Steven Gerrard announces his retirement from football at the age of 36
Former Liverpool star decides to hang up his boots after two seasons in MLS
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STEVEN GERRARD has announced his retirement from football.
The former Liverpool and England captain has decided to hang up his boots after a two year spell playing in the MLS with LA Galaxy.
Gerrard, 36, spent 17 years at Anfield and has established himself as one of the club's best ever players over his career.
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Gerrard said: "Following recent media speculation surrounding my future I can confirm my retirement from playing professional football.
"I have had an incredible career and am thankful for each and every moment of my time at Liverpool, England and LA Galaxy.
"As a teenager I fulfilled my childhood dream by pulling on the famous red shirt of Liverpool, and when I made my debut against Blackburn Rovers in November 1998 I could never have imagined what would then follow over the next 18 years."
Gerrard made 710 appearances for the Reds, scoring 186 goals.
He skippered Liverpool to their incredible comeback victory in the 2005 Champions League final, where they trailed 3-0 to AC Milan in Istanbul at half-time before pulling back to 3-3 in the second period and winning the match on penalties.
Gerrard also won two FA Cups, three League Cups, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.
He won 114 England caps, captaining his country at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
He made his debut in 1998 and two years later had made such an impact he was part of the England squad for Euro 2000.
In 2003 he raplaced Sami Hyypia as Liverpool captain and emerged as the club's talisman for more than a decade.
Gerrard captained Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, and also won the FA Cup twice - including an inspirational display as the Reds beat West Ham in 2006.
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Steven Gerrard's Roll of Honour
Club:
FA Cup (2): 2001, 2006
League Cup (3): 2001, 2003, 2012
Community Shield (1): 2006
Champions League (1): 2005
UEFA Cup (1): 2001
UEFA Super Cup (1): 2001
Individual:
Professional Footballers' Association player of the year (1): 2006
Professional Footballers' Association young player of the year (1): 2001
PFA team of the year (8): 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014
Football Writers' Association footballer of the year (1): 2009
Premier League player of the month (6): February 2001, March 2003, December 2004, April 2006, March 2009, March 2014
FA Cup final man of the match (1): 2006
Champions League final man of the match (1): 2005
UEFA club footballer of the year (1): 2005
Ballon d'Or Bronze Award: 2005
MBE: 2007
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His displays in both finals have gone down in Anfield folklore as he almost single-handedly dragged his team to victory from the jaws of defeat.
Gerrard finally decided to leave Liverpol in 2015 and accepted the challenge of helping LA Galaxy in America.
Though he enjoyed his time in the US, the midfielder admitted he found the long-distance travel involved and different altitudes and climates more difficult than he thought.
And once Galaxy lost their MLS Cup play-off on penalties earlier this month, Gerrard announced he would be leaving the club at the end of hsi 18-month contract.
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