Rio Ferdinand, the world's most expensive defender, has been an integral part of the Manchester United defence since joining the club for £30 million in July 2002. Ferdinand began his career at West Ham United and progressed through the club's youth system to make his debut on 5 May 1996 as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Upton Park.
Rio Ferdinand, the world's most expensive defender, has been an integral part of the Manchester United defence since joining the club for £30 million in July 2002. Ferdinand began his career at West Ham United and progressed through the club's youth system to make his debut on 5 May 1996 as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Upton Park. The following season saw him establish himself as a regular in the Hammers defence. He went on to make 127 appearances for the club before joining Leeds United in December 2000 for a fee of £18 million. At the time, it was both the record British transfer fee and the world record transfer fee for a defender. His first season at the Yorkshire club saw him play in the Champions League semi-finals, losing 3-0 on aggregate to Spanish side Valencia.
Ferdinand fulfilled his promise as a world-class defender during the 2002 World Cup, where his partnership with Sol Campbell during the tournament saw him hailed as the finished product as a result for his confident marshalling of the English defence. He then joined Manchester United, again setting new records for British transfer fees and World transfer fee for a defender. His first season at Old Trafford proved to be a successful one as United regained the Premiership title and also made the League Cup final. Rio Ferdinand has made over 50 appearances for the England and has been selected for three FIFA World Cup squads.
(c) Givemefootball.com official Rio Ferdinand profile
