Rio Ferdinand has backed Lionesses captain Steph Houghton to follow in David Beckham's footsteps as she looks to shake off her injury worries ahead of the European Women's Championship this summer.
Achilles issues have struck 121-cap stalwart Houghton at the worst possible time, keeping her out of five England internationals and threatening her hopes of glory on home soil. Ferdinand watched Manchester United teammates Beckham and Wayne Rooney battle through injuries to play key roles at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
The iconic central defender is backing Houghton to stage a comeback in time for the major tournament that opens at Old Trafford on July 6. "From my own experience with England, we’ve brought our top players back before," he said.