Rio: I was next in line to take a penalty in Moscow

Rio Ferdinand was on the Clare Balding show and has talked about the night in Moscow when we beat Chelsea in the European Cup final.

Following missed penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo and John Terry, the shoot-out went in to sudden death. Ryan Giggs, on the night be broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s appearance record, slotted away his penalty, before Nicolas Anelka stepped up.

Had Anelka scored, Ferdinand was next in line. Edwin Van der Sar saved Anelka’s penalty though, letting Rio off the hook.

“I was gone,” Rio said. “My legs… if you see the pictures from behind, I’m telling Edwin to go that way, which was actually the wrong way. Luckily Edwin didn’t see me and went the other way and saved it. The rest is history. As I was doing that, I was holding on to the shoulders of the player next to me. I could just feel my legs like ‘woah, I’m the next to go up. How am I even going to walk to the penalty spot?’ I was gone. I don’t know if I’d have even hit the ball. I was so scared. So, thank you very much Edwin!”