In the historic halls of Old Trafford, one moment particularly stands out as poignant. It is the moment etched in the memory of those who witnessed it firsthand, encapsulating the profound impact Sir Alex Ferguson had on the club and its players. The unexpected departure of the legendary manager brought a plethora of emotions to the dressing room. And as per the latest revelations, no other player was more affected by Ferguson’s departure than the enigmatic Dutch striker, Robin Van Persie.

Manchester United’s dressing room was shrouded in a different kind of emotion on that fateful day in 2013 when Sir Alex Ferguson left the camp. For Robin van Persie, the news was a sucker punch to his gut. Let’s uncover the story behind the scenes at Old Trafford.

Robin Van Persie sheds unexpected tears after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement bomb

Former Manchester United icon and defender Rio Ferdinand recently shared the story behind Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013. In a candid conversation with former Chelsea star John Obi-Mikel in The Obi One Podcast, Ferdinand provided an insight into the dressing room’s reaction after the gaffer broke the news of his retirement. Robin Van Persie, who joined Manchester United in the summer of 2012, was lured by the chance to play under Sir Alex Ferguson. Little did he anticipate that his footballing idol would bid farewell so soon.

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“I remember that Robin Van Persie signed because the manager was there, and I remember looking at him straight away, and he was almost in tears. Although he’s had hardly a season with the manager, he adored the gaffer. The guy was gobsmacked,” Ferdinand revealed. Despite a relatively shorter time together with the manager, the connection became strong, and the news of Ferguson’s departure hit Van Persie like a tide.

Rio Ferdinand also recounted the momentous morning, as he revealed, “The WhatsApp messages started getting crazy the night before the news hit the media. And in the morning, everyone is texting each other that the manager is leaving.” Sir Alex Ferguson, the day before making it official, made a rare appearance in the dressing room to deliver the news personally. Ferdinand continued by stating, “I’ll never forget the moment. The air almost sapped out of the changing room, and everyone just looked at each other.”

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Sir Alex Ferguson’s initial hesitation surrounding Van Persie’s signing

Beyond the tears and farewells, there’s another layer to this narrative. Renowned for his astute judgment, Ferguson initially hesitated to recruit Robin Van Persie, due to concerns surrounding his age and injury history. “Nah, too old,” Ferguson had remarked when presented with the prospect of signing the 27-year-old Dutchman from Arsenal. However, fate had different plans, as Van Persie went on to become an integral force for United, leading them to their last Premier League triumph.

Fast forward to 2024, Manchester United finds themselves struggling with the same woes, visible after the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. The news of Ferguson’s retirement still reverberates across the world, but for the loyal players, it was a personal earthquake. It’ll be interesting to see if more such behind-the-scenes stories come out in the future.

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