Steven Gerrard in emotional message as Rangers keeper Jack Butland reacts to classy send off
The 44-year-old is the heavy favourite to make a stunning return to Ibrox as boss
Steven Gerrard has taken to social media to praise retiring former Liverpool team-mate Pepe Reina.
The former Rangers spent nine years at Anfield with the goalkeeper who has decided to hang up his gloves at the age of 42.
Reina was most recently at Italian Serie A side Como and will now become a youth coach at Villarreal.
And after the announcement, Gerrard - odds-on to return to Ibrox as boss - took to Instagram to praise him, with Rangers keeper Jack Butland one of the first to like it.
Gerrard wrote: 'Congratulations on your incredible career and journey Pepe Reina.
'It was a pleasure not only to play alongside you but also to share many years together at Liverpool.
'A leader, standard setter and a top, top goalkeeper. Enjoy your time till you decide your next challenge.
'All the best Rossi La… what a guy.'
Reina will bring the curtain down on his career when Como play the final game of their campaign when they host Inter Milan in Serie A on Friday.
The keeper came through the Barcelona academy, was part of the Spain squad which won the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
He joined Liverpool from Villarreal in 2005 and won the FA Cup and League Cup with the Reds as he also claimed the Premier League Golden Glove award - given to the top-flight keeper with the most clean sheets - three seasons in a row from 2005-06.
Reina made 394 appearances for Liverpool before leaving in 2014 and going on to have spells at Bayern Munich, Napoli, AC Milan, Aston Villa, Lazio, Villarreal and Como.
He played the 1,000th competitive game of his career in 2023 when he turned out for Villarreal in 2023.
He said: 'A very beautiful career is coming to an end, a very full life. I feel very fortunate for what I've experienced. I didn't expect it, but I think the time has come and I feel like bringing it to a close here."
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