Steven George Gerrard born 30 May 1980 is an English footballer who plays for and captains both Premier League club Liverpool and the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfield role, but he has also been used as a second striker, holding midfielder, right back and right winger.
Gerrard, who has spent his entire career at Anfield playing for Liverpool FC, made his début in 1998 and cemented his place in the first team in 2000, succeeding Sami Hyypiä as team captain in 2003. His honors include two FA Cups, three League Cups, two Community Shields, one Champions League, one UEFA Cup, and two Super Cups. That makes Liverpool the second most successful club in the English Premiership after Manchester United.
Gerrard has been described as “one of the greatest English midfielders in history, a real leader and a tireless runner with super vision. With his striking from distance feared around the world and a prolific scorer for a midfielder. Gerrard came second only to Kenny Dalglish in the “100 Players Who Shook the Kop”, a Liverpool fan poll, and came first in 2013. Zinedine Zidane said in 2009 that he considered Gerrard to be the best footballer in the world. In 2005, Gerrard was honored as the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and won the Ballon d’Or Bronze Award. He has also been named in the PFA Team of the Year a record eight times, the UEFA Team of the Year and FIFA World XI three times, and was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2006 and the FWA (Football Writers Association) Footballer of the Year in 2009. He is, to date, the only footballer ever to have scored a goal in an FA Cup Final, a League Cup Final, a UEFA Cup Final and a Champions League Final.
The last time Liverpool won the premier league was in 1990; they beat Aston Villa to the title by a massive nine points and a positive goal difference of 41. It was their eighteenth league triumph.
Faced with so much struggle and challenges, Liverpool fought their way back to the top in the 2013/2014 League season; hoping to win their 19th Premier League title and first for Gerrad. When Gerrardslipped against Chelsea, the chance of winning the title was no longer in his hands. Not giving up hope, Gerrard was heard encouraging his team-mates ” do not let this slip” after a victory over Manchester City. Though City ultimately won the Premier League, Gerrard finished the season with 13 goals and 13 assists which was the highest in the Premier league.
Gerrad has been one of the best players to play in the Premier League. With all his achievements, but yet the trophy slipped through his fingers. This was his best chance in almost 16 years to ever win the title and was probably his last chance.
One can only say Gerrad has been unlucky; that after so much light at the beginning of the tunnel, he is then faced with a harsh reality of darkness. Having played in Liverpool for 16 years, he was very close to achieving his dreams and getting what he deserved but it simply eluded him yet again.
This was his chance, this was the time he almost got it, but one loss (against Chelsea) caused him the trophy. It vanished right in front of him. After 16 years of hard work and dedication, it seems it was all for nothing.
One can only empathise with Gerrard, knowing how painful it must be to come so close and yet be so gruesomel blocked from championship glory… but then who knows, as they say: When there is life; there is hope.
