Rio Ferdinand has dismissed claims that Liverpool have overtaken Manchester United as England’s biggest football club, despite Liverpool winning the Premier League and matching United’s record of 20 league titles with a 5-1 victory at Anfield.
While Liverpool now equal United in league title count and have double their European Cup tally, Ferdinand insists this doesn’t change the overall status of the clubs. Speaking on Rio Presents, he argued that United remain the bigger club due to their larger global fanbase, saying, “It’s a fact. You go anywhere in the world, there are more Man United fans than there are Liverpool fans.”
He did acknowledge that continued Liverpool success combined with United’s struggles—especially under current manager Ruben Amorim—could eventually shift the balance. But for now, he believes United’s global standing still gives them a clear lead, calling it a “landslide win” for United in terms of being the biggest club.
Reflecting on his playing days, Ferdinand expressed frustration at seeing Liverpool rise while United falter. “It fries my head,” he admitted, though he conceded Liverpool have been more successful since his retirement.
However, not all ex-United players agree. Gary Neville stated that Liverpool’s achievement should be a wake-up call for United, and now that both clubs are tied on 20 titles—with Liverpool boasting more European success—he believes the debate over which club is more successful is effectively settled, at least for now.