Over the course of 17 remarkable seasons, Steven Gerrard cemented his legacy as a Liverpool legend. The English midfielder appeared in over 700 matches, scored 186 goals for the Reds, and famously led the club to Champions League glory in 2005.
After leaving an indelible mark at Anfield, Gerrard wrapped up his playing career with the LA Galaxy, carrying invaluable experience from his time in the game. With three World Cup appearances and numerous individual honors under his belt, Gerrard has transitioned to coaching, now sharing his wealth of knowledge from the sidelines.
Currently managing Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, Gerrard remains a respected voice in the sport. In a recent interview, he didn’t shy away from addressing the timeless debate over soccer’s greatest player.
“Lionel Messi for me,” Gerrard told Gary Neville during an appearance on The Overlap podcast. “But I would never say anything disrespectful about Cristiano Ronaldo because he’s another phenomenal player”.
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona lifts up his sixth Ballon d’Or prior to the Liga match between FC Barcelona and RCD Mallorca at Camp Nou. (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Gerrard’s dream five-a-side
The former England international even built a five-a-side dream team from players he’s faced, highlighting Messi alongside legends Gianluigi Buffon, Paolo Maldini, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho.
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“I’m more interested in what you do for the team. What can we achieve together? Ronaldo will win you things, but I’ve always been more of a team player than an individual, so I’ll always choose Messi,” Gerrard explained.
Has Gerrard changed his tune about Messi and Ronaldo?
While Gerrard has often declared Messi as the greatest, recent comments appear to add a new layer to his opinion. In a Saudi Pro League interview, where he now works as a coach and Cristiano Ronaldo is the league’s marquee star, Gerrard offered praise that seemed to shift his stance.
“The arrival of ‘The GOAT,’ as we call Cristiano, was obviously a major signing. He still had plenty of football left in him,” Gerrard said. “For six months, I’ve been following Ronaldo’s results, watching some of his matches and highlights”.
