Rio Ferdinand has hit out at England's Under 20 management team after an image emerged of their black and white players eating on different tables and exercising separately.

The former Manchester United defender, writing in his column for The Sun, has admitted he was 'shocked' when he saw the images, which were published by the Daily Mail on Saturday.

England U21 boss Gareth Southgate has rejected claims suggesting there is a race divide across the Three Lions youth teams, however Ferdinand believes changes have to be made.

Rio Ferdinand was shocked when he saw England Under 20's black and white players eating on different tables

Pictures appeared to show England's players separated by race when they exercised in a swimming pool

Ferdinand insists it would be highly beneficial if England's youth players all mixed ahead of matches - here Jack Stephens, Harrison Reed, John Swift, Matthew Grimes, Kortney Hause, Moses Odubajo, Chuba Akpom and Dominic Iorfa share a joke in a swimming pool

England players (pictured left to right - Akpom, Demarai Gray, Iorfa, Hause, Swift and Duncan Watmore) exercise on a bike as they prepare for the Toulon Tournament, which started in May

'I lay the blame at the feet of the management, who should know how important it is to integrate all the players with each other,' said Ferdinand.

'For the benefit of the squad, and to be successful everyone has to mix.'

Ferdinand, who was capped 81 times by England during his prestigious career, has suggested a way the Football Association can 'tear down boundaries'.

He added: 'One simple answer would be to put name tags on the dinner tables and then swap them around each day.

'In that way, everyone will get to know everyone else and it tears down any boundaries that may exist.'

Ferdinand went on to admit that there were divisions in the England senior team when he earned his first call-up in 1997, however they were based on which club you played for rather than race.

'There was the Manchester United table, then there was the Liverpool table. I was the only West Ham player there so you can imagine I felt like a bit of an outsider.'

England U20 manager Aidy Boothroyd, who previously managed Watford in the Barclays Premier League, is yet to comment on the alleged race divide.

Ex-England ace Ferdinand believes 'management' can do more to make sure boundaries are knocked down