Wednesday, February 11, 2026 - Former Manchester United and England defender, Rio Ferdinand, has revealed that chronic back problems sustained during his illustrious football career now leave him dependent on a wheelchair and hospitalization during severe flare-ups of pain.
The 47-year-old, widely regarded as one of the Premier
League’s greatest centre-backs, spoke candidly about the physical toll his
two-decade career has taken on his body in a recent interview with Men’s
Health UK. Ferdinand said injuries he played through during his career,
often masked with painkillers and injections, have resulted in lasting damage
that still affects him more than a decade after retiring from the professional
game.
“I’ve had a bad back for a long time … I get some bad
moments of back pain where I have to be in a hospital for a couple of days or
in a wheelchair for a couple of days. It’s mad, but it just comes out of
nowhere,” Ferdinand told Men's Health UK.
He admitted that years of playing through pain, often
relying on medication and injections to stay on the field, have contributed to
persistent back issues that can become debilitating without warning. “That’s
affected me,” he said, describing how the pain can strike suddenly and force
him into hospital care or wheelchair use.
Ferdinand’s storied career spanned more than 700 matches for
clubs including West Ham United, Leeds United, Manchester United, Queens Park
Rangers and the England national team, earning 14 major honours including six
Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy.
Since retiring in 2015, Ferdinand has shifted his focus to
managing his long-term health and wellbeing.
Now living in Dubai with his family, he has been working
with a physiotherapist and personal trainer on a more holistic approach to
injury prevention and recovery rather than just treating symptoms.
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