Rio Ferdinand makes heartbreaking career admission to Liverpool icon Thiago Alcantara

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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesThiago AlcântaraThiago Alcantara discussed his career highlights and future plans with Rio Ferdinand and the ex-England defender shared his own reflections on one heartbreaking moment from his path.Rio Ferdinand sat down with the former Liverpool star(Image: Rio Meets)Rio Ferdinand shared a heartbreaking moment from his life and career after football with former Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara.The retired former England and Manchester United defender was speaking with the 35-year-old Anfield legend about his career and time across his three elite clubs in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool.The pair also touched on Thiago's plans to become a coach in his own right after a stellar playing career and he explained why he is yet to take a full-time position on a manager's staff.Thiago revealed why he won't join the Reds' backroom staff with Andoni Iraola as he told how he simply does not yet have the badges required to be in the dugout on matchdays.When asked by Ferdinand if he would consider a move to Liverpool again, this time in a coaching capacity, Thiago shut it down by saying: "No man, I don’t have the badges. I don’t have enough to be a coach."It was an honest admission from the Spaniard who has been a consultant at Barcelona but talk turned from his own journey to Ferdinand's.The ex-Leeds United player has been working as a pundit for the most part since retiring back in 2015 with TNT Sports one of his main platforms before he moved on.So it would be safe to assume he had not considered staying in the game in a coaching or management capacity following his exit from Queen's Park Rangers.Rio Ferdinand (Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)However it became clear in their conversation that Ferdinand had, indeed, planned to step into coaching and work towards his Pro License and other badges to become a leading man in his own right.Tragically the loss of his wife, Rebecca Ellison in 2015 from breast cancer, put paid to any desire he had to work towards his qualifications as he knew taking care of his three young kids at the time was far more important."You never thought about being a coach before?" was the question posed to Ferdinand by Thiago.

And the 47-year-old provided a heart-wrenching answer.He replied: "I was going to be a coach. I was going to be on the journey, sorry, I wanted to go on the journey and was taking my badges."But my wife passed away."So when that happened it kind of ruined all that desire.

I had three young children so, like you, if you are going to be a coach or a manager it is 100 percent, not 99 percent. And I couldn't do that at the time."It kind of, that journey never took place."Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Thiago AlcântaraRio FerdinandLiverpool FC