Rio Ferdinand believed Manchester United had lost the 2008 Champions League final to Chelsea when John Terry walked up to take the match-winning penalty.

After the two teams could not be separated in both normal and extra-time, Cristiano Ronaldo's missed penalty in the shootout gave Terry the opportunity to win a first-ever Champions League title for the Blues.

The Blues defender slipped as he ran up and his strike hit the post to level the shootout, before Edwin van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka's spot-kick to give United the precious victory.

Rio Ferdinand (third left) thought Chelsea were going to win the 2008 Champions League final

Ferdinand felt John Terry was going to score the winning penalty - but the Chelsea man slipped

Talking to BT Sport about his emotions when Terry was lining his penalty up, Ferdinand said: 'I thought it should have gone in. I've watched John take penalties before in training for England over many years and he never missed.

'I thought "that's it". So I was doubly surprised to see him miss it. I'm probably thankful for the rain on the night.'

Ferdinand also said he was relieved that the penalty shootout was won on Anelka's miss - as he was next in line to take a penalty.

The formed United man revealed that he desperately didn't want to take the spot-kick due to the pressure and nerves going through his body.

Ferdinand was talking to BT Sport about his memories of that thrilling night in Moscow

Ferdinand (middle) said that Terry (right) regularly scored penalties during England training

When Anelka was taking his penalty, I was thinking, "if he scores this penalty then I'm next. So please Edwin, please save me from the terrors of taking a penalty at this level." I didn't want it.'

The thrilling victory in Moscow was United's second Champions League final triumph, with the first coming in 1999 through a comeback victory over Bayern Munich.

However, United were beaten 2-0 by Barcelona in the following season's Champions League Final, before facing another defeat to Pep Guardiola's team on the same stage in 2011.

Chelsea, meanwhile, had to wait until 2012 to finally win their first Champions League title, thanks to a penalty shootout win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Ferdinand was grateful that Edwin van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka's penalty to win the final