Football
Rob Dawson, Correspondent 7y

Rio Ferdinand reveals regret over Man United's 2009 FA Cup defeat

Rio Ferdinand has said the one regret of his Manchester United career was not urging Sir Alex Ferguson to play his strongest team in the 2009 FA Cup semifinal.

In a Letter to My Younger Self, written for the Players' Tribune website, Ferdinand said that had cost him the chance to win the trophy.

Ferdinand won six Premier League titles, three League Cups and the Champions League during 12 years at Old Trafford, but never lifted the FA Cup.

He wrote: "Of all the matches you'll go on to play, if there's one thing you can do, just one thing you can change, tell the gaffer to play Rooney and Ronaldo in the FA Cup semifinal against Everton.

"There's a [Champions League] semifinal or something coming up and he wants to make sure everyone is rested. So he's shuffling the squad to keep people fit. I get it.

"But I know, I know if they played, there would have been another cup at Old Trafford. So say that to the manager.

"The FA Cup, it'll be the one trophy that eludes you in your career. And looking back, this would've been your best opportunity to get it. So tell him."

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