Steven Gerrard names his 3 toughest ever opponents as both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi miss out

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has stunned football fans by leaving out the duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as he named his toughest opponents. The former Aston Villa manager enjoyed a fruitful playing career with Liverpool, becoming one of the most iconic players in the history of the club.

Gerrard spoke with ESPN (via Tribuna.com) about the players he considers to have been the toughest that he had to deal with during his playing days. He immediately named three iconic Premier League midfielders as his picks, pointing out that each of them was tough for a different reason.

The Englishman named Chelsea great Claude Makelele, Manchester United legend Roy Keane, and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira as the toughest opponents he had to face. Makelele was part of the famous Chelsea side that conceded just 15 goals in an entire league season in 2004-05, and was so good he had a role named after him. Gerrard pointed to his intelligence and discipline in midfield as the reason why he was difficult to play against.

With Keane, Gerrard revealed that his intensity on the pitch was what made him such a difficult opponent. The Irishman was fiery on the pitch and showed great aggression in trying to emerge on top in midfield battles.

Similarly, Gerrard named Vieira as one of the most complete midfielders he ever had to face in his career. He pointed out that the Frenchman's strength, technique, and consistency made facing him a daunting task.

Despite crossing paths with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for a number of years in the 2000s, Gerrard does not count them among his toughest adversaries. He played against the Portuguese on 13 occasions for club and country, and faced Lionel Messi only twice in the UEFA Champions League.

Chelsea star picks GOAT between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer has made his pick in the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The England international has emerged as one of the world's leading talents since 2023, as was evidenced by his eighth place finish in this year's Ballon d'Or rankings.

Palmer spoke with Sports Direct about his four favourite players, and named Messi as the GOAT. He also included the trio of Neymar and Manchester United greats Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo as his favourites.

“Messi, because he’s the GOAT. Neymar, [Wayne] Rooney, [Cristiano] Ronaldo", he said (via theprideoflondon.com).

Palmer's choice of Lionel Messi as the GOAT is significant because the 23-year-old was a boyhood Manchester United fan who grew up watching Ronaldo dazzle for the club. His love for the club is the reason for his idolizing Rooney, as well, despite having learned his trade in the Manchester City academy.

Edited by Sulayman Salahudeen