Ferdinand pulls out of charity game – and reunion with Terry

Rio Ferdinand will no longer be teaming up with John Terry and Ashley Cole for Saturday’s UNICEF game at Old Trafford.

The trio had all featured in the Great Britain and Ireland line-up announced in October for the match against the Rest of the World.

But Ferdinand’s name was then missing from an updated list of players to be involved which was released on Thursday. Terry and Cole are still set to play.

Terry received a four-match suspension after being found guilty by the Football Association of using abusive language towards Ferdinand’s brother Anton during a Premier League game in October 2011, while Cole gave evidence on Terry’s behalf at a magistrates hearing which saw the Chelsea captain cleared of a racial abuse charge over the same incident.

Rio Ferdinand wrote in his autobiography that “three years later I find it impossible to forgive or forget the pain he (Terry) put my family through” and that he felt Cole had “betrayed” their friendship.

The press release giving the updated lists on Thursday did not specify any reason for the ex-Manchester United and England defender’s withdrawal, simply saying: “Players who were originally scheduled to play including Rio Ferdinand, Andy Cole, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta and Massimo Ambrosini can no longer attend Saturday’s match.”

The Great Britain and Ireland team will be managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, captained by David Beckham and feature his fellow former United players Phil Neville, Darren Fletcher, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Michael Owen and Alan Smith.

David Seaman and David James are the two goalkeepers in a 17-man squad, which is completed by Terry and Cole, Sol Campbell, Jamie Carragher, Trevor Sinclair, Gary McAllister and Peter Crouch.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Rest of the World team will be captained by Zinedine Zidane and boasts Patrick Vieira, Luis Figo and Ronaldinho.

Former Manchester United players Edwin van der Sar, Raimond van der Gouw, Mikael Silvestre, Park Ji-sung, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Dwight Yorke are included.

GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND: David Seaman, David James, Jamie Carragher, Sol Campbell, Phil Neville, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Darren Fletcher, Nicky Butt, Trevor Sinclair, Paul Scholes, Gary McAllister, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham (captain), Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Alan Smith

REST OF THE WORLD: Edwin van der Sar, Raimond van der Gouw, Cafu, Fernando Hierro, Fernando Couto, Mikael Silvestre, Maxwell, Luis Figo, Robert Pires, Christian Karembeu, Park Ji-sung, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Vieira, Michael Ballack, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane (captain), Dwight Yorke, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Patrick Kluivert, Landon Donovan