The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Saturday
RIO FERDINAND
40, footballer and broadcaster What would your younger self make of your life today?
I’m from a big family and always envisaged having one of my own. I’ve been fortunate enough to have three little kids to keep me busy, and I enjoy it, but it’s harder than I thought it would be. You don’t think about the amount of time they need, the after-school activities and whatnot, but it’s part of it. Whether you’re bringing up children on your own or not [Ferdinand’s wife and the mother of his children, Rebecca Ellison, died of cancer in 2015], it’s testing.
When I was a boy, apart from wanting to be a dad, I wanted to be a singer or a footballer. I wanted to be like Michael Jackson or John Barnes or Diego Maradona. I played football with all my mates on the estate, but I also did ballet and drama classes, and had a great time doing a skit where I played one of two cockney grannies. I never took myself too seriously, and I was always up for a laugh, but I loved looking my best and being my best. I wanted to be a star.
In the end I made it as a footballer. If the very young Rio had seen how my career turned out, he’d probably say I underachieved, because he wanted to win everything. But when I got a bit older and I was a trainee at West Ham, I’d say to my mates that if I could just play one minute of professional football I would die a happy man.
So by winning some trophies for Manchester United and playing for England, I’ve gone above and beyond those expectations. I even played against my My childhood self would recognise that in me, because my dad was a tailor and he’d never let me leave the house with him if I was in some kind of raggy tracksuit. He’d make me cream my skin, make sure my hair was done properly, make sure my clothes were ironed. I’ve behaved like that ever since, always wanting to look my best, and I do the same with my children as my dad did with me.
As part of that I’ve always liked experimenting. When I signed for United I had bleached blond hair and a white suit on, and the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] said: “What have you come as?!” But that was just me being me. I’ve never changed in that sense, and I’ve never dressed to please anyone but myself. Now that I’m a TV pundit, if my hair’s not done and my suit’s not feeling the way I want it to feel, I don’t feel as confident. If my younger self could see me on TV, I’m sure he’d think I look the part, but he’d also tip his cap to the older Rio for making it in the media after a career in football. I hope he’d think I speak honestly and don’t say things just to get attention.
It’s important to be wellmannered, and that’s what I want for my children. My fiancée [former The Only Way is Essex star Kate Wright] and I want them to do well in school and to do something positive with their lives. That’s what most families want from their children, and I’m no different. I want to bring them up like my parents brought me up.
Interview by Tom Ough
Rio Ferdinand has partnered with Panasonic Grooming. Watch him talk about his personal style on Panasonic’s Grooming YouTube channel