch.

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Recalling his encounter with the Highbury hero, Ferdinand told FIVE: “We had a corner and I was staying back on the halfway line marking Wrighty and as they were setting up he was just looking at me and I’m looking over him coz he’s only small, and he was looking at me trying to be a wind-up all screw-facing me and then he pushed me in my head and I pushed his hands away and said ‘ what are you doing?’ and he was just laughing, and I thought I hate this guy.”

The fellow ex-England ace went on to add: “I finished the game and I remember I went back to my mates on the estate and saying ‘I can’t stand Wrighty, he ain’t what we thought he was man, the way he treated me like that.’

“It wasn’t until a year or so later when I met him again with England, where he said ‘Nah man, that’s the game, that’s what we do! I’ve got to get under your skin!’, and I was like I see, I’ve got it now. He was just a different guy.”

Ian Wright and Rio Ferdinand now have a good relationship but that was not always the case in their playing days
Ian Wright and Rio Ferdinand now have a good relationship but that was not always the case in their playing days
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Wright has also had his say on the matter, though his version of events does align with Ferdinand’s. If anything, the ex-Arsenal forward admits to more unsportsmanlike behaviour than the former United talent accused him of.

Speaking to Off the Ball, the Gunners goalscorer was honest enough to concede: “Someone like Rio Ferdinand then, he was vexed with me because when he was younger he really liked me. So, the first thing I did was slaughter him about the way he looked and played. He used to hate me.”

As Ferdinand mentioned, the pair have long since patched things up and have even covered a number of high-profile fixtures together as part of punditry teams both at club and international tournament level.

Rio Ferdinand explains why Ian Wright left him thinking “I can’t stand this guy”
The ex-Manchester United defender has conceded that he was not left best pleased with boyhood hero Ian Wright after their first meeting on the pitch at contrasting ends of their playing careers

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has admitted he used to hate coming up against Arsenal icon Ian Wright, who would actively try to ‘get under his skin’.

The Red Devils ace conceded he idolised the Gunners hero growing up, only to be left seething with Wright’s conduct after the first time they faced off on the pitch. At the time, Ferdinand was still at West Ham and making his way in the game at the highest level.

Like Wright, Ferdinand was born and raised in south London and has since confessed that that meant growing up, every young footballer from that area worshipped Wright. The ex-United ace was no different until the time came to actually try and thwart the Arsenal star’s influence on the pitch.

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Recalling his encounter with the Highbury hero, Ferdinand told FIVE: “We had a corner and I was staying back on the halfway line marking Wrighty and as they were setting up he was just looking at me and I’m looking over him coz he’s only small, and he was looking at me trying to be a wind-up all screw-facing me and then he pushed me in my head and I pushed his hands away and said ‘ what are you doing?’ and he was just laughing, and I thought I hate this guy.”

The fellow ex-England ace went on to add: “I finished the game and I remember I went back to my mates on the estate and saying ‘I can’t stand Wrighty, he ain’t what we thought he was man, the way he treated me like that.’

“It wasn’t until a year or so later when I met him again with England, where he said ‘Nah man, that’s the game, that’s what we do! I’ve got to get under your skin!’, and I was like I see, I’ve got it now. He was just a different guy.”

Ian Wright and Rio Ferdinand now have a good relationship but that was not always the case in their playing days
Ian Wright and Rio Ferdinand now have a good relationship but that was not always the case in their playing days
Mirror Football is now on Threads! You can follow us here.

Wright has also had his say on the matter, though his version of events does align with Ferdinand’s. If anything, the ex-Arsenal forward admits to more unsportsmanlike behaviour than the former United talent accused him of.

Speaking to Off the Ball, the Gunners goalscorer was honest enough to concede: “Someone like Rio Ferdinand then, he was vexed with me because when he was younger he really liked me. So, the first thing I did was slaughter him about the way he looked and played. He used to hate me.”

As Ferdinand mentioned, the pair have long since patched things up and have even covered a number of high-profile fixtures together as part of punditry teams both at club and international tournament level.