Gerrard: That’s one of the best 90 minutes of my life
Steven Gerrard reflected on captaining a Liverpool side once again during the 4-0 win for the Legends team in Australia, and admitted it was one of the best 90 minutes of his life.
The proud Scouser of course had many glorious moments in a red shirt throughout the years, including the Champions League final in Istanbul in 2005, and the FA Cup in Cardiff in 2006, but he admits playing alongside the likes of boyhood heroes Ian Rush and John Aldridge meant just as much to him.
“It was brilliant,” he said. “It just rolled back loads of emotions and memories and I just can’t get enough of playing in front of the fans and playing alongside these ex-teammates of mine and people who I grew up watching.
“All the way through the game I was just thinking about growing up as a kid and watching some of these people play in a red shirt, and it’s one of the best 90 minutes of my life that.
“Boxes have been ticked for me. Rush, check, Aldridge, check. When you get older these chances become very rare so you’ve got to take these opportunities when they come, so thank you to everyone who put this opportunity in place.
“Thank you to all the supporters who turned out today. To see 40,000 people [turn out] when you are 23 hours away from home is just phenomenal.”
A Gerard Houllier managed Liverpool Legends side beat the Australia Legends at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney, courtesy of goals from Luis Garcia (2), Rush and Aldridge.
Gerrard admits being part of the Legends team for the trip to Australia has been something special.
He added: “Most of us met up in Dubai and I’ve done nothing but giggle. It’s just memories and fantastic emotions come flooding back and the two or three days have been incredible.
“I walked into my hotel room and the Liverpool training kit was out. You see the badge and then you turn up at the ground and you see the kit, your boots, and you are looking around the dressing room and you are thinking ‘imagine all of these players at their peak’. We would rival any team in the world, I’m telling you.
“If all of those players were peaking at the same time, Rush, Aldridge, Fowler as our front three – I think we would be unstoppable!”
In the build-up to the game, the Anfield heroes were all speaking of their excitement at lining up alongside Gerrard in a red shirt.
He added: “It’s very flattering, always. I treat every teammate the same but there’s just something special about names like Rush, Aldridge and the goals that they scored.
“You see the goals they scored tonight, they are there at the right place, at the right time, and any striker in the world should just get their tapes out and see the positions that they pick up. It’s phenomenal what they do up there.”
Asked whether he would be putting the red shirt on for a future Legends game, he added: “I would love to.
“As I’ve said any opportunity I get in the future to put this red shirt on it’s going on!”