Rio fears international failure

England defender concerned by lack of success

Last updated: 1st June 2008

Ferdinand Rio

Ferdinand: Keen for international honours

Euro 2008 has gone now - we just weren't good enough to get to the championship.

Rio Ferdinand
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Rio Ferdinand admits there will be a 'gaping hole' in his career if he does not achieve success with England.

The Manchester United defender won the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League last season, but he faces a quiet summer following England's failure to qualify for the finals of Euro 2008.

And Ferdinand, who has reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup with England in 2002 and 2006, is desperate to replicate his club success at international level.

"Winning the Champions League and Premier League in one season is a great achievement," said Ferdinand, who is expected to start for England against Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday, in the Daily Star.

Memory

"It's something to bottle up and, when you finish your career, you can sit down and enjoy the memories and reminisce.

"But there is still a lot more to achieve. In an ideal world, we would have carried it on into Euro 2008, but it was not to be.

"There would definitely be a gaping hole in my career if I didn't achieve success with England.

"We have got a great history in football but to have only won the World Cup once is a massive underachievement.

Euphoria

"If England did win something, the national euphoria it would produce would eclipse everything.

"I would be very disappointed - gutted to be honest - if I wasn't involved in a successful period with England.

"We have to at least get to a final - then we go from there. Euro 2008 has gone now - we just weren't good enough to get to the championship.

"Now it is about working on the reasons why we didn't qualify and looking forward."