{"id":50779,"date":"2025-05-28T23:50:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T23:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=50779"},"modified":"2025-05-29T05:12:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T05:12:15","slug":"football-fans-react-with-joy-as-rio-ferdinand-departs-tnt-sports-after-champions-league-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/football-fans-react-with-joy-as-rio-ferdinand-departs-tnt-sports-after-champions-league-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Football Fans React With Joy As Rio Ferdinand Confirms He Will Depart TNT Sports At End Of Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rio Ferdinand has announced that after more than 10 years, he will be departing TNT Sports following the Champions League final on Saturday evening.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has announced that he will be leaving TNT Sports at the end of the season, with Saturday’s Champions League final being his last game working with the team.<\/p>\n

He first joined the broadcaster, then known as BT Sport, in 2013 and has been a key element of their European football coverage ever since.<\/p>\n

The six-time Premier League winner has come under increasing fire from football supporters in recent seasons though, with many criticising the quality of his punditry while analysing and commentating on games.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, numerous fans have responded with joy upon hearing the news of his imminent departure.<\/p>\n

On X (formerly Twitter), Rory Bond wrote:\u00a0“You weren\u2019t very good Rio. Need to ask yourself if you even tried your best.”<\/p>\n

HLTCO added: “Rio Ferdinand is leaving TNT Sports. I\u2019ve seldom seen such a universally popular piece of news on here amongst football fans.”<\/p>\n

Another fan wrote: “Can we move it forward to before the final?”<\/p>\n

Ferdinand, who wasn’t included among the highest earning football pundits in 2025<\/a>, revealed that he’d be moving on from TNT Sports in a lengthy statement released across his social channels.<\/p>\n

Rio Ferdinand Departs TNT Sports: Statement<\/h2>\n

The former England international wrote: “After ten incredible years, I have made the difficult decision to step away from TNT Sports after the Champions League final.<\/p>\n

“Since retiring from football, it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching on BT Sports and TNT Sports.<\/p>\n

“I want to acknowledge the tremendous support from the team behind the scenes, whose hard work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.<\/p>\n

“To everyone at TNT Sports, we have a brilliant end to the season to look forward to on Saturday and for now all focus will be on what I think could go down as one of the great European finals. The network continues to thrive with more rights than ever, and I look forward to following its progress and the exciting future that lies ahead.<\/p>\n

“Lastly, I would like to thank my family and my management company New Era for their ongoing support. They have supported me to travel all over Europe, following the best players and watching the best matches – for a football fan like me, it’s been a dream come true.<\/p>\n

“As I turn the page to the next chapter, I carry with me countless memories. I am excited about what the future holds, spending more time with my family, focusing on Rio Ferdinand Presents & my other business interests. I hope to stay connected with all of you in different capacities. Thank you once again for everything!”<\/p>\n

What Will Rio Ferdinand Do Next?<\/h2>\n

In his statement, Ferdinand claims he will place more focus on his 1.3 million-subscribed YouTube channel ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’, where he hosts numerous series’ such as ‘Rio Presents’, ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Rio Meets’.<\/p>\n

Recent videos on the channel include interviews with PSG stars Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Joao Neves and Vitinha, as well as with Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke. Ferdinand also says that he’ll now have more time for his other business ventures.<\/p>\n