Steven Gerrard bleeds Red

A memorable photo of Steven Gerrard with tears rolling down his cheeks after Liverpool’s win over Manchester City symbolised the softer side of the Liverpool captain and what he stands for. An ardent supporter of the Reds from childhood, the England captain stuck with his beloved club through thick and thin. His dedication and patience have paid off, as he stands on the brink of guiding Liverpool to the elusive Premier League title. It’s an honour he has never won. Gerrard’s love for the club started when he was seven years old. He made his debut for Liverpool as a lanky 18-year-old in 1998.

Even though he didn’t set Anfield afire immediately, the youngster caught everyone’s attention with his unbridled joy of playing for his dream team. Gerrard has always worn Liverpool on his sleeve. It took the midfielder another two years to establish himself as a first team regular but it wasn’t long before he carved a niche for himself with his versatility. What set Gerrard apart from his peers was his eye for a killer pass and ability to strike the ball cleanly. The Reds talisman has the knack of delivering when his team needs him the most.

Gerrard rose to the occasion with a screamer in the dying minutes to lead Liverpool into the knockout stage of the 2005 Champions League. He was at it again during the final the same year as he inspired his beleaguered teammates to rally from 0-3 down at half time to a triumph on penalties against a stellar AC Milan. In the following year, the captain courageous saw off West Ham in the FA Cup

final with two long range goals. Although his performance comes in for praise every year, Gerrard never came close to winning the league, the pinnacle of a footballer’s career.