Rio Ferdinand's wife Rebecca has died following a short battle with cancer.

"My soulmate slipped away last night," the QPR defender said in a statement.

"Rebecca, my wonderful wife, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

"She was a fantastic, loving mother to our three beautiful children. She will be missed as a wife, sister, aunt, daughter and granddaughter. She will live on in our memory, as a guide and inspiration."

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