With the group-stage picture still being settled elsewhere, Ferdinand mentioned having experienced the tension of following another match at the same time. Zabaleta, a former Manchester City defender, immediately replied: “Como em 2012?”
The reference was unmistakable. Ferdinand had been part of the Manchester United squad that believed it had done enough to win the 2011-12 Premier League title after beating Sunderland. Then City produced a late comeback against Queens Park Rangers, capped by Sergio Agüero’s unforgettable finish.
For Zabaleta, who was on the City side that day, the goal remains a treasured piece of football history. For Ferdinand, it is an old rival’s favourite punchline.
“He brought up that City thing with the Aguero goal,” Ferdinand said, before adding: “He passed the limit, you need to take him out of here now.”
The complaint was clearly theatrical. Gary Lineker joined in with a shouted “Agueroooo”, echoing the famous commentary call that has become part of Premier League folklore.
What made the exchange work was the shared history behind it. Ferdinand and Zabaleta were not simply television analysts trading jokes; they were players who had lived through one of the sport’s most dramatic title finales.
The timing also made the moment sharper. Argentina’s victory was serious business, with Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez securing the result, but the studio found room for a memory that still divides Manchester.
The next time former rivals share a major tournament broadcast, the lesson will be clear: old football wounds never truly disappear - they only wait for the right punchline.