Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole pick their ‘unfulfilled FC’ made up of players who wasted their potential… as ex-Arsenal stars and a two-time Premier League champion are included

Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole have named their ‘unfulfilled FC’ made up of players that they believe never reached the heights of their potential ability.

There are plenty of footballers who have wonderkid labels stuck on them as youngsters or are heralded as the next Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi and never live up to their potential.

Cole and Ferdinand between themselves share nine Premier League titles along with other major honours and have given their verdict on what modern-day players wasted the most potential.

Whether through a career devastated by injuries, or lifestyle choices that hamper a player’s development, there are plenty of reasons why some would-be superstars never make the grade and the duo’s ‘unfulfilled XI’ contains a host of household names from different backgrounds.

Having settled on a regulatory 4-4-2 formation, Cole and Ferdinand picked 11 players from across Europe and south America to form their team of those who never lived up to the hype.

Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand have named their ‘unfulfilled XI’ consisting of players who never lived up to their potential

One former Arsenal star in this picture was included in the pair’s team of wasted talent

Two-time Premier League winner Micah Richards was picked to start in the team at right-back

Former Real Madrid wonderkid Royston Drenthe (left) was also named in the team

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was picked to start between the sticks. The 42-year-old struggled with injuries throughout his career and revealed last year that he previously struggled with an addiction to painkillers.

A back-four combined of former Man City Premier League title-winner Micah Richards, Tottenham star Ledley King, Portuguese Jorge Andrade and the once Real Madrid wonderkid Royston Drenthe.

Richards is a questionable choice given he is a two-time Premier League winner, FA Cup and League Cup champion, but retired at the age of 31 after suffering with injuries.

King similarly battled an injury crisis throughout his career that limited his ability to train as much as other players.

A midfield four in the hypothetical team partnered former Arsenal duo Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby alongside each other in central positions while Adel Taarabt and Andres D’Alessandro flanked the duo.

Brazilian Serie A champion Adriano was picked to lead the forward line in a strike partnership alongside Mario Balotelli. 

Ferdinand later explained Adriano was the player that frustrated him the most after failing to live up to early career comparisons to the legendary Ronaldo.

Cole and Ferdinand’s ‘Unfulfilled FC’ team sets up in a 4-4-2 formation

Brazilian striker Adriano was previously hailed as the next Ronaldo before his career went downhill

Man City’s iconic striker Mario Balotelli was included in the list of players

Speaking on TNT Sports, Ferdinand said: ‘There’s one name that just came to me when we were talking, Moussa Dembele was one, every single player who played with him said he was an unbelievable talent. 

‘The one that jumps out to me is Adriano, he was like heralded as the next coming of R9, left-footed, absolute machine, had everything. 

‘There’s different elements that take away from players or mean they don’t fulfil potential, for him a family bereavement, I think his father passed away and I heard Zanetti his captain talk about that moment and say it took a lot out of him.

‘Injuries really took away the power and the poise for him to go on and fulfil that potential. There was no doubt this guy if things had worked out for him he would have gone on to be a world class, ridiculous player,’ he added.