Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has faced criticism after exchanging insults with football content creator Saeed TV over the club’s ownership.
The 47-year-old sparked the dispute after telling the influencer to “pick up ya t**s” and suggesting he was out of breath while typing. The response followed Saeed’s demand that Ferdinand speak out against Manchester United’s owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.
The exchange prompted a wave of reactions on social media, with some supporters condemning Ferdinand’s remarks while others defended his right to respond to the criticism.
Dispute Begins With Post About Manchester United
Ferdinand had shared a photograph of himself with Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, alongside a quote from the manager about the club being more important than any individual.
Carrick had said: “It is not about me. Manchester United is a lot bigger than any individual, bigger than me, bigger than any player and anyone else who works at the club.”
The reason for Ferdinand’s post was not clear. However, it came after defender Lisandro Martinez criticised the club’s leadership in an interview and suggested that the squad was not strong enough.
Saeed responded to Ferdinand’s post by challenging him to address the club’s ownership, writing: “Stop yapping and call out the owners!”
Saeed TV Accuses Ferdinand of Avoiding Accountability
Ferdinand responded with the remark about Saeed’s weight and his typing, prompting the content creator to publish a video criticising the former England international.
In the video, Saeed questioned Ferdinand’s conduct on social media and argued that, as a prominent former player, he should be mindful of his influence on younger fans.
“You are a grown man and this is the response you put on social media,” Saeed said.
He added that Ferdinand had children watching him and was regarded as a role model by people around the world.
Saeed also said he had experienced racial abuse online and was accustomed to criticism, but argued that Ferdinand’s personal attack was inappropriate given that he had been questioning the former defender about Manchester United’s leadership.
The influencer further suggested that Ferdinand was reluctant to criticise those running the club because he wanted to maintain his access to Manchester United.
Fans Condemn Ferdinand’s Remarks
Ferdinand’s response attracted criticism from some social media users, several of whom described the personal jibe as unnecessary.
One supporter wrote on X that Ferdinand was a “disgrace”, arguing that he had resorted to personal insults rather than addressing the criticism.
Another described the comment as a “very low personal blow” and said it was uncalled for, while other users also expressed disappointment with the former defender’s response.
The backlash has continued in Ferdinand’s Instagram comments, where some followers have questioned his handling of the exchange.
Other Supporters Defend Ferdinand’s Right to Respond
Despite the criticism, some fans argued that Saeed had provoked the confrontation by telling Ferdinand to stop talking and challenge the club’s owners.
One social media user said Ferdinand was entitled to respond after being addressed disrespectfully, while another argued that Saeed could not repeatedly criticise the former player and then object when he responded.
Others said Ferdinand had simply returned the disrespect he had received.
Although Ferdinand has not been as outspoken about Manchester United’s ownership as former teammate Gary Neville, he has criticised the club’s leadership on some previous occasions.
The dispute has centred on both Ferdinand’s comments about Saeed’s weight and the influencer’s demand that the former defender speak more openly about the people running Manchester United.
