Steven Gerrard: The peerless prince of Anfield

The scoreboard read Man City 1-1 Liverpool. 72 minutes had elapsed in this intriguing game of the 25th game week of the 2012/13 EPL season. It was just anyone’s match at that point of time .

The ball is only half cleared and he controls it on his chest, has a quick look, and unleashes a scorcher. The ball lands in the bottom left corner past a helpless Joe Hart, who could only get up on his feet and admire. As they say, ‘cometh the hour cometh the man’. Some said he was finished, some gave him no chance to last this excruciating football of the Barclays Premier League, some had summed him up as a foregone conclusion, and we believed it too, until the moment when it seemed the whole of Etihad had come to a stop. A piledriver of a shot reminiscent of “stuff of which dreams are made” from 30 yards had suddenly caught his detractors. Surely they would have no place to hide.

I can proudly say I am lucky to witness him play. He’s arguably the greatest midfielder I’ve ever watched. He wears a famous red shirt with the number 8 printed on the back of it. He is someone I’ve looked at my entire life for inspiration and he never fails to amaze me. He is Steven Lord Gerrard. He plays for Liverpool Football Club. When you play at 32, age certainly catches up with you. You are second best at anything you do on the pitch. You would always feel your body panting and huffing and puffing. Not so for this man. Stats say he remains the only midfielder or striker to have played every minute for his team this season, and this, without a shade of doubt, is an epitome of greatness. If there was anyone to sum up Liverpool Football Club for you, it has to be this man. Week in and week out, day after day, year after year, passing summers and dodgy winters – he has a battle within himself. A war in which he has fought many a battle and has always come out guns blazing and achieved a status which only immortals would envy. They say its the passion, grit and determination which defines your personality and charisma on the pitch – Steven Gerrard has been no different.

One of his iconic quotes reads, “When I die, don’t take me to the hospital. Bring me here to Anfield. I was born here and will die here.” As tears roll from my eyes describing the legend he is, I wish Liverpool is blessed to have half a player like him in the coming years.

In his glorious career, he has amassed 30 goals from outside the penalty box, and that by itself speaks volumes of his blessed feet. The only player in the world to have named himself in the score sheet in a Champions League , FA Cup, UEFA Cup and Carling Cup final is something which will remain unparalleled in years to come.

If there was ever an epitome of commitment and passion for his club, that’s Steve Gerrard for you. In a world where money matters and fatter pay cheques are the real motivation of footballers, this man from the Red half of Merseyside stands out differently. He instils a passion like no other, he brings you up to your feet like perhaps no one has ever done earlier, and he is the same person who encourages fans to get behind his team during testing times. I have lost my words describing the master. The precision and accuracy with which he lays his feet on the ball makes me wonder whether geometry could be really so simple yet so complex. How else could you describe his numerous assists from anywhere on the pitch. and shots from anywhere he wishes to hit the ball ?

People talk about Cristiano Ronaldo‘s incomparable technique, Messi’s nonchalance dribbling anyone he wants, but have we really noticed Gerrrad’s flawless technique to do everything combined?

All I can say is, when Steven Gerrard retires, football would miss an icon. Liverpool fans would shed their tears and wish he could have played for ever. The horror of imagining my favourite club without its most famous son would have nothing to talk about. Some good things unfortunately have to come to an end. but I believe Anfield’s romance with the number eight will go on timelessly.

As they say at the end of a storm, there is a golden sky. Thank you Liverpool’s number eight. Thank you Steven Lord Gerrard. Thank God, I was blessed in this generation to watch him play. You Will Never Walk Alone.

As they say, success is a journey, not a destination.