Editing Rio Ferdinand (section)

====2007–2014====
[[File:Rio Juventus.jpg|thumb|Ferdinand with [[Olof Mellberg]] in a match against [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] in 2008]]

Ferdinand started the 2007–08 season well, he was part of a United defence that managed to keep six clean sheets in a row in the Premier League, before conceding an early goal to [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] at [[Villa Park]] on 20 October 2007.<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa 1–4 Man utd |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7043000.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=20 October 2007 |access-date=10 May 2012}}</ref> It was also during this game where Ferdinand scored his first goal of the season, which was United's third goal of that game, with a left foot strike which took a very strong deflection off one of Villa's defenders. Just three days later, Ferdinand scored his first European goal for United by opening the scoring against [[FC Dynamo Kyiv|Dynamo Kyiv]], with a superb header. United dominated the game and won 4–2.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dynamo Kiev 2–4 Man Utd |first=Saj |last=Chowdhury |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7054215.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=23 October 2007 |access-date=10 May 2012}}</ref>

On 12 January 2008, Ferdinand bagged a rare Premier League goal in a 6–0 hammering of [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] at Old Trafford. In their FA Cup quarter-final match against [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] on 8 March 2008 when Manchester United dominated, Ferdinand made a rare appearance as a goalkeeper, after [[Edwin van der Sar]] left the pitch with a groin injury and the replacement keeper, [[Tomasz Kuszczak]], was sent off after conceding a penalty. Despite diving the right way, he was unable to save [[Sulley Muntari]]'s spot kick, and Manchester United were eliminated from the [[FA Cup]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7272806.stm|title=Man Utd 0–1 Portsmouth|date=8 March 2008|access-date=26 June 2008|website=BBC Sport|first=Phil|last=McNulty}}</ref> On 6 April 2008, against Middlesbrough, Ferdinand limped out of the match due to a foot injury. He was rated doubtful whether he would face [[A.S. Roma]] in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg on 9 April 2008. He would play the full 90 minutes, though he received three stitches at half-time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/alansmith/2296848/Roma-fail-to-cash-in-on-jittery-defence.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/alansmith/2296848/Roma-fail-to-cash-in-on-jittery-defence.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Roma fail to cash in on jittery defence|last=Smith|first=Alan|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |date=10 April 2008|access-date=26 July 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

After United's 2–1 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League in April 2008, Ferdinand swore at Chelsea stewards and tried to kick a wall in the tunnel, but instead kicked a female steward, Tracy Wray. Ferdinand claimed to have merely brushed her with his foot.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2298475/Rio-Ferdinand-apologises-over-steward-incident.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2298475/Rio-Ferdinand-apologises-over-steward-incident.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Rio Ferdinand apologises over steward incident|last=Benammar|first=Emily|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |date=26 April 2008|access-date=19 July 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He said he had apologised and sent the steward some flowers. However, Wray showed the bruise on her leg to the media, and her husband claimed that Ferdinand had not apologised or sent flowers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1913804/Rio-Ferdinands-kick-victim-reveals-bruise-after-Chelsea-Manchester-United-match.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1913804/Rio-Ferdinands-kick-victim-reveals-bruise-after-Chelsea-Manchester-United-match.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Rio Ferdinand's kick victim reveals bruise|last=Bloxham|first=Andy|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |date=30 April 2008|access-date=19 July 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[File:Ferdinand Fabregas.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Ferdinand as [[Captain (association football)|captain]] during the [[2008–09 UEFA Champions League|2008–09 Champions League]] semi-final.]]

It was announced on 18 April 2008 that, along with [[Michael Carrick]] and [[Wes Brown]], Ferdinand had agreed to sign a new five-year contract, worth around £130,000 a week, that would keep him with United until 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ferdinand signs new Man Utd deal|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7354524.stm|website=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2008|access-date=15 May 2008}}</ref> On 21 May 2008, Ferdinand captained Manchester United to a [[2008 UEFA Champions League Final|Champions League Final]] victory versus Chelsea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manutd.com/en/Fixtures-And-Results/Match-Reports/2008/May/Report-MU-1-6-Chelsea-1-5.aspx|title=Report: MU 1 (6) Chelsea 1 (5)|publisher=Manchester United F.C.|date=21 May 2008|access-date=26 June 2008|last=Thompson|first=Gemma|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714030538/http://www.manutd.com/en/Fixtures-And-Results/Match-Reports/2008/May/Report-MU-1-6-Chelsea-1-5.aspx|archive-date=14 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> He accepted the trophy together with [[Ryan Giggs]], as Giggs was the on field captain for most of the matches during that season during [[Gary Neville]]'s absence due to injury.

In an interview with [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] he criticised FIFA's approach to tackling racism in football, stating that not enough was being done to punish those guilty of homophobic or racist abuse at matches. Regarding taunts aimed at [[Emile Heskey]] in England's 4–1 victory against Croatia in [[Zagreb]], Ferdinand remarked:<blockquote>"Croatia were fined a few thousand quid. What's that going to do? That is not going to stop people shouting racist or homophobic abuse...If things like this keep happening you have to take points off them. Then the punters will realise the team is going to be punished."<ref>{{cite news|title=Ferdinand condemns Fifa on racism|website=BBC Sport |date=8 October 2008|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7659284.stm|access-date=8 October 2008}}</ref></blockquote>

Ferdinand had an injury plagued 2009–10 season, a number of back and knee injuries kept him on the sidelines for months. He returned to action on 28 January 2010, but was banned for four games after being found guilty of violent conduct for elbowing [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]]'s [[Craig Fagan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jan/26/rio-ferdinand-fa-charge|last=Taylor|first=Daniel |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=26 January 2010 |access-date=19 July 2011|title=Rio Ferdinand charged by FA with violent conduct against Hull}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8481114.stm|title=Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand gets four-game ban |website=BBC Sport|date=28 January 2010|access-date=19 July 2011}}</ref>

Due to a knee injury he suffered in the summer of 2010, which ruled him out of the World Cup for England, he missed all of pre-season, the Community Shield and the first four games of the [[2010–11 Premier League]] season. He returned to first-team football in the opening game of the Champions League group stage against [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] on 14 September. He captained the side and played the full 90 minutes in a goalless draw. He started the season opening game in August 2011, the [[2011 FA Community Shield]], where United found themselves 2–0 down at half time to city rivals Manchester City. Ferdinand was taken off after 45 minutes along with defensive partner [[Nemanja Vidić]] and replaced by [[Jonny Evans]] and [[Phil Jones (footballer, born 1992)|Phil Jones]] respectively. United went on to win the game 3–2 and Ferdinand claimed his fourth Community Shield medal of his career. Ferdinand started in the opening Premier League match of the season at West Bromwich Albion, a game United won 2–1, but he went off with a hamstring injury after 75 minutes. After the match, [[Alex Ferguson]] confirmed that Ferdinand would be out for six weeks. Ferdinand however recovered much quicker than initially diagnosed and returned to take a place on the bench two weeks later at Old Trafford in United's 8–2 demolition of [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], although he did not play a part in the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/08/19/2626680/nemanja-vidic-out-for-up-to-five-weeks-as-rio-ferdinand|title=Ferdinand returns much earlier than expected for Arsenal game|publisher=Goal.com|date=19 August 2011|access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref> Ferdinand made his return to competitive action in a 1–1 draw against [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] at the [[Britannia Stadium]].

[[File:Rio Ferdinand QPR.JPG|thumb|150px|Ferdinand with Queens Park Rangers, October 2014]]

On 9 December 2012, Ferdinand was struck and injured by a coin thrown from the home crowd during United's 3–2 [[Manchester derby|derby]] victory away from home against Manchester City.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-20658846|title=Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand hurt by thrown coin|work=BBC News|date=9 December 2012}}</ref>

On 5 March 2013, Ferdinand, unhappy with the referee [[Cüneyt Çakır]]'s decision to send off [[Nani (footballer)|Nani]] during a 2–1 Champions League defeat to [[Real Madrid]] at Old Trafford, clapped sarcastically in the referee's face after the game. He escaped any punishment from UEFA for the incident.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/9915138/Manchester-Uniteds-Rio-Ferdinand-escapes-Uefa-sanction-for-sarcastically-applauding-Turkish-referee-Cuneyt-Cakir.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/9915138/Manchester-Uniteds-Rio-Ferdinand-escapes-Uefa-sanction-for-sarcastically-applauding-Turkish-referee-Cuneyt-Cakir.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand escapes Uefa sanction for sarcastically applauding Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=London |date=7 March 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On 12 May 2013, Ferdinand scored the winner and final goal of the Alex Ferguson era at Old Trafford in a 2–1 victory over [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]]. After a corner was missed by everyone, the ball found its way to Ferdinand at the back post and he hit it on the volley to seal the win. On 23 May 2013, it was announced that Ferdinand had secured a new one-year contract that would see him stay with the club until the end of the 2013–14 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22582699|title=Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand earns new contract|date=23 May 2013}}</ref> He was not offered an extension when that contract expired, and agreed to leave Manchester United on 12 May 2014. In a letter on his official website, he said "I am feeling fit and healthy, ready for a new challenge and looking forward to whatever the future holds for me."<ref>{{cite news|title=Rio Ferdinand: Defender to leave Manchester United in summer|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27386066|access-date=12 May 2014|website=BBC Sport|date=12 May 2014}}</ref>