Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United and England defender, made a cheeky demand live on BBC television four years ago, asking that fellow studio analyst Ashley Williams be removed from the set. The incident occurred after the ex-Wales international snubbed England in his predictions for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
During the latter stages of the tournament, Ferdinand discussed potential routes to the final with Williams, Gary Lineker, and Alan Shearer. Ferdinand outlined a scenario involving Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Argentina. When Williams was asked to assess the opposite side of the draw, which included England's quarter-final against France, he omitted the Three Lions entirely, saying, "Then you've got France vs Spain."
Ferdinand's Immediate Reaction
Ferdinand swiftly interjected, exclaiming, "What? What are you talking about?" He then jokingly added, "This is why Ashley shouldn't be in here. He should be gone now, take him out." The lighthearted exchange highlighted the tension between the former internationals, with Ferdinand defending England's chances.
England ultimately lost that quarter-final 2-1 to France in 2022. However, at the 2026 World Cup, England have advanced to the semi-finals after beating Norway 2-1 on Saturday night, with Jude Bellingham scoring both goals.
Ferdinand's Changed Prediction
At the start of the 2026 tournament, Ferdinand predicted France or Spain would win. However, he has since changed his mind after seeing England reach the last four under Thomas Tuchel. On his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said, "I think we do. When the chips are down and things aren’t going well, England are working things out. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle and we’re showing we’re able to find the right piece at the right time."
He added, "I think that’s one of the things we have over the others. Argentina have managed to do that a couple of times but they’ve looked closer to going out than we have."
Bellingham's Impact
Jude Bellingham has emerged as a standout player in the 2026 World Cup. Despite his brace against Norway, Ferdinand hesitated to award him man of the match, instead praising Elliot Anderson. Ferdinand said, "Yeah, I thought Anderson. Elliot Anderson, I thought, was great. I can make very good arguments that you might not win the game without either of their performances and impact moments, so you need the blend of both."
He elaborated, "I’ve played in many games where, I don’t know, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored two goals but then Paul Scholes walks off with the man of the match or a defender does because they have moments in that game that aren’t as match-defining, but you know that without them moments or the bits of play that person had or contributed, we may not get to win the game."
Ferdinand concluded, "But listen, there’s no doubt in my mind, if Jude gets man of the match then he deserves it. He’s a match-winner... I’m saying it with my chest, yes, Jude Bellingham is the best England player that we’ve had in tournament football since 1966, any tournaments."
