FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

The heartbeat of his hometown club Liverpool, Steven Gerrard will travel to Germany desperate to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ because of injury.
Gerrard had highlighted his future importance to England with a stirring performance in their famous 5-1 qualifying win in Germany in September 2001, where he struck a superb long-range goal, his first for his country. However, he then sat out the finals in the Far East, one of several setbacks he suffered earlier in his career when his growing body struggled to cope with the demands of top-level football.

In his own words, Gerrard “never had the strength or energy to get around the pitch” – something that seems impossible to believe for anyone who witnessed his heroic display in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan, where he breathed fresh life into Liverpool by heading the first goal of their incredible comeback and ended the match patrolling the right flank as a makeshift full-back.

Voted English football's Player of the Year by his peers in April, Gerrard is quite simply Liverpool’s Mr Incredible - versatile enough to play across the midfield or even off the striker, and blessed with the tackling ability, passing skills and shooting power to dominate any match.

He struck 22 goals in all competitions for the Reds in 2005/06 - including two spectacular strikes that helped Liverpool win the FA Cup final - but reproducing that scoring form at international level is less straightforward given he is playing alongside two players in Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney who also excel at making runs from deep.

A product of the Anfield academy, Gerrard made his Liverpool debut in 1998 as an 18-year-old and within two years was playing for England against Germany at UEFA EURO 2000. By 2001 he was a regular in the national team and it proved a memorable year at club level too.

He helped Liverpool to a treble of League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup triumphs, scoring in the last of those finals against Alaves and earning personal recognition for his efforts in the shape of the Young Player of the Year award. In 2003 Gerrard collected further silverware as he scored in Liverpool’s League Cup final defeat of Manchester United and his growing maturity was reflected by his appointment as club captain early in the 2003/04 campaign.

That season ended with Gerrard appearing in all four of England’s matches at EURO 2004 but speculation over a possible move to Chelsea meant that he had, by his own admission, a “hot and cold” tournament, despite getting on the scoresheet against Switzerland. When the same speculation surfaced again last summer, in the wake of Liverpool’s Champions League victory, Gerrard looked certain to swap Anfield for Stamford Bridge but had a dramatic change of heart and signed a new four-year deal with the Merseysiders.

In between driving on his Liverpool team-mates, Gerrard – who will be 26 when the finals begin - featured in eight of England’s qualifying matches for Germany 2006, netting goals in the 2-2 draw in Austria and 2-0 home win over Azerbaijan. Still, six goals from 39 appearances up to the start of 2006 is a record ‘Stevie G’, as he is known at Anfield, will be keen to improve on. And where better to start than at his first FIFA World Cup?

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UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A powerhouse of a midfield player, Liverpudlian Steven Gerrard fulfilled a childhood dream by captaining his local club to the European title.

National team
It was hugely disappointing for both Gerrard and England that injury ruled him out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals - especially as he scored one of England's goals in the famous 5-1 qualifying defeat of Germany in Munich. Gerrard made his England debut against Ukraine in May 2000, and long before UEFA EURO 2004™ was an automatic choice. Now forms a devastating central partnership with Frank Lampard.

Club
Born in 1980 and signed as a trainee, Gerrard made his Liverpool FC debut in November 1998 as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers FC. In his first start, against RC Celta de Vigo in the UEFA Cup, Gerrard's ability to tackle, pass and shoot in equal measure shone through.

2001: He proved his worth with a selection of outstanding performances in 2000/01 as Liverpool won the FA Cup, English League Cup and UEFA Cup, where he scored his side's second goal in the 5-4 final win against Deportivo Alavés. Gerrard was voted England's Young Player of the Year that year. He won a second League Cup in Cardiff in March 2003, opening the scoring in a 2-0 victory against Manchester United FC. Having replaced Sami Hyypiä as captain in 2003, Gerrard justified his promotion by almost single-handedly guiding Liverpool to fourth place and turning down a lucrative Chelsea FC offer.

2004/05: A broken bone in his foot left Gerrard sidelined for two months from September, but he returned to strike the late goal against Olympiacos CFP to take Liverpool past the group stage. Although his own goal proved vital in Chelsea winning the League Cup final, Gerrard remained an inspiration and struck the first goal of the dramatic comeback against AC Milan that allowed him to lift the European Champion Clubs' Cup. Although he then seemed set to leave Anfield, he had a dramatic change of heart and signed a new four-year contract. Typically, he struck a hat-trick in the first game after agreeing his new deal, in the Champions League first qualifying round against Total Network Solutions FC.

Did you know?
Gerrard's superb strike against United in March 2001 was voted Liverpool's best Premiership goal.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

A powerhouse of a midfield player with remarkable mental strength and confidence for one so young, Steven Gerrard can play in a variety of positions but is at his devastating best in the centre of the park.

National team
It was hugely disappointing for both Gerrard and England that injury ruled him out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals - especially as he scored one of England's goals in the famous 5-1 defeat of Germany in a Munich qualifying game. Gerrard made his England debut against Ukraine in May 2000, doing enough to make the squad for UEFA EURO 2000™, where he played once against Germany.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
One of four England players to feature in seven qualifiers, Gerrard scored in the home draw against F.Y.R. Macedonia but missed the corresponding fixture, a victory in Skopje.

Club
Born in 1980 and signed as a trainee, Gerrard made his Liverpool FC debut in November 1998 as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers FC. In his first start, against RC Celta de Vigo in the UEFA Cup, Gerrard's ability to tackle, pass and shoot in equal measure shone through. He proved his worth to the Anfield cause with a selection of outstanding performances in 2000/01 as they won the FA Cup, English League Cup and UEFA Cup, where he scored his side's second goal in the 5-4 final win against Deportivo Alavés. Having recovered from growing pains - Gerrard was voted England's Young Player of the Year that year. He won a second League Cup in Cardiff in March 2003, opening the scoring in a 2-0 victory against Manchester United FC.

2003/04: Having replaced Sami Hyypiä as captain, Gerrard signed a new contract in November committing him to Anfield until 2007. "I've been here since I was eight and I've never wanted to play anywhere else," he said. Justified his promotion by almost single-handedly guiding Liverpool to fourth place.

Did you know?
Gerrard's superb strike against United in March 2001 was voted Liverpool's best Premiership goal.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

BBC's UEFA EURO 2004 player's profile

Gerrard's tenacity, drive and perceptive passing make him an essential part of England's midfield, where some say he is even more important than David Beckham.

Allied to this is a good understanding with club colleague Michael Owen - and a reputation as a lucky talisman, as England are yet to lose in a competitive match in which Gerrard has played.

Gerrard, when fit, is one of the finest midfield operators in Europe with a growing reputation.

He still has question marks over his temperament, but has vowed to clean up his act.

©bbc.co.uk 2004. All rights reserved.