Rio Ferdinand says that although he “no longer gets on” with John Terry, he can admit that the Chelsea defender has been “outstanding” this season.
The former England team-mates do not speak any more as a result of the fall-out from Terry’s racism case with Ferdinand’s brother, Anton.
Rio Ferdinand last year used his autobiography to say he found it “impossible to forgive or forget” the pain of that incident, but on Friday said in his column in The Sun he felt moved to praise Terry’s on-the-field performances.
He said: “It’s no secret that me and John Terry are not the closest of mates. But just because we no longer get on does not mean I’ve lost my admiration for him as a footballer.