Manchester United and England icon Rio Ferdinand, who has become much more vocal in his career as a pundit, revealed that a player in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal ranks – who had been subject to criticism from Ferdinand in the past – actually messaged the West Ham United graduate on the back of his scathing remarks.
Ferdinand, following a celebrated career at the top of the English game, hung up his boots in the summer of 2015 as a bona fide legend in Old Trafford circles. Across his career, he won six Premier League titles and the solitary Champions League.
It’s, therefore, not too left field to suggest the former defender, born and raised in Camberwell, London, knows a thing or two about performing at the top of the beautiful game. However, the 81-cap England international's criticism of one Arsenal player over the years was not taken lightly, he has recently revealed.
Ferdinand Reveals Arsenal Star Privately Messaged Him Following Criticism
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On the back of Arsenal’s impressive start to the campaign, which began with a 1-0 win over Manchester United and was followed up with a 5-0 victory over Leeds United, Ferdinand admitted that he had been enjoying watching Gabriel Magalhaes, who signed for the club from LOSC Lille in the summer of 2020.
“You know, actually, who I’ve been enjoying watching lately? Gabriel. He’s so aggressive. So aggressive,” the pundit said on the most recent episode of his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
However, the Brazilian’s impressive display during their 1-0 defeat to title rivals Liverpool on 31 August reminded Ferdinand that Gabriel, 27, once privately messaged him on Instagram. He said: “I was watching him against Liverpool, and I was thinking… remember when he came back at me in my DMs?”
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“Well, what happened, he gave away a penalty late on in the season, a few bad decisions, like penalties and stuff. I said that, to become a top defender, he’s got to be less emotional and making them rash decisions in them critical moments in games. The sooner he gets out of his game, he’ll become a better footballer, a better player.
Ferdinand then revealed the rough detail of what the Gunners ace messaged him. “And he came back in my DMs going like, 'You’ve never played the game if that’s how you’re going on, and I respected you, but the way you’re talking about, it’s not fair.’
London-born Ferdinand, now 46 years of age, would’ve received plenty of flak from pundits during his career for United – and, as a result, is sympathetic towards Gabriel. “I understand that, because I felt like that when pundits spoke about me.”
“But I think as time goes on, and I think when I see him again and we chat about it, at some point, he’ll go, ‘Do you know what, actually you were probably right at the time, I just didn’t take it the right way.’”
Waxing lyrical about the centre-back, he continued: “I watch him now; that’s the only part of his game that’s improved. There’s bit that have improved elsewhere, don’t get me wrong, but he’s just eradicated silly, rash mistakes, which were holding him back."
Since making the move from France to England five years ago, Gabriel – who is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in world football – has played 213 times under Arteta’s watchful eye. He’s become something of a nuisance in both boxes for the north Londoners.
In that time, he’s scored 20 goals from centre-back, making full use of famous set piece coach Nicolas Jover’s instructions from the sidelines. In fact, no defender has scored more Premier League goals (17) than Gabriel since he made his debut in September 2020.