Steven Gerrard

50 Top Soccer Player their trade today, based on a combination of current form, potential and overall ability. Ranking determined by a panel of contributors to ESPN's soccer.

Steven Gerrard Rank Player 9

Profile
Birth name                  Steven George Gerrard
Nick name                  Gerrard or Stevie G 
Birth date                    May 30, 1980
Birth place                  Whiston, Merseyside, England
Height                        1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
National team              England
Current club                Liverpool
Playing position           Midfielder


Biography
Steven  Gerrard is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger. Gerrard is best known for his tremendous long-range striking ability and has scored in numerous cup finals, including the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2006 FA Cup Final. Gerrard, who has spent his entire career at Anfield, made his début in 1998 and cemented his place in the first team in the 2000–01 season, succeeding Sami Hyypiä as Liverpool team captain in 2003. His honours include two FA Cup wins, three League Cup wins, a UEFA Cup win, and a UEFA Champions League win in 2005. In 2005, Gerrard came third in the voting for Ballon d'Or, given to the top player in Europe. Gerrard made his international debut in 2000 and has represented England at Euro 2000 and Euro 2004, as well as the 2006 World Cup, where he was the team's top goalscorer with two goals. Gerrard is the current vice-captain of the England national football team. However, he captained his country at the 2010 World Cup in the absence of regular captain Rio Ferdinand who missed the tournament through injury. Gerrard is widely regarded as one of the greatest English footballers ever.

Gerrard came second only to Kenny Dalglish in the 100 Players Who Shook The Kop, a Liverpool F.C. fan poll.  Zinedine Zidane said in 2009 that he considers Gerrard one of the best footballers in the world.
In 2010, The Guardian named Gerrard to their World XI team, which compiled the greatest footballers of all-time onto one squad.

Gerrard retained the captaincy for the opening match of the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign against Bulgaria, which England won 4–0.

Gerrard has won several awards - the PFA young player of the year in 2001, the most valuable player in the Champions League in 2004-05 and PFA player of the year in 2006 (ahead of the likes of Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry). He came third behind Ronaldinho and Lampard in the poll for the prestigious Ballon D'Or (European Footballer of the Year) in 2005. In December 2006, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire ( MBE) in recognition of his services to the game. In the last five seasons, he has never failed to make it to the PFA Team of the Year.

Scouting thumbnail
Complete player who can play virtually anywhere on the field, but excels at club level with his own unique English interpretation of the trequartista role. Combines an explosive long-range shot with aggressive tackling, but struggles at times to shed man markers.