Rio Ferdinand fires spitting barb at Jamie Carragher eight years on from schoolgirl window incident
Rio Ferdinand has taunted Jamie Carragher for “spitting his dummy out” on social media, reviving the memory of Carragher’s notorious 2018 spitting incident in an unprompted exchange that unfolded before Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, 3 May 2026.
The former Manchester United defender posted a throwback image on X (formerly Twitter) of himself celebrating a goal against Liverpool, with a dejected Carragher visible in the foreground. Ferdinand captioned the image: “Caption this.”
Carragher, now a Sky Sports pundit, responded directly, referencing the 2018 incident in which he was filmed spitting from his car window towards a man and his 14-year-old daughter after being provoked about Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to United. Carragher replied: “‘Have some of that bruv, you Scouse xxxx’ probably… Not like you to make sure you were in the picture of someone else’s goal. You now carry on this ritual by hanging around mixed zones bothering star players & asking your lackeys to film it!”
Carragher’s remark referred to Ferdinand’s habit of interviewing players in stadium mixed zones and posting the clips on his YouTube channel.
Ferdinand took to his YouTube show “Rio Ferdinand Presents” after United’s 3-2 victory to hit back directly. “Did anyone see what he [Jamie Carragher] wrote back to me?” Ferdinand began. “I thought it was really harsh… I just put a picture of me celebrating goals, we celebrate big moments, I scored a couple of goals against Liverpool, and he tried to hammer me. He spat his dummy out… he was spitting feathers. He used to be my teammate at England, he carried my wash-bag and carry my boots sometimes when he was in the stands. I thought we always got on…”
The 2018 spitting incident in detail
The incident that Carragher’s response alluded to occurred on 11 March 2018, when Carragher was filmed spitting from his car window towards a vehicle carrying a man and his 14-year-old daughter. The man had been teasing Carragher about Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United earlier that day. The spit inadvertently hit the daughter, triggering widespread condemnation. Sky Sports immediately suspended Carragher from his punditry duties for the remainder of the season, though he was later allowed to return. Carragher publicly described the episode as a “moment of madness” and the “worst mistake” of his career, issuing multiple apologies. Ferdinand’s choice of the phrases “spat his dummy out” and “spitting feathers” — a colloquialism meaning to be extremely angry — was a thinly veiled reference to that eight-year-old controversy, which Carragher himself had invoked by mentioning “spitting” in his own response.
A history of disagreements
The latest exchange continues an often light-hearted but increasingly pointed rivalry between the two former England teammates. They have clashed on multiple footballing matters in recent years:
In 2023, Carragher called Ferdinand a “clown” during a Champions League semi-final discussion about a penalty decision. Ferdinand responded by saying he did not understand Carragher’s “hostility,” as they had always got on well.
Ferdinand defended Cristiano Ronaldo, prompting Carragher to accuse Ferdinand of being Ronaldo’s “fan boy” and suggest he was part of a “group WhatsApp” dedicated to defending the player.
Ferdinand questioned Carragher’s silence when close friend Steven Gerrard moved to Saudi Arabia to manage Al-Ettifaq — a league Carragher had previously criticised for its player acquisitions. Carragher in turn alleged that Ferdinand had declined a BBC World Cup role to avoid criticising his “paymaster.”
Ferdinand called Carragher’s comments about the Africa Cup of Nations “ignorant,” arguing that the tournament deserved greater respect.
Carragher’s criticism of Casemiro’s form led Ferdinand to defend the Manchester United midfielder. Carragher also drew criticism from Liverpool fans for singling out a young substitute for blame in a recent match while seemingly overlooking errors by more established players.
In December 2025, Ferdinand’s use of the term “man of the people” to describe himself on social media irked Carragher, who responded with laughing emojis and money symbols.
The match that sparked it
The fixture that provided the backdrop for the spat was a Premier League match on Sunday, 3 May 2026, in which Manchester United beat Liverpool 3-2 at Old Trafford. Kobbie Mainoo scored the winning goal in the 77th minute, securing Champions League qualification for United. United’s goals came from Matheus Cunha (6′), Benjamin Sesko (14′), and Mainoo (77′), while Liverpool replied through Dominik Szoboszlai (47′) and Cody Gakpo (56′). The victory marked United’s first Premier League double over Liverpool in a decade.
Who they are
Rio Ferdinand is a former Manchester United and England centre-back who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during his decorated playing career. He now works as a prominent pundit primarily through his YouTube channel, having left TNT Sports in May 2025.
Jamie Carragher, a one-club player for Liverpool, made 737 appearances for the club and won the Champions League, FA Cups, and League Cups. He is a well-established pundit for Sky Sports and also works for CBS Sports and The Telegraph.
Steven Gerrard, whose move to Saudi Arabia has been a recurring point of contention between the two pundits, managed Al-Ettifaq from July 2023 until his departure by mutual consent on 30 January 2025. The club finished sixth in the Saudi Pro League in his first season. Gerrard has stated that while money was a factor, it was not the sole motivation for his move. His wife, Alex, reportedly chose to live in Bahrain due to cultural differences in Saudi Arabia.
