- The Champions League final was Rio Ferdinand’s last gig for TNT Sports
- Before kick-off he tweeted a photo of himself and wrote: ‘The Last Dance’
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Saturday was a big day for Rio Ferdinand as the former Manchester United and England defender made his final appearance as a TNT Sports pundit.
The 46-year-old was part of the broadcaster’s coverage of the UEFA Champions League final in Munich.
Before kick-off between Paris Saint-Germain faced Inter Milan, Ferdinand joined ex-England team-mate Steven Gerrard and presenter Laura Woods pitchside.
Ferdinand and Gerrard was pictured deep in conversation with Gerrard, who recently rejected an offer to resume his managerial career with Rangers.
He was also seen embracing Inter Milan striker Marko Arnautovic in a warm exchange as the players inspected Allianz Arena pitch.
During TNT’s pre-match build-up, Woods gave a nod to it being a big night for Ferdinand as he said to him on air: ‘Rio, you’ve just been taking it all in, haven’t you?’
Rio Ferdinand pictured (centre) grinning wildly ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final
Ferdinand, alongside Laura Woods (left) and Steven Gerrard (right) was working for TNT Sports
Inter Milan’s Marko Arnautovic gave Ferdinand a pre-match hug at Munich’s Allianz Arena
He replied: ‘Yeah, I have. I’ve been in the city for three days now. It’s been a bit of a lads’ tour. We’ve been loving it.’
Saturday’s farewell appearance marked the end of Ferdinand’s 10-year run with TNT Sports and its predecessor BT Sport.
He had become a regular face on both domestic and European football coverage.
Around half an hour before Saturday’s game got underway, Ferdinand tweeted a photo of himself next to Gerrard and Woods, captioning it: ‘The Last Dance’, followed by a microphone emoji.
Confirming his departure earlier this week, Ferdinand had said: ‘After 10 incredible years, I have made the difficult decision to step away from TNT Sports after the Champions League final.
‘Since retiring from football, it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching on BT Sport and TNT Sports.’
He went on to thank behind-the-scenes staff, his family, and management team for their support over the years and said he would now focus on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast and other ventures.
Ferdinand also continues his work with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, which he launched in 2012.
