By SHAUN CUSTIS
RIO FERDINAND says Manchester United are bigger than England.
Ferdy, capped 81 times by his country, reckons the global appeal of United cannot be matched by the Three Lions.
The Red Devils centre-back is fiercely patriotic and said: “Playing for England has been one of the highlights of my career.” But Ferdinand insists it is an inescapable fact that the Premier League leaders are bigger than the national team.
This week it was announced United are the first sports club to be worth more than £2billion. And Ferdinand, 34, said: “Before I signed for United in 2002, I remember talking to Nicky Butt at the World Cup in Japan.
“He said, ‘If you think you get a big following with England, wait until you sign for United’. I didn’t really get it at the time but he was absolutely right.
“When we tour places like Asia with United, it’s just amazing. The interest is so much more than anything you experience with England.”
