John Terry has made it clear that there will be no surprise reconciliation with Rio Ferdinand anytime soon, as one of English football’s most infamous fallouts continues more than a decade after it first erupted.
Asked about the idea of appearing on Ferdinand’s podcast, Terry shut it down instantly, leaving little room for interpretation.
The former Chelsea captain says the door has effectively closed, not out of bitterness, but because repeated attempts to address the past have gone nowhere.
In his words, there comes a point when you stop pushing and simply move on.
A Rift That Began With One Explosive Night in 2011
The breakdown in the relationship traces back to October 2011, during a heated Premier League match between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.
Terry was accused of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, Rio’s younger brother, an allegation that immediately tore apart their long-standing friendship.
Terry was later charged by the Crown Prosecution Service but cleared in court after pleading not guilty.
Despite the acquittal, the Football Association conducted its own investigation and reached a different conclusion, handing Terry a four-match ban and a £220,000 fine.
Terry’s Version of Events and the Fallout
Terry has consistently denied racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.
He has maintained that the words he used were misunderstood, claiming he was responding to an accusation rather than making a slur.
Video footage of the exchange circulated widely at the time, intensifying scrutiny and public reaction.
Although he accepted the FA’s punishment and chose not to appeal, the damage was already done.
His relationship with both Anton and Rio Ferdinand never recovered, despite Terry insisting he tried to make contact in the immediate aftermath.
A Missed Chance to Rebuild Bridges
Over the years, Terry has spoken openly about wanting to clear the air.
One moment that still lingers came during an encounter in Dubai several years ago, when Terry approached Rio Ferdinand in person.
“I asked him if he had five minutes to talk,” Terry later recalled.
“He just said he didn’t want to speak to me.”
That rejection, Terry says, was the moment he accepted that reconciliation might never happen.
He insists he won’t keep revisiting something that the other side has no interest in discussing.
Podcast Talk Ends Before It Begins
Speculation recently resurfaced that Terry could appear on Ferdinand’s podcast, reigniting debate about whether the two might finally talk publicly. Terry’s response was blunt.
“That’s definitely not happening,” he said. “He doesn’t even talk to me.”
Terry added that while he would once have welcomed the opportunity, the lack of engagement from Ferdinand has left him feeling there is no point in pushing further.
Accepting the FA Verdict and Offering an Apology
Following the FA’s ruling, Terry chose to accept the punishment and later issued an apology for the language used, regardless of context.
He acknowledged that certain words have no place in football or wider society.
While disappointed with the verdict, he said he understood the broader responsibility players carry and admitted the situation should have been handled better.
Revisiting the Case in the Public Eye
The controversy resurfaced in 2021 when Terry discussed the incident in a BBC documentary titled Football, Racism and Me.
Once again, he described efforts to speak privately with Rio Ferdinand and expressed regret that a potentially powerful united stance against racism never materialised.
Terry argued that the moment could have been used to send a stronger message across football, rather than becoming a prolonged personal dispute.
Rio Ferdinand’s Long-Standing Anger
Ferdinand has never softened his stance.
In his 2014 autobiography, he strongly criticised Terry’s handling of the affair, using harsh language to describe his former England team-mate.
From Ferdinand’s perspective, the issue has always gone beyond football, centring instead on accountability, family, and how the situation was addressed publicly.
Anton Ferdinand Pushes Back on Terry’s Claims
Anton Ferdinand has also disputed Terry’s suggestion that he attempted to reach out.
In a public message shared in 2021, Anton said he never received a direct call from Terry before or during the making of the documentary.
However, he did leave the door slightly open, stating he would be willing to talk if the intention was genuinely about tackling racism in football and creating positive change.
A Feud That Shows No Sign of Fading
For now, the standoff remains unresolved.
Terry appears resigned to the idea that the past will stay buried, while the Ferdinand brothers continue to view the episode as unfinished business.
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