RIO FERDINAND had fans cringing after his terrible Masked Singer joke live on TV.
The former Manchester United defender, 45, was on punditry duty for TNT Sports as Manchester City took on Copenhagen in the Champions League.
GettyKamil Grabara – wearing a mask at the Etihad – dropped Julian Alvarez’s shot-cross[/caption]
GettyThe ball looped into the back of the net[/caption]
RexRio Ferdinand made a gag about the Masked Singer on commentary for TNT[/caption]
And he was drafted in for some so-called expert analysis following Julian Alvarez’s freak goal.
The City star whipped in a cross with nine minutes on the clock and his team already 1-0 up thanks to Manuel Akanji’s flashing finish.
It looked to be a very routine and simple catch for Copenhagen goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, who is wearing a protective mask following a facial fracture in 2022.
But Polish stopper Grabara – who spent five years on the books at Liverpool – did not live up to his name as he inexplicably managed to drop the ball into his own net.
Commentator Darren Fletcher immediately said Grabara had “thrown one in” and suggested his mask could have “slipped over his eyes”.
Then during a break in play, Ferdinand was drafted in to give his thoughts on the bizarre goal.
And the former England ace said: “I thought when I saw the replay it could have been the Masked Singer in goal.
“Listen it’s a speculative strike, he’s hitting and hoping from that angle, it’s a really really tight angle.
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“He’s put enough pace on it and obviously the keeper lost a bit of concentration unfortunately for him, I hope he recovers to be honest.”
But fans watching the action on TNT were not happy with Ferdinand’s dreadful gag.
One said: “Rio Ferdinand thinks he’s a proper comedian doesn’t he?”
Another wrote: “The masked singer in goal. Good one @rioferdy5.”
A third added: “Genuinely the worst attempt at a joke I’ve ever heard in my life.”
A fourth moaned: “What the f*** does that even mean?”
And a fifth whined: “Wtf what a clown he is.”
Paul Merson was watching the action in the Sky Sports studio and was equally bamboozled by Grabara’s woeful blunder.
The ex-Arsenal man called it live and said: “The keeper’s just thrown it in.
“He’s got a mask on, he may as put a bag over his head.
“It’s an absolute shocker, an absolute shocker.
“It’s 2-0 with nine minutes gone, I dread to think what the score’s going to be especially with that goalkeeper with them gloves on.
“It’s a ricket of all rickets.
“It gets worse. My little girl is six, she’d catch that.”