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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand played against some of the best attackers in the Premier League and Champions League during his time at United.

Ferdinand retired from the game as one of the greats, and the former Manchester United defender once held the transfer record as the most expensive defender for many years.

Ferdinand believes that African stars were among the best the top flight has seen and looked back at his time when he faced former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba. He also hailed the in-form Liverpool striker Sadio Mane and also former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o.

“I remember some of my biggest battles in the Premier League were with African strikers,” Ferdinand told Guinness. “The strength, the pace is obvious, but it’s the quickness of thought, the intelligence, the mentality.

“Players like [Didier] Drogba, [Samuel] Eto’o, [Sadio] Mane,” added the Guinness Night Football ambassador. “You can’t teach that.”

However, Ferdinand named Eto’o as the African striker who troubled him the most.

“Eto’o, man, he had mad pace,” Ferdinand added. “He used to chase you down.”