“If you ask an American, they will say it’s the best when it’s miles off it” - Manchester United hero Rio Ferdinand makes bold claim on Super Bowl

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has opined that the prestigious American football game, the Super Bowl, is more of an entertainment event than a sporting one. Ferdinand shared his views on the Super Bowl’s perceived global standing, suggesting that its appeal was exaggerated and that it was far from being the 'best' sporting event in the world.

The most recent Super Bowl — between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles — was played on Sunday (February 9) and was attended by several celebrities. Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, American rapper Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, and Ice Spice were present at the NFL grand finale. Lamar and Swift also took to the stage during the halftime show.

Speaking about the recent event, Rio Ferdinand opined that the American football game was not as significant as many considered it to be. The former Manchester United defender said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast (via Youtube):

“That's the Super Bowl. They think it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. It’s like an entertainment event, not sporting. If you ask an American, they will say it’s the best when it’s miles off it [being the best sporting event in the world].”

Watch here (0:59)

Rio Ferdinand reacts to Jadon Sancho’s 'freedom' message to Marcus Rashford and explains why players seem to excel after leaving Manchester United

In the same video, Rio Ferdinand opined that Manchester United players performed better at other clubs after leaving Old Trafford because their 'shackles are off.'

Marcus Rashford is one of the latest to leave Manchester United as he joined Aston Villa on loan on February 2. The England forward made his debut in Villa's 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday (February 9). After the match, he shared a post on Instagram and captioned it:

"Thank you for the warm welcome. Great team performance."

Reacting to the post, Jadon Sancho, who joined Chelsea on loan from United last August, commented:

''Freedom.’’

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Ferdinand pointed out why players seemed to do well at other clubs after leaving Manchester United. The 46-year-old said (via Mirror):

''You look at Antony, he's got a man-of-the-match performance and a goal and assist in two games. McTominay is playing like primetime Jude Bellingham at the moment. You've got Elanga, who's a flying winger.

He added:

"You've got all these players that are leaving the club that are looking like new, dynamic footballers because the shackles are off, and the cloud and the pressure of Old Trafford, the badge, all that that brings, is allowing them to go, 'You know what, wow, what a difference that is.' You're probably going to see the same from Rashford. It's about unlocking what has unlocked Old Trafford for these players to perform."