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RIO FERDINAND MADE HIS FINAL APPEARANCE ON TNT SPORTS FOR SATURDAY'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL JOHN JONES Sport Reporter and KEITH WALES 15:40, 01 Jun 2025 Saturday's Champions League

final was Rio Ferdinand's last appearance on TNT Sports as he stepped down from his decade-long role as a pundit. The ex-Manchester United and England defender reportedly turned down a

contract renewal offer from TNT bosses before confirming his departure following the Saturday night showdown between Inter Milan and PSG in Munich, labelling it a "difficult"

decision. "After 10 incredible years, I have made the difficult decision to step away from TNT Sports after the Champions League final," he stated. "Since retiring from

football it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching on BT Sport and TNT Sports. "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. "The network continues to thrive with more rights than ever. I know I look forward to

following its progress and the exciting future that lies ahead. "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." Article continues below The seasoned 46 year old has decided to leave the broadcaster amidst a

flurry of rumours suggesting he'd now be leaving the UK too. Ferdinand, who also played for West Ham and Leeds United, had been linked with opportunities in the US with the upcoming

World Cup, but talk soon shifted to a potential Dubai move. It was in Dubai that Ferdinand and reality star wife Kate were first set up by friends almost 10 years back. Earlier this year,

reports from The Sun hinted that the couple had started scouting out properties and schools in Dubai, planning a relocation suitable for their family life. Kate and Ferdinand share two

children, in addition to Kate being stepmother to Ferdinand's three other children from his marriage with Rebecca Ellison, who died due to cancer in 2015. Ferdinand is yet to publicly

confirm his next career move, but it is believed a move to the United Arab Emirates would also see the couple travel back and forth to the UK to fulfil their work commitments, with Kate the

founder of online platform _blended._ His exit from TNT Sports comes weeks after he suffered a terrifying health scare which caused him to pull out of their European football coverage. He

was set to provide insight on Arsenal's Champion League bout with PSG and commentate on Manchester United's Europa League showdown versus Athletic Bilbao. Fate had other plans, as

he found himself bedridden in hospital, battling a "crazy virus". Opening up about the frightening experience, Ferdinand shared that his condition was so dire at one point it led

him to contemplate mortality, plagued by severe migraines, vertigo and uncontrollable vomiting. "I had a mad virus," he divulged on his programme, Rio Ferdinand Presents. "I

thought the lights were out at some point, I thought it was gonna happen. I thought I was minutes away from lights out, seriously." Describing the intensity of his symptoms, he added:

"I was in my house, I was in my bed like this [pained expression] and I couldn't even open my eyes. Then, the headache I had... I don't get migraines or nothing else so I

don't know what they're like. I thought my head was in a vice and my eyes were going to pop out. "Then I was being sick, projectile vomiting in the toilet. I got back to bed

and I was having vertigo." Article continues below Additional stress was piled on when medics suggested Ferdinand needed a brain scan - a prospect that significantly heightened his

anxiety after he had already conceded to an ambulance dash to the hospital. He added: "I had to go to hospital and the doctor even said to me, 'Do you want an ambulance?' So

that's when I knew (it was serious). "He went on, 'We're going to get your brain scanned'. I thought it was a virus or a flu or something so when he mentioned brain

scan and the ambulance, the panic was nuts. "So I went to hospital and I was in there for a few days. I couldn't even enjoy the hospital food. The soup and the ice cream normally

does wonders."