Rio Ferdinand

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Rio Gavin Ferdinand
Ferdinand started his career at West Ham United (youth team) in 1992 as a student (Blackheath Bluecoat School) and became a professional player under their youth system. Rio made his first team debut on 5 May 1996 as a substitute in a match against Sheffield Wednesday. Ferdinand joined FA Premier League football club Leeds United in November 2000 for £18 million. In August 2001, Rio Ferdinand became the captain of the Leeds squad. Ferdinand's first term in Yorkshire gave him a real taste of European football, as Leeds United FC reached the semi-finals of the Champions League before exiting to the hands of Valencia CF. His development continued, and as Ferdinand gained in maturity and consistency, he began to fulfill the rich expectations the club had of him. 
Manchester United
On April 15 2002 Rio got named in the PFA Premiership team of the year, and in July of the same year he moved to Manchester United after starring in the 2002 Japan/Korea World Cup. His performances at this tournament convinced Sir Alex Ferguson enough to pay Leeds United a British record £30m for their captain. Ferdinand went on to win the Premier League championship with Manchester United in his first season at Old Trafford. Following the same year in September he received a suspension for eight months for his "failure or refusal" to take a random drugs test. The Football Association upheld the ban, sidelining the defender until September 2004. Ferdinand’s eight-month suspension led this player to miss the UEFA EURO 2004 and he battled with Sol Campbell and John Terry for one of the two places in England’s central defense ever since. Rio was virtually ever-present once his suspension expired at May 2005 as Manchester United finished third in the Premiership, reached the Champions League last 16 and the FA Cup final - in which Ferdinand had a goal disallowed in the 0-0 draw that preceded penalty shoot-out defeat against Arsenal FC. His disappointment was fairly short-lived. As one month later in June 2005 after lengthy negotiations, he penned a new contract in the summer, tying himself to Man Utd until 2009.

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