Emile Heskey was a pretty good striker in his prime. He made a name for himself at Leicester City, then won the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and more at Liverpool, while also playing 62 times for England.
Somewhat unfairly, he was a bit of a disrespected figure at points in his career. With over 100 Premier League goals to his name, plus 53 assists, he achieved far more than most British footballers.
As a result, he played alongside some fantastic footballers. Ballon d'Or winner Michael Owen was his strike partner for Liverpool and the Three Lions, while other big names such as Nicolas Anelka, Robert Pires, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole shared the pitch with Heskey on various occasions.
However, the retired striker revealed one player stood out above the rest when it came to naming his greatest teammate.
Heskey Held Steven Gerrard in High Esteem
"Someone you can rely on when the chips are down"
Speaking in a Q&A on Reddit in 2024, Heskey was asked to name the 'best player' he ever played with. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he went with a former Liverpool star, who just so happened to play with him for England too:
"I would say Steven Gerrard fantastic leader, fantastic player. Someone you can rely on when the chips are down. Someone or you can lean on if you need if needs be."
While that England Golden Generation failed to ever win any major honours, the pair did enjoy success with Liverpool. Together, they helped bring the FA Cup, two League Cups, the UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup to Anfield. They played 218 together at senior level for club and country, combining for a total of 11 goals.
Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey
Team
Games
Joint Goal Participations
Minutes
Major Honours
Gerrard was a true legend for England, with 114 caps for his nation. Interestingly though, when asked to name one English player he could put in the modern Three Lions setup, he snubbed Gerrard for Paul Gascoigne, explaining: "Gazza. We're still looking for the next Gazza. So that says a lot."
Reigan Heskey Related
‘My Dad Scored Over 100 Premier League Goals, Now I’m Close to Becoming Man City Star’
Emile Heskey could soon join the exclusive club of footballing fathers who passed down their talent to their children.
Rivaldo Was Big Fan of Heskey
"I admire the way he attacks the Premiership"
Although Heskey faced plenty of criticism throughout his career, he didn't always lack admirers. Somewhat surprisingly, 1999 Ballon d'Or winner Rivaldo named the former Liverpool forward as the one player from England's 2002 World Cup squad he would want in the Brazil team.
He said: “Heskey may be heavily criticised by some English fans, but I don't see it like that. I played against him a couple of times for Barcelona against Liverpool in the Champions League and realised what a quality player he is. It wasn't long before I began thinking about what weight of character and strength Heskey possessed.
"I told the other players [in Brazil] how dangerous he was. I admire the way he attacks the Premiership. So when you ask me which Englishman I think would be able to cope with playing in my team, Brazil, I say Heskey.”
Stats via Transfermarkt