Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand has revealed his plans to leave the UK. The 46-year-old is preparing to relocate from his home in Bromley, South London, to Dubai with his wife Kate and two of their children who are still in school.
The trend of ex-footballers moving to the Middle East has been on the rise in recent years, and Ferdinand cited three key reasons that influenced his decision to move abroad. The Ferdinand’s will be leaving behind their £4million mansion in Bromley, which boasts a swimming pool, gym and dressing room, according to OK! Magazine.
In an interview with National News, the former Manchester United captain shared how a brief visit to Dubai had sparked his interest in living there. He said: “There’s not one reason. I went for the Global Soccer Awards at Christmas and I hadn’t been there properly for about seven or eight years. I used to go there all the time before.”
He continued: “We spent time with a couple of (partner) Kate’s friends who lived there and I just saw a different side to it. I also have a business out there, Football Escapes. I thought about moving, then we went back again in February for a little look at the schools just in case and it just pricked my mind to think about it. That was almost like a big kicker for me because the education system felt different, felt better for my kids.”
Ferdinand believed that the two children were at the perfect stage in their lives to relocate abroad, reports the Express.
He explained: “The children who are coming are 14, which is perfect because it’s their two years of GCSEs starting this August. Then we’ve got a four and a two-year-old, so it’s perfect timing for them as well.”
He added: “And the curriculum is English curriculum, but it’s just done in a different way. I feel the teachers in the UK feel a little bit like undervalued, underpaid. In Dubai, it feels like they’re valued and the lifestyle means that they’re happy and vibrant with a good energy for the kids.”
The six-time Premier League champion then finished by directly highlighting three of the main reasons behind his decision, whilst also mentioning that he would no longer be in England for his television work.
He concluded: “Lifestyle, safety, weather and just a new life. I wanted a new chapter and I’ve been doing TNT (TV) since I retired for the last 10-11 years. When I made the decision, I thought ‘this must be 30 years when my life is driven by the fixture list’. Not now. I’m not leaving football, but it’s just not the governing body of my life now. I’ve got to be honest, it feels nice.”
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