Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool icon, recently revealed his toughest opponents from his playing career, surprising many by excluding Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi from the list. Instead, he singled out Chelsea‘s Claude Makelele, Manchester United’s Roy Keane, and Arsenal’s Patrick Vieira as the three most challenging adversaries he ever faced. Gerrard also shared his opinions on the top midfielders in the current game, naming Manchester City‘s Rodri, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, and PSG‘s Vitinha among the best.
Messi’s Move to Saudi Arabia Earns Gerrard’s Admiration
In 2024, while managing Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, Gerrard expressed strong admiration for Lionel Messi’s potential arrival in the league. He explained his desire to have Messi in his squad, calling the Argentine an exceptional player who would be a valuable addition to any club. Although understanding the difficulties Messi might face relocating to Saudi Arabia, Gerrard openly shared his hopes for the transfer to happen.
“It would be a dream for me to have Messi at Al-Ettifaq. He is an incredible player and would be a great asset for the club. I know it’s difficult for him to move to Saudi Arabia, but there’s nothing wrong with dreaming.”
—Steven Gerrard, former Al-Ettifaq manager
Choosing Between Messi and Ronaldo: Gerrard’s Respectful Stance
When directly asked to choose the better player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Gerrard opted not to pick a side, highlighting the unique qualities of both. He described Ronaldo as a phenomenal goal scorer and Messi as a more well-rounded team player, acknowledging their legendary status and memorable football stories without showing any preference.
“Both Cristiano and Messi are incredible players with incredible stories in football. Ronaldo is a great individual goalscorer, while Messi is a more complete team player. I can’t really choose between them, they are both legends.”
—Steven Gerrard, former England international
Gerrard’s Personal Encounters with Messi and Ronaldo
During his time at Liverpool, Gerrard played against Lionel Messi twice, recording one win and one loss. His experience facing Cristiano Ronaldo was more frequent, with 13 matches for club and country combined. Out of those games, Gerrard’s teams won only three times and suffered nine losses, with victories mainly coming in encounters against Manchester United. Notably, Gerrard’s international team meetings with Ronaldo ended in penalty shootouts rather than full-time results.
Current Status and Future Prospects
Steven Gerrard stepped down from his role at Al-Ettifaq in January 2025 following a disappointing run of results. As of now, he remains without a managerial position but has recently been linked with a potential return to Rangers, the Scottish club he once played for. Gerrard’s appreciation of Lionel Messi continues to be clear, reflecting the respect he holds for players who have shaped modern football.
Gerrard Names Messi as His Preferred Player in Era
In a recent discussion on The Overlap, Gerrard favored Lionel Messi when asked about his preferred player of his generation. While emphasizing his admiration for both Messi and Ronaldo, Gerrard expressed awe at their exceptional achievements and doubts that anyone will match their records in the future.
“Lionel Messi for me. I’m someone who’d not say a derogatory thing about Ronaldo because he’s a phenomenon. They’re the two in my era that were just…when you’re a footballer yourself and you’ve done it yourself, the numbers are just.. I’m not sure who’s going to do that again, I’m not sure that’s going to happen again.”
—Steven Gerrard, Liverpool legend