Rio Ferdinand takes viewers on his World Cup journey to Rio as a football fan, pundit and tourist, in this one-off documentary to broadcast on BBC One at the end of the World Cup.
The special one-hour film, airing the day after the final, offers the personal insight of the former England and Manchester United captain into the tournament in Brazil, as he explores the city of Rio de Janeiro during football’s greatest show on earth from the perspective of a football fan, pundit and traveller.
Through meeting ‘Cariocas’ as the locals are called, Ferdinand will sample not only the World Cup through their eyes but also the city of Rio famous for its breathtaking landscape, its laidback beach culture, good food, party music and its annual carnival.
Beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema, the Christ The Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) statue, the stadium of Maracanã and Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) are all well-known haunts but he is keen also to visit the less touristy areas like the favelas, local community, art and football projects for the less privileged.
The man from Peckham, an active campaigner on racism, poverty and inner-city violence, will visit these areas for himself to see how the World Cup impacts on the locals, and will also keep an expert eye on the football itself.
Rio in Rio is part of wide selection of programmes on BBC TV related to the World Cup, reflecting the culture, news and wonder of Brazil, which concluded the day before this programme airs with Germany take on Argentina at the iconic Maracana stadium, in which Ferdinand himself was a pundit on BBC One’s coverage.
While the focus has been on the pitch over the past month and Ferdinand has been learning the ropes in broadcasting, he has also been meeting ‘Cariocas’, the locals, to sample a city famous for its beauty, beach culture, good food, party music.
He gets their views on the World Cup in a country that hasn’t fully welcomed the tournament at a time of major social and economic problems across Brazil.
Ferdinand hopes to answer how the World Cup has affected their everyday lives and who will benefit when the show leaves town.
An active campaigner on racism, poverty and inner city violence, Ferdinand first visits one of the favelas and community sports projects where some of the poorest live.
The journey continues with a visit into the rainforest some 100 miles outside the city to see his good friends and former Manchester United team mates the da Silva twins – Rafael and Fabio – who welcome him into their extended family home to sample Brazil’s first match of the tournament.
They also talk about the exorbitant pressure that is imposed on the national team during a major tournament, especially at a host nation to the greatest football showpiece on earth.
From sitting among the fans on his first visit to the Maracana stadium to local bars, the film looks at how Ferdinand has adapted to life as a non-international player, as well documenting his experience of one of the most exciting World Cups in a generation.
Rio in Rio will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC One HD on Monday, July 14, at 10.35pm and will be available to watch on-demand via BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards. Transmission times vary in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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Monday 14th July
Rio in Rio
10.35pm-11.35pm BBC One
(11.35pm in Scotland & Northern Ireland / 11.05pm in Wales)
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Watch a preview clip of Rio in Rio below featuring Ferdinand’s reunion with the da Silva twins (courtesy of BBC Sport):
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