In documents submitted to London's High Court today, the newspaper's barristers said Ferdinand was "the author of his own misfortune".
Gavin Millar QC said: "From around 2002, at least seven different women claimed to have had a sexual relationship with the claimant while he was in a long-term relationship with Ms Ellison."
He added that from the age of 17, Ferdinand had an "open relationship" with Carly Storey for three years, and then contacted her again in 2002.
Mr Millar said the star never challenged any printed story about those women, adding: "The claimant's conduct was reckless and self-destructive.
"He must carry some responsibility for placing himself and his family in the predicament in which they now find themselves.
"The claimant has publically drawn attention to the virtues of his character, his strong values and moral beliefs. He has publically lied about his fidelity. "He has falsely presented himself as a reformed individual. Disclosure of an affair was well justified in the public interest.
"The claimant's concern is about the effect of the article on the public image he has so painstakingly constructed. He has misled the public over a period of years.
"He is selectively protective of his family and privacy as a tool for his rather bad image — he is playing a game with the media.
"Now he is trying to airbrush the true picture — using these legal proceedings. He should not be allowed to succeed."