Stephen Gerrard refers to those players who are called the “player of one team”. The Liverpool star spent more than 700 matches for the Merseysides and scored 186 goals. Not all attackers can boast of such a result. He managed to become the real soul of the team, its engine, a person who truly deserves respect for his professional and human qualities. On the field, he played in different positions - on the flank of midfield, under the attacker and even in defense, but the main role of Gerrard is the central midfielder. Excellent technique, a pass and the ability to strike the final blow - all this and not only made the Liverpool Eight a true legend.
The beginning of the way
The career of the future English football star began in a place called Whiston. It is a large village in the county of Merseyside. There Gerrard played for the local Whiston Juniors team. When the player was 8 years old, Liverpool scouts drew attention to him, and in 1989 the player officially joined the ranks of the children's club of the British club.
Gerrard signed his first professional contract with the Reds 8 years later - in the fall of 1997. Perhaps then the player did not realize that it was Liverpool that would become the club of his entire football life.
Launching a career at Liverpool
After signing the contract, Stephen Gerrard for quite some time was not given the opportunity to play his first official match for the Reds. Only a year later, the player replaced in one of the matches of the English Premier League, and also played in the UEFA Cup match. In total for the 1998/99 season, Stephen spent 13 matches and showed a good level of play. This allowed the young Gerrard to get into the base next season.
The first goal Steven Gerrard scored the oldest British club Sheffield Wensday. It was a chic individual pass through two opponents, culminating in a targeted shot in the lower left corner of the goal. Then the “Reds" won 4-1. The 2000/01 season was successful for Liverpool and Stephen Gerrard. The team won three cups: the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Cup.
Stephen played 50 games and scored 10 goals, the most important of which is a goal against the Spanish club Alaves in the final of the European tournament. Liverpool then won 5-4, which allowed the team to raise the coveted goblet over their heads. Technical midfielder with cannon long-range strike Stephen Gerrard was recognized as the best young football player of England that season.
In the 2002/03 season, Steve G again excelled in the Cup final, only now it was the English Football League Cup, where the Merseysides beat Manchester United. A year later, Gerrard received a captain's armband, which he did not remove throughout his career for the "Reds".
2004/05 Season - The Most Important Career Page
Each player strives for victories in major tournaments, and what could be more desirable for club teams than the Champions League cup? In the 2004/05 season, Stephen Gerrard and Co. managed to conquer it, and it was Stephen who became the key component of success. He scored a smart goal from 22 meters into the goal of the Greek Olympiacos, which allowed Liverpool to leave the group, continue the battle for the trophy and eventually get it.
The final of that season of the Champions League is considered one of the most memorable in history. Liverpool's rival was Milan. In the first half, the red-blacks scored 3 unanswered goals against the English team, and it seemed that the outcome of the meeting was a foregone conclusion, but in the second half the game went in a different scenario. Started by Steven Gerrard, who played the first goal for his team. A few minutes later, the “Reds" scored another goal, and a little later equalized, thanks to a finishing touch from the penalty spot, which, again, earned Gerrard. The legend match ended with a penalty shootout, in which the British proved to be stronger, and the eighth number of Liverpool became the most valuable player in the tournament.
Further career for the Merseysiders
In the 2005/06 season, Steve Gee scored 23 goals, and the British Professional Footballers' Union (PFA) recognized him as the best footballer of the year. Moreover, the ball that the captain of Liverpool scored in the final of the FA Cup West Ham United was the best goal of the season. It was a crazy shot from 30 meters in the 90th minute of the match. The Reds then evened the score, transferred the game to overtime and won the penalty shootout. Until now, this goal is considered one of the best in the final history of the FA Cup tournaments.
In 2006, Steve Gee made the decision to stay at Liverpool as long as the club needs him and not think about moving to other teams. Gerrard continued to play and score, and in some matches - to score a lot.
In the 2007/08 season, he scored 21 goals, and the next season he scored his first hat-trick in the next Premier League match against Aston Villa. The FWA (Association of Football Journalists) that year recognized Stephen as the best player of the season.
Recent Seasons at Liverpool
Steve G is an extremely stable footballer. Even despite a series of injuries in 2010-2011, Gerrard, after returning to duty, continued to score. In October 2012, he scored the hundredth goal in Premier League matches, and in the 2013/14 season he almost won the English championship. Perhaps Stephen will remember this annoying mistake for a very long time: in the last round of the match against Chelsea he slipped and missed an opponent who scored the winning goal for the Merseyside team. It was worth the “red" championship, which Steve G was never able to achieve in his career as a player. It is symbolic that in the last match for Liverpool, which Steven played on May 24, 2015, the only goal of the team was on account of the eighth number.
Career after Liverpool
After leaving Liverpool, Stephen Gerrard spent one season for the Los Angeles Galaxy team and scored 5 goals. At 36, the footballer announced the completion of a career that can be called outstanding, even despite the absence of the English Premier League cup and titles from the national team. By the way, he played 114 matches for England, scored 21 goals, and from 2010 to 2014 he took the national team to the field as captain.
Stephen Gerrard - Coach
In 2017, Gerrard's coaching career began. He was invited to work at the Liverpool Academy, where the newly minted coach showed himself well. Since May 2018, Stephen Gerrard has been the Rangers coach, and it’s too early to judge his stay in a pretty shabby Scottish club. On the one hand, the team did not quite successfully start the national championship, on the other - for a long time it managed to break into the group stage of the Europa League. And now only time will tell what will happen to Stephen Gerrard in the Rangers. But there is no doubt that leadership qualities are inherent in nature, and the 17-year career at Liverpool is proof of this. Plus, the club from Glasgow is a great opportunity for Stephen to begin to comprehend coaching science.
Soccer player family
Stephen Gerrard's wife is model Alex Curran. The couple has four children - three daughters and a son. Gerrard is a caring husband and an excellent father, for whom the family is above all.
The ex-captain of Liverpool is a true role model. Fighting spirit, loyalty to the team, the support of their colleagues in the club and, of course, a high professional level - all these qualities entered the name of Stephen Gerrard in world football history. Not only fans of the “Reds” are proud of him, but also fans of other clubs, and Pele called him one of the best midfielders in the world.