Former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard announced his retirement on Thursday a week after confirming he would not be returning to play for Major League Soccer side LA…
Former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard announced his retirement on Thursday a week after confirming he would not be returning to play for Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy.
The 36-year-old, who scored 120 goals in 504 Premier League games, spent virtually his entire career at Liverpool having made his debut against Blackburn Rovers in 1998. He is third on the club’s all-time appearances list with 710, behind only Jamie Carragher and Ian Callaghan.
Steven Gerrard: “I have learnt a lot off the coaches and off my team-mates and I will certainly use that for myself going forward because, although I am going back to England to live, it is certainly not the end for me in football terms. I have got a lot of things to consider over the coming weeks and months. I am sure I will be back involved in the game, somewhere down the line.”
While he never managed to win an English league title medal with Liverpool, Gerrard will forever be associated with the Champions League final in 2005 when Rafael Benitez’s men fought back from 3-0 down at halftime to win on penalties in Istanbul. Gerrard scored Liverpool’s first goal and drove the team on to arguably one of the greatest nights in the club’s history.
One of the most highly-regarded midfielders in world football at his peak, he made 114 appearances for England and is his country’s fourth most capped player of all time behind Peter Shilton, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham. Over a 14-year period, he played in six major tournaments and captained England at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Gerrard’s next step remains unclear with a return to Liverpool in a coaching capacity reportedly on the cards.
Steven Gerrard confirms retirement from professional football.https://t.co/9Bkz4QSgnP
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 24, 2016