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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
Sport
George Bennett

Ex-Leeds United defender Rio Ferdinand recalls first meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson

Rio Ferdinand Alex Ferguson Leeds United EPL Jesse Marsch World Cup 2002 Old Trafford

Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he 'never' had any intention of joining Manchester United until he met Sir Alex Ferguson at the 2002 World Cup.

Man United had lifted seven Premier League titles by the time Ferdinand played for the Three Lions in South Korea and Japan. Ferdinand played in each of England's six games at the World Cup finals - scoring in a 3-0 win over Denmark in the Round of 16.

The 43-year-old controversially left Leeds for Old Trafford later that summer for a fee of £30million, which broke the world transfer record paid for a defender at the time. Ferdinand admitted that he was 'jealous' of the Red Devils' success under Ferguson but that his mind was immediately made up once Man United made a bid for him.

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