Gerrard: He was as good as Cannavaro
Jamie Carragher was as good as any defender in Europe at his peak – that's the view of close friend and Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard.
The 35-year-old called time on a distinguished 16-year Reds career on Sunday having made 737 appearances for the club.
It was an emotional occasion for everyone connected with the club as Carragher walked off the Anfield turf as a Liverpool player for the final time against Queens Park Rangers - none more so than for Gerrard with the pair having established themselves as the Scouse heartbeat of the team for more than a decade.
The duo have both been at the forefront of the club's successes since the turn of the century - most notably in 2005 when Liverpool defied all odds to become European Champions in Istanbul.
Gerrard is, therefore, well place to pass judgement on just exactly where Carragher ranks among the greats.
Speaking to LFC TV for the forthcoming 'Carragher: The Documentary' show, he said: "I think from 2004 onwards, certainly for three or four years, he was one of the best defenders in Europe, for sure.
"You name all of the best ones - your Terrys, Ferdinands, Nestas and Cannavaros - and Jamie sits comfortably in amongst all of those names. It was a pleasure to have him behind you as a player.
"Inside that man, he's got something that not many other footballers have got. He is prepared to take his body to the limit and prepared to do whatever it takes to win a football match.
"Not many footballers have got that. I think when you look at other footballers, you talk about what they've got technically, skill-wise and things like that, but for me it's all about what Jamie has got and other players haven't got and that's a lot of desire and determination.
"He's also a good footballer. He can pass the ball, he can defend and he's got a lot of attributes to his game, but for me I'd like to talk about the things he's got that other players haven't got and that's what is inside his body."
A new documentary featuring Jamie Carragher's managers, teammates and some high-profile opponents airs for the first time at 7pm BST on Friday, May 24 on LFC TV. 'Carragher' will also be available on LFC TV Online and will conclude a fortnight of tributes across club media.
