da apostaganha： Today, the beautiful game says goodbye to the playing career of one of its greatest ever midfielders.
da leao： Indeed, loyalty to Liverpool may have limited his capacity to win trophy after trophy, but Steven Gerrard remains one of the greatest to ever grace Anfield, the Premier League and the Three Lions jersey.
A box-to-box midfielder seemingly blessed with a bit of everything, Gerrard combined aggression, creativity, technical quality, power and goal threat like few – if any – of his contemporaries.
Gerrard left Merseyside in 2015 for Major League Soccer, but following two campaigns with LA Galaxy, the 36-year-old has decided to hang up his boots after 19 years at senior level.
Naturally, many a Liverpool and England fan will be feeling a little emotional today, considering Gerrard’s service for club and country over the last two decades.
But FootballFanCast certainly don’t need an excuse to binge-watch classic goals, especially when they’re provided by such a special and unique talent as the Liverpool legend.
So wipe away that tear, sit back and relive Gerrard’s FIVE greatest ever goals with us at FFC!
5. Sheffield Wednesday – 1999
Starting us off is Gerrard’s first ever strike at senior level – a special goal that acted as a precursor for the many to follow.
Showing rare agility and fleet of foot – something he wasn’t exactly synonymous with throughout his career – the then-teenager picked up the ball in midfield and danced around two Sheffield Wednesday defenders before rocketing it into the net in typical Gerrard style.
What a way to kick off your Liverpool career.
Aston Villa – 2005
We all know about how prolific Gerrard was from long range but this goal against Aston Villa in 2005 puts a little twist on the theme, with the former England skipper teeing himself up before smashing a half-volley into the top corner from an almost unbelievable distance.
That season saw Gerrard bag 23 goals across all competitions, his second-best return for the Reds in a single campaign after 2008/09, including ten strikes in the Premier League.
Marseille – 2008
Liverpool faced Marseille in the group stages of the Champions League during 2008/09 season, with Steven Gerrard producing three goals to guide the Reds to two victories almost single-handedly.
Whilst the latter episode saw him clinch all three points with a header, the first clash witnessed the Liverpool icon net yet another long-range beauty, albeit this one slightly different from his usual variety, adding curve and whip to a ferocious shot.
Considering Dirk Kuyt’s lay-off was actually slightly behind the midfielder, the power he got on the shot is simply incredible.
Olympiakos – 2004
Liverpool were facing an abrupt exit from the Champions League when Olympiakos netted the opener in the final group game of the 2004/05 competition, meaning they’d need to score thrice to progress to the next round.
But Florent Sinama Pongolle and Neil Mellor put the Reds on course for a shock comeback, which Gerrard completed in the most incredible of styles, producing a trademark piledriver from outside the box.
Of course, this was just one comeback in an incredible European campaign for the Merseysiders, which ended in Gerrard and co. taking the Champions League title during the Miracle of Istanbul.
West Ham – 2006
Steven Gerrard’s talismanic nature was never more evident than during the 2006 FA Cup final, which saw the Kop hero keep his side in the game practically single-handed.
West Ham looked set to clinch the trophy after taking a 3-2 lead through a fluke Paul Konchesky strike, but Gerrard popped up in stoppage time to cement his place in FA Cup folklore with a goal worthy of winning any game.
On this occasion, it only guaranteed extra time and subsequently a penalty shoot-out. But Gerrard stepped up once again to convert from the spot, leaving John Arne Riise to net the decider in an unforgettable FA Cup final.