Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand will no longer work as a TNT Sports critic this season, explaining why he moved to Dubai with his family this season.
Rio Ferdinand revealed why he moved to Dubai after finishing his 10-year stint as a television critic.
Ferdinand, 45, said the move was driven by a combination of lifestyle, family and education factors and a desire to settle from life tied up by an increasingly busy fixture schedule as the main face of TNT sports.
He announced at the end of last season that he would step away from his commitment to the broadcaster, but would maintain his own successful podcast business.
“There’s no one reason,” he told the public. “I went to the Global Football Awards for Christmas, but I wasn’t properly there for about seven or eight years. I spent some time with some of Kate’s friends who live there and saw another side to it.
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The former England centre back also highlighted Dubai’s family-friendly environment as a major attraction, saying he was impressed by the educational opportunities offered to children who visited the school with their partner Kate in February.
“In Dubai, it feels like they are important. Lifestyle means that children are happy and lively with good energy. Lifestyle, safety, weather – it’s just a new life,” he said.
“When I made the decision, I thought, ‘This should be 30 years my life was driven by fixtures. It’s not now.’ I’m not leaving football, but it’s not the governing body of my life now.
“The education system felt different for my kids and I felt better. The kids coming are 14 years old. This is perfect as it’s GCSE for two years starting in August this year. Since then, I have 4 and 2 years old, it’s the perfect timing for them too.
“The curriculum is an English curriculum, but it just took place in a different way. Teachers in the UK feel that they feel like underrated, low wages.”
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