Ex-Man Utd Defender Rio Ferdinand - He Keeps Leaving and Rejoining WhatsApp Group

Rio Ferdinand spent 12 trophy-laden years at Man Utd

Rio Ferdinand Shares Hilarious WhatsApp Habits of Old Manchester United Stars

Even in retirement, Rio Ferdinand remains at the heart of Manchester United’s legendary 2000s squad. The former centre-back, who left Old Trafford for Queens Park Rangers in 2015, has maintained close ties with his former teammates through a WhatsApp group he created himself, affectionately named “Band of Brothers.”

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Ferdinand recently revealed some humorous quirks among the group’s members, highlighting how certain stars repeatedly exit and rejoin the chat. “Patrice comes in and out because someone says something Patrice doesn’t like,” Ferdinand explained. “He deletes himself and then asks me to bring him back in because I’m the admin.”

The chat, which features club icons like Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Edwin van der Sar, the De Silva twins, Darren Fletcher, and John O’Shea, serves as a virtual clubhouse for the former stars to voice their opinions on modern Manchester United.

“We hammer each other constantly,” Ferdinand admitted while speaking to the Nationals. “It’s mostly venting about the current team. ‘He’s not good enough,’ stuff like that. It keeps me connected to the lads.”

Even Vidic isn’t immune to the group’s dramatic exits. Ferdinand shared: “Nemanja walked out because there was too much going on. Just deleted himself.” Despite these comical departures, the bond among the former teammates remains strong, demonstrating how the camaraderie built on the pitch extends far beyond retirement.

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Ferdinand, 46, has balanced these personal connections with a successful punditry career, most recently with TNT Sports. Yet, earlier this summer, he shocked fans by stepping away from his long-running role. “I wanted a new chapter,” he said. “It feels nice to have football in my life, but not as the governing body of it.”

Through it all, the WhatsApp group remains a testament to the enduring relationships forged at Old Trafford, where the banter is lively, the exits are frequent, and re-entries are guaranteed. As Ferdinand puts it, “It’s a constant reminder of the lads and the era we shared.”