LONDON: After an illustrious playing career full of remarkable cup comebacks alongside jarring Premier League lows, Steven Gerrard is done.
The former England captain, who won every major club honour with Liverpool apart from the English title, announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 36 on Thursday a week after confirming he would not be returning to play for MLS side LA Galaxy.
Gerrard spent 17 years at his home-town club Liverpool, 12 as captain, before finishing his career with an 18-month stint at Galaxy.
“Following recent media speculation surrounding my future I can confirm my retirement from playing professional football,” Gerrard said in a statement. “I’ve had an incredible career and I’m thankful for each and every moment of my time with Liverpool, England and LA Galaxy.”
Gerrard spent virtually his entire career at Liverpool having made his debut as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers in 1998.
He is third on the club’s all-time appearances list with 710, behind only Jamie Carragher and Ian Callaghan. He scored 120 goals in 504 Premier League games.
One of the most highly-regarded midfield players in world football at his peak, he was capped 114 times for England, 40 as captain, and played in six major tournaments.
He only left Liverpool in 2015 after no longer being able to reach the formidable levels of his peak years and losing his place in the team.
There were inevitably frustrations during such a long career, so often on international duty while captaining England at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, and the 2012 European Championship.
England didn’t progress beyond the first knockout round in those three tournaments as the team’s performances never matched the hype and expectation that Gerrard sought to temper as a cool leader.
With Liverpool, Gerrard came agonisingly close in 2014 to finally landing the one club prize that eluded him: The Premier League title.
Adding to the anguish, Gerrard’s own slip against Chelsea contributed to a 2-0 loss that ended up costing Liverpool the title as Manchester City emerged victorious.
“It drove me mad for a few nights, a few weeks,” Gerrard said at the time. “It was a big moment and went against me.”
But there were so many moments that went Gerrard’s way.
The biggest of them all came in Istanbul in the 2005 Champions League final. Trailing 3-0 at halftime against AC Milan, Liverpool was facing humiliation until Gerrard scored to begin a comeback that culminated in the club’s fifth European title — won on penalty kicks.
A year later in the FA Cup final, Liverpool was trailing 3-2 heading into stoppage time until Gerrard pounced with a long-range equaliser. Just like in the European final, the FA Cup was collected by winning a penalty shootout.
“I feel lucky to have experienced so many wonderful highlights over the course of my career,” Gerrard said in his lengthy statement.
“I am proud to have played over 700 games for Liverpool, many of which as captain, and to have played my part in helping the club to bring major honors back to Anfield, none more so than that famous night in Istanbul.”
Liverpool’s scouts spotted Gerrard’s talent as an 8-year-old and he went on to score 186 goals in 710 first-team appearances.
He got his first taste of silverware under Gerard Houllier in the 2000-01 season, when Liverpool won a treble of FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup honours.
Twice strongly linked with moves to Chelsea, he elected to stay with Liverpool, but apart from a third League Cup crown in 2012, the rest of his career proved fallow.
Individually he was named in third place in FIFA’s World Player of the Year in 2005 and PFA Player of the Year in 2006.
Gerrard has been linked with a coaching role at Liverpool, as well as Celtic and Newcastle United, where former Liverpool managers Brendan Rodgers and Rafael Benitez respectively work.
Liverpool’s current manager, Jurgen Klopp, said the club would welcome him back with open arms.
“If he wants to return, it’s an open door,” the German told a press conference. “We want to help him.”
Gerrard, who is reported to have turned down an approach from English third-tier side Milton Keynes Dons, said he would take his time before announcing his next move.
“I am excited about the future and feel I still have a lot to offer the game, in whatever capacity that may be,” he said. “I am currently taking my time to consider a number of options and will make an announcement with regards to the next stage of my career very soon.”