Ferdinand jokingly threatened to walk off BBC set after Zabaleta's 2012 title jibe

Rio Ferdinand threatened to walk off the BBC studio set live on air during the 2022 World Cup after former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta brought up the most painful moment of the United legend’s career — Sergio Aguero’s stoppage-time winner that handed City the 2011/12 Premier League title on the final day.

The moment came after Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Poland in the group stage at Qatar 2022, a result that left Poland nervously monitoring the Saudi Arabia vs Mexico match to see whether they would advance. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez sent Argentina through as group winners, but Poland’s fate hinged on what was happening elsewhere.

Joining Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer in the studio, Ferdinand acknowledged he knew the feeling of watching a parallel game with everything on the line. That was all the invitation Zabaleta needed. “Like 2012?” the former City full-back asked, drawing an immediate mock-furious reaction from Ferdinand.

The reference was to the final day of the 2011/12 Premier League season, when United believed they had won the title after beating Sunderland 1-0, only for City to overturn a two-goal deficit against QPR. Aguero’s iconic injury-time strike completed the comeback and sent the trophy to the blue half of Manchester. Ferdinand was in the United squad that day; Zabaleta was on the City bench.

“Can you get me off air, please?” Ferdinand joked. “He’s brought up the City stuff with Aguero’s goal. He’s out of order, you’ve got to go now.”

Lineker could not resist twisting the knife, shouting “Agueroooo” in tribute to Martin Tyler’s legendary commentary of the goal.

Ferdinand, now 47, has returned to World Cup punditry at the 2026 tournament in North America, where the competition has reached the semi-final stage. England are set to face Argentina in a last-four tie, a rematch of sorts given the two nations’ storied World Cup history.