Steven Gerrard is one of the greatest English footballers of all time. You don't claim over 100 caps (114 to be exact) without being pretty special.
A former Liverpool captain, he established himself as a Premier League great during his time with Anfield which spanned three decades when you include his arrival as a youth player in the late 1980s. His crowing career moment came in the Champions League final when he inspired the unforgettable three-goal comeback vs AC Milan in 2005.
For his leadership, goals and eye-catching quality, Gerrard will forever be remembered as a legendary footballer. With all that said, it's surprising then that he admitted that two current England players were better than him.
Steven Gerrard Impressed by Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham
"Oof, yeah. Top, top, top"
In August 2024, FutCrunch posted a video labelled the 'Stay Quiet Challenge with Steven Gerrard'. Essentially, the Liverpool star would not say a word until he heard a footballer he believed to be better than him.
He kept his mouth shut when Pedri, Declan Rice, Alexis Mac Allister, and Bruno Fernandes were mentioned. While he interestingly did not buckle when Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes were brought up.
However, at the mention of Kevin De Bruyne, he could not help but make a small noise, admitting to some uncertainty. He then truly spoke when current England internationals Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham were named, saying:
"Foden and Bellingham. Oof, yeah. Top, top, top."
It's important to note that Gerrard may feel other English players are better than him – Three Lions all-time top goalscorer Harry Kane for instance – but could not admit as such as their names were not brought up, with only midfielders mentioned.
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Foden Less Impressive for Three Lions Than Bellingham
But has won six Premier League titles
It is somewhat surprising to hear Gerrard admit Foden is a better footballer than him. After all, the 24-year-old has struggled to consistently impress on the international stage.
In fact, fans were highly critical of the Manchester City star after he struggled to impress on Thomas Tuchel's first game in charge – a 2-0 win over Albania. That said, he does already have six Premier League titles under his belt. And with Gerrard failing to win one, this perhaps explains his respect for Foden's talent.
Foden
As for Bellingham, this shout is less surprising, although it does feel as though the 21-year-old still has some way to go before reaching the same level as Gerrard. That said, he has already proven himself to be an elite talent having won La Liga and the Champions League in his debut season with Real Madrid.
Bellingham clearly holds the Liverpool icon in high regard too, once revealing he was his 'idol' growing up:
"The way he could carry teams, the teams he played for, the way he could single-handedly win a game… he could do everything as a midfielder."
That said, this isn't the first time Gerrard has expressed his fondess of the younger Englishman, noting a 19-year-old Bellingham was much more developed than him at the same age: "He’s definitely more physically developed than me. He’s more confident than me on the ball, in terms of trying stuff. I’m not just saying that to be modest, but I think he’s further on than what I was at 19."
Stats via SofaScore