Steven Gerrard lifted lid on Liverpool rivalry by saying he hated two team-mates
Steven Gerrard will go down as one of the greatest-ever English footballing talents, securing 114 caps for his nation between 2000 and 2014 - but he didn't always see eye-to-eye with his team-mates
Steven Gerrard explained that tensions between his boyhood club Liverpool and fierce rivals Manchester United spilled over into the England dressing room. Gerrard, who racked up 114 appearances for his nation between 2000 and 2014, is England's fourth-most capped player of all time behind Peter Shilton, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham.
While the now 44-year-old managed to forge close bonds with some of his fellow countrymen on international duty, there were two stars, in particular, that he struggled to see eye-to-eye with, owing to their club obligations. Speaking at an event in Belfast back in 2017, the former Liverpool captain was asked about his friendship with Rio Ferdinand in retirement.
To which, he explained: "When you're lining up in the tunnel against Rio and Gary Neville you want to do everything in your power to beat them – there's hatred there, that's exactly how it is. When you meet up for England at that time, you pretend you like them – but your career finishes, their career finishes and your friendship starts for real.
"I've got nothing but respect for Rio as a player, played for a top club all his life, he's a good fella as well, I'm enjoying the role at BT [Sport] with him as well."
Ferdinand also made a similar point the following year during an interview with Times Magazine, explaining: "It overshadowed things. It killed that England team, that generation.
"One year we would have been fighting Liverpool to win the league, another year it would be Chelsea. So I was never going to walk into the England dressing room and open up to Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, John Terry or Joe Cole at Chelsea, or Steven Gerrard or Jamie Carragher at Liverpool because of the fear they would take something back to their club and use it against us.
"I didn't realise that what I was doing was hurting England at the time. I was so engrossed, so obsessed with winning with Man United. Nothing else mattered."
Speaking about putting club rivalries aside for the better of the nation, former England manager Gareth Southgate explained in 2018: "We have listened to some compelling interviews from Frank and Rio and Steven and we used that to say, 'Okay, we have to make sure we put those club situations to one side.'
"I don't think there is that intense rivalry between our top clubs that there was then. But this is a group that is young enough to be interested in doing a lot of things together.
"Most of them have come through the youth system with England together so they are used to being at St George's together. That's not a hardship for them. We are nothing to do with the past. The past can inform us and help us, but shouldn't shape us."
Despite being a part of England's golden generation in terms of talent and representing his nation at World Cups and the Euros for 14 years, Gerrard failed to win a thing with the Three Lions.
Despite venturing into the world of management with Rangers, Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq, Gerrard is currently out of a job. However, it is rumoured that the tactician is eyeing a return to Rangers in the Scottish Premiership for 2025/26. Time will only tell is Gerrard will be reunited with Ibrox, with Russell Martin, Davide Ancelotti and Brian Priske also linked to the job.
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