Legendary Brazilian midfielder Kaka has delivered his verdict regarding the notorious ultimate midfielder debate that currently dominates footballing arguments in the English game and the former AC Milan hero has claimed Steven Gerrard as his victor.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard kisses the winner’s trophy at the presentation after his side beat AC Milan on penalties at the Champions League Final in the Ataturk Stadium on May 25th 2005 in Istanbul, Turkey (Photo by Tom Jenkins/Getty Images). An image from the book “In The Moment” published June 2012
The droning debate of who is the better player between Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes has governed our nation’s game for so long that two of them are now managing two of the biggest clubs in British football.
However, Kaka has gone with the opponent that ultimately denied him a Champions League triumph back in 2005 when Gerrard inspired his Liverpool team to European glory despite trailing one of football’s greatest ever teams by three goals at half-time.
The 2007 Ballon d’Or winner went head-to-toe with Liverpool’s irreplaceable former captain in two European Cup finals with the pair both getting the better of each other on a separate occasion.
Kaka and Gerrard were two of the finest midfielders in Europe for a five-year period and both were regular participants in the FIFA and UEFA Team of the Year awards.
The current Rangers manager has since left a lasting impression on the former Real Madrid midfielder who retired in 2016.
Weighing in on the debate, Kaka said: “I like Gerrard,” he told SPORTbible. “Because we had this challenge between ourselves in 2005 and 2007, I really admire him.
“Of course, Lampard was pretty amazing, Scholes the classic. But I’ll have Gerrard.”
Athens, GREECE: AC Milan’s Brazilian midfielder Kaka (R) vies with Liverpool’s midfielder Steven Gerrard during the Champions League football match, at the Olympic Stadium, in Athens, 23 May 2007. AFP PHOTO / MUSTAFA OZER (Photo credit should read MUSTAFA OZER/AFP via Getty Images)
What RTK has to say
If a Ballon d’Or winner claims Gerrard is the undeniable choice then who are we to argue.
The former England captain is widely regarded as the club’s greatest ever player and single-handily carried the Reds to silverware on numerous occasions.
It’s extremely likely that fan bases of both Manchester United and Chelsea will have alternate opinions but none can argue Gerrard was one of the finest midfielders ever to grace the game.
He had everything in abundance. Whether it were speed, strength, desire, strong in the tackle or talent for goals, Gerrard could do it all.
In a time of such unprecedented success for Liverpool’s current squad, the only regret will be that Gerrard wasn’t fortunate enough to have the same calibre of players around him during his 17-year spell at Anfield.