
Former England captain Rio Ferdinand revealed that his wife Rebecca died late on Friday, May 1 after a "short battle" with cancer.

Born Rebecca Ellison, she is pictured here at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, when she was eight months pregnant with their first child Lorenz.

Ferdinand is pictured with his daughter Tia before his testimonial match between Manchester United -- where he spent 12 years -- and Sevilla in August 2013.

His sons Lorenz and Tate were also at the testimonial game.

Ferdinand, then 35, joined Queens Park Rangers in his native London for the 2014-15 season -- expected to be his last before retiring. His teammates wore black armbands for the 2-1 defeat by Liverpool in remembrance of Rebecca.

Manchester United's players also wore armbands and fans chanted Rio Ferdinand's name during the fifth minute of Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by West Brom in tribute to the shirt number he used to wear.