To be an elite footballer, you've got to have a certain level of self-confidence that isn't seen in most regular people. To become the best, more often than not, you've got to believe you have what it takes to reach the very top. Sure, some footballers like Zlatan Ibrahimovic may take having belief in yourself to a whole different level, but most stars need to exude confidence.
That means it can be difficult for players to ever acknowledge when they aren't the best. Multiple footballers in the past have shared stories of how they knew it was time to retire the minute they realised they weren't playing at an elite level anymore. Patrick Vieira is another star who wasn't ashamed to admit that he thought someone else was better than him.
The former Arsenal midfielder was involved in a heated rivalry with Manchester United during the 2000s as the two clubs competed at the top of the Premier League table. He was regularly butting heads with anyone involved with the Red Devils. Now, he's openly admitted that Sir Alex Ferguson was right to say one English icon was a better footballer than him.
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Vieira Agrees With Ferguson That Steven Gerrard Was Better Than Him
They both publicly praised the Liverpool icon
Steven Gerrard
In the middle of the 2000s, Ferguson spoke highly of Steven Gerrard in public. In an interview, with quotes shared via Sky Sports, the Scot admitted that he thought the Liverpool legend was ready to take over from Roy Keane and become the best midfielder in the Premier League. He then compared the Englishman to Vieria and revealed that he thought Gerrard offered more. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Ferguson said:
"If you were looking for the player you would replace Keane with, it's Gerrard, without question. He has become the most influential player in England, bar none. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but I think that Gerrard does more for his team than Vieira does."
Rather than take it personally, Vieria surprisingly agreed with Ferguson on his comments about Gerrard. The Frenchman praised him for his exploits with Liverpool and leading them to the promised land. In quotes shared by Planet Football, the ex-Juventus man said:
"In my opinion he’s in the top three midfielders in the world, maybe the best right now. I heard what Alex Ferguson said about him being better than me. He’s probably right. Gerrard is England’s best player and he single-handedly got Liverpool into the Champions League.
“He is the complete player. He can score, he has a great final ball, he can tackle and he drives his team forward. He is a winner on the pitch, which is why I really admire him."
Vieria played 405 times for Arsenal over the course of a nine-year stint in North London. 279 of those games came in the Premier League and he's regarded as one of the best midfielders to ever play in the division. Still, he, alongside Ferguson, believe Gerrard was a better player than he was.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 27/05/2025