An absolute colossus in the centre of the park, Gerrard's tireless running, superb vision on the ball and ability to strike from distance have made him one of the best midfielders in the world.
The Liverpool-born academy graduate is already a legend at Anfield but in the summer 2005 he was just hours away from completing a £32million move to Chelsea, before protests by the Reds fans changed his mind.
It was the second summer in a row the midfielder had been forced to consider his future, with both Chelsea and Real Madrid circling.
Despite winning the Champions League in 2004/05 and reaching the final in 2006/07 Gerrard's gripe is that Liverpool have failed to mount a challenge on the Premier League title.
Gerrard made his Liverpool debut in 1998 as a second half substitute for Vegard Heggem against Blackburn. His full debut came in the UEFA Cup against Celta Vigo at Anfield.
He claimed a midfield spot as his own during 1999/2000, placing then-captain Jamie Redknapp's future in doubt and has since become the foundation around which managers Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez have built the team.
In 2001 Gerrard scooped a quartet of trophies as he picked up winners' medals in the UEFA Cup, Worthington Cup, FA Cup and European Super Cup.
In October 2003 the midfielder was handed the Liverpool captaincy and the responsibility transformed the player's performances from top class to the brink of world class.
During the 2007/08 season the transfer rumours died down as he signed a contract extension until 2011, reportedly making him the highest paid British player in the league, but despite netting 21 goals Liverpool ended the season without a trophy.
Gerrard has limitless energy, has a great eye for a final pass and is a prolific scorer for a midfielder - often scoring blistering long-range strikes that has become his trademark.
He made his England debut against Ukraine on May 31, 2000 and on the same day was named in Kevin Keegan's Euro 2000 squad. He was one of the few successes of the dire campaign, when he came on as a substitute to hold the midfield against Germany.
Gerrard has since become a regular for England, and scored England's second goal in the historic 5-1 demolition of Germany in September 2001. Injury forced him out of the 2002 World Cup but has been at every major tournament that England have qualified for since.
Gerrard is simply one of the outstanding performers of the Premier League, a star of the European stage and the kind of player every team in the world would covet.
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