Rio Ferdinand said he and John Terry are still "not the closest of mates" but believes the Chelsea captain has been "outstanding" for the Premier League leaders this season.
QPR defender Ferdinand labelled Terry "the biggest idiot" after he was banned and fined for racially abusing the Manchester United centre-back's brother Anton Ferdinand.
Ferdinand, who played alongside Terry for England, stated that he found it "impossible to forgive or forget" the pain caused.
However, the former Manchester United man spoke of his admiration for Terry's performances on the pitch.
Writing for The Sun, Ferdinand said: "It's no secret that me and John Terry are not the closest of mates.
"But just because we no longer get on does not mean I've lost my admiration for him as a footballer.
"His performances for Chelsea this season have been nothing short of outstanding and I'm not afraid to say it. John took the decision to retire from playing for England and had his reasons, but Chelsea are reaping the benefits.
"John is finding, as I did, that the upside of being off the international scene is that your body gets the rest it needs which allows you to keep performing at [the] top level well into your 30s."
