24
Interview
PowerList 2008
RIO GRANDE
He may be a Manchester United and England
star, but, as Jamie Jackson discovered, there’s
more to Rio Ferdinand than football
W
hat a year for Rio Ferdinand. Lifting the Premier League to England this year from the soccer school we set up there.
and Champions League trophies for Manchester United They played against the under-16s of Millwall, Portsmouth,
was made all the sweeter as those triumphs had fol- and Manchester United and won all the games, didn’t concede
lowed captaining England for the first time in March. He also a goal against these professional sides. And a few of the clubs
signed a fresh five-year contract at Old Trafford on a salary said took an interest in the players.’
to be £120,000 a week and Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Aware of how precarious any ambition to become a
he will be United’s long-term captain when Gary Neville and Ryan professional footballer is, especially in Africa, which lacks the
Giggs are no longer first-team regulars, possibly next season. structures found in western Europe, Rio is also determined
And, with his ambitions away from the game to help disadvan- that children understand they can still have a future in sport.
taged youngsters here and in Africa, it is little wonder the boy ‘Not everyone can be a professional. So we’d like to create
from Peckham is in the top 10 of the Powerlist – the only foot- something where the kids can go to a soccer academy alongside
baller currently lacing his boots to feature anywhere in the 100. an education programme which gives them an opportunity so
that, if they don’t make it, it’s not over for them in terms of
football if that’s something they really love doing.
‘I’d like to go to Africa
‘When I was at school, my life was based around football. If
I didn’t become a player I was going to do something involving
in the summer and play
sport – working with kids or coaching. A lot of my mates do
that type of thing, so a lot of these kids need to realise it’s not
a part in a community
over. You can become a physiotherapist, a scout, a coach.’
Rio says he still has many of the friends he grew up with in
with young children,
Peckham, and he is conscious of the importance of a positive
peer group. ‘Kids can be inspirations to their friends and other
to help them achieve a
children within a community. If one of them goes on to become
a physio, a sports reporter, etcetera, then that’s an inspiration.’
better way of life’
He is also convinced that being asked to lead can help young
people mature. ‘Definitely. It works all the way through your
life. I’ve felt that. On the occasions at United being captain
when Gary Neville hasn’t been fit, and doing it for England, the
Having grown up on a rough council estate in south London, responsibility fills you with confidence. I think that’s the same
Ferdinand’s journey offers undeniable inspiration for young with every young kid. When you give one the responsibility of
people, however challenging their backgrounds are. Did he going into a classroom and having his own book and saying,
ever believe he would grow up to lead England? ‘You dream, “Write about this, I’ll leave it to you to do it, and you don’t need
everyone dreams, don’t they? I dreamed of captaining my club anyone’s help”, the encouragement they draw from things like
and country and stuff, and to be given an opportunity to have that goes no end. That’s the kind of stuff you want to implement
that responsibility, to lead your team out, is unbelievable. I’m in kids. It breeds confidence for them to go out into the world
living the dream every day being a footballer, let alone being a and make a good, honest living.’
captain.’ Rio is also aware of the massive, untapped potential of Africa
With knife and gun crime rising across the country, the which, he believes, can follow India and China and undergo a
30-year-old multi-millionaire was made an anti-weapons massive step-leap in its development.
ambassador by former Prime Minister Tony Blair in April 2007. ‘Where I’m from in Peckham is like a mini-Nigeria, anyway,
Four years earlier Southwark Council unveiled a blue plaque so I’ve always been around a load of Nigerians and African
on the Friary estate in recognition of his contribution. But guys and different cultures like Irish and Turkish and what-
Ferdinand is also determined to help communities around not. The trip to [Nigeria] was hopefully to open some doors
the world. With his father, Julian, and brother Anton, the and set the foundation for an academy. Nothing’s been agreed
Sunderland defender, Rio started a football academy last but this is my aim because every year you get time off from
summer in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. And in June this playing, of around three weeks to a month. I’d like to think
year he was again in Africa, this time visiting Lagos, Nigeria. most [summers] I’d be able to go to Africa, as well as Asia
Was this to explore whether a similar project could be and Europe, and hopefully play some part in a community
started in the Nigerian commercial capital? ‘Yeah. Uganda was with young children to help them achieve a better way of life
really exciting and that’s coming to fruition now. A team came through education and sport.’
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