Steven Gerrard

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born in Merseyside, Gerrard played for his local club Liverpool for most of his professional career, from 1998 to 2015; here he won nine trophies, including one UEFA Champions League (2005), two FA Cups, and three League Cups. He was Man of the Match in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final, in which Liverpool overturned a 3–0 deficit to defeat AC Milan on penalties, and the 2006 FA Cup final, which has been termed The Gerrard Final in homage to his performance. Despite success in cup competitions, he never won the Premier League. Gerrard won 114 England caps between 2000 and 2014, captaining the team 38 times and scoring 21 goals. He played at two UEFA European Championships, in 2004 and 2012 (where he was named in the Team of the Tournament) and three FIFA World Cups, in 2006, 2010, and 2014. He spent two years at Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy and retired in 2016.

In Their Own Story

On 8 December 2004, the stakes were life-or-death for Liverpool's Champions League campaign. Trailing Olympiacos, Gerrard struck a crucial 25-yard half volley in the 86th minute that sent the club through to the knockout rounds, prompting co-commentator Andy Gray to exclaim, "Oh, you beauty!! What a hit son!" This goal became his most important for the club. The following season, after a trophy-less campaign under Gérard Houllier, Gerrard faced pressure to leave but chose to stay under new manager Rafael Benítez, stating he would rather win one Premier League title with Liverpool than multiple titles elsewhere. His leadership was cemented in October 2003 when he replaced Sami Hyypiä as captain. Even after his contract extension in June 2005, the bond was so strong that following the Istanbul triumph, he told the press, "How can I leave after a night like this?" This era defined him not just by goals, but by a refusal to abandon his club during turbulent times.

Reader's Guide

Gerrard began his managerial career managing the Liverpool Youth Academy's under-18 team, before starting his senior managerial career in 2018 with Scottish Premiership club Rangers. In his third full season in charge, Gerrard's side went unbeaten in the league to win Rangers' first league title in ten years. In November 2021, he was appointed manager of Aston Villa, but he was dismissed after eleven months in charge. From July 2023 to January 2025, Gerrard managed Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.

Did You Know?

• As a player, his individual awards include UEFA Club Footballer of the Year in 2005, PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2006, FWA Footballer of the Year in 2009, appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire
• He was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year eight times, second only to Ryan Giggs's record.
• As a manager, he was named as Manager of the Year for 2021 by PFA Scotland and the SFWA, due to his title success with Rangers.