"I sincerely hope that one day I can return to Anfield and give liverpool my best. It is a great honour to represent Liverpool, both as a player and as captain of the Reds. I will cherish every moment of my service for the Reds forever. —Gerald
Since ancient times, how many heroes have not been born at the right time, and football players have been like this, constantly trying to find their own position, but in the end they have been told that this is just a dream. How many people in the football world will always be loyal to only one club, because of their feelings for it, and thus give up other temptations? The dream of winning the World Cup is more than a dream. It seems that the definition of "eternal" in football has long been lost. Steven Gerrard, the footballer who captained the team, was one of the tragic heroes of this era.
If football is considered an ancient Greek tragedy, then Gerald is a classic tragic hero in it. Heroes are also not perfect, and more or less will have many flaws or make mistakes. No one is perfect, and perfection is impossible in any time and space. Everyone will struggle with their own shortcomings, will be too arbitrary or hesitant; will be overconfident or very inferior; will ignore their own faults or magnify their mistakes, and cannot be let go for a long time. Gerald is not the perfect hero: he is extremely self-respecting and confident. And this leads to a little color in what others think of him: he is arrogant, his words and deeds have become tainted, and he is more offensive than respectful of others. After the victory over Manchester City, Gerrard's act of rallying his teammates in front of the camera to boost morale is like offending God, and God will of course give him "punishment": the Premier League champions' trophy turns into fine sand, no matter how tightly Gerrard clenches his fists, it still flows between his fingers.
Winning the Champions League was Gerrard's happiest time
Tragic heroes often have the characteristic of "excellence" – to realize their unlimited potential, to strive for and never-ending excellence. The ancient Greeks firmly believed that a man could only pursue and attain excellence if his mind, body, and soul were complete. Over the years, Gerrard's performances at both club and national teams have been able to present such a relentless pursuit of excellence. He was a soldier of the Red Army: running all over the field, sliding shovels, how many times he fell to the ground, accurately passing long passes. And these are just what he thinks is "general tricks".
Such an extraordinary person seems to be able to save the soul of this team. Many players begin to experience a decrease in physical strength during the later stages of the game. When the game was a bit "out of place", the Wheaton-born midfielder was always able to come forward. He can switch between attack and defense, kill outside the opponent's penalty area, and then shoot straight into the defense line to win for the team. He always solves the game in his own unique way. The super combination of countless times of flexible body and perfect technology has made his performance not enough to describe it with the words "excellent" and "perfect". From Anfield to istanbul Stadium, spectators were impressed by him. The Merseyside, a native of Merseyside, gradually became the third most appearance in England history and the captain of the national team.
However, people can't spend their whole lives at the peak, and although Gerrard is loyal to the team, he will inevitably make mistakes outside the stadium: he will be arrested for drunkenness in nightclubs. Gerrard is sad, he has been carrying the huge pressure of "no Premier League champions in his career", and the expectations of fans and national honors are on his back. Gerald in 1998, still a young man, scrappy, full of hope for the future, full of vitality; in that hurried year, gerald's face was full of tiredness and pressure. However, even if his strength was not as good as before, he still persistently ran after the championship.
Gerald talked about leaving the team with helplessness in his eyes
Nemesis, the goddess of vengeance, will not let anyone escape, which represents the ruthless power of justice, making people accept applause at the same time, but also accept the punishment of slap. Gerrard may not have won the Premier League title in his career, but that doesn't mean he didn't win: he's also tasted the preciousness of a cup. However, the reality is that it is a relentless slap at any time: Liverpool have not won the Premier League title, England's World Cup and European Championship are already in the past, and there is always a group of critics in football circles, who just sit there, and they can't feel the bitterness of the players fighting on the pitch, often catalyzing the ruthless slap of reality.
Gerald has an innate glow of "knowing at a glance that it's the captain.". His figure was all over the field, desperately grabbing and rushing out to kick. There are not many such "field commanders", and Gerrard is valuable because he and his team, his teammates, and his fans have always been together. If today's football is to be considered a novel, then Mark Twain's "Gilded Age" is very appropriate. Like the novel, "gilded" represents something hidden under a glossy exterior: if a layer of gold is plated on the surface of rotten copper and rotten iron, then it has the illusion of gold. Modern football is also like this "gilded", there is very little pure to speak of. But Gerrard is definitely an exception, and there are fewer and fewer people who play football with this kind of sincerity. Why is it to amplify gerrard's failure to lead Liverpool to the Premier League title? Can't people see it: he's the only one pulling a bunch of "tasty lazy" bosses in front of him and behind him!
When Gerrard refused to join Chelsea and insisted on staying with the Reds, he should have been well supported, but the tragedy was that he received very little support. It's not much better in the national team: whenever you try to unite a team, the play is out of order. As the captain, unsupported, but the heart has been trying to condense the whole team, such a struggle contrast, Gerald is indeed the embodiment of the tragic hero, and has been criticized by all walks of life for not understanding him. Faced with this, Gerald had to reflect on himself. Enough strength and constant effort could not escape fate: his wholehearted dedication was in vain.
The absence of a title in the Premier League is the biggest regret of Gerrard's career
The world is fair. Despite years of painstaking efforts by Gerrard, the results were unsatisfactory, but at least one thing that comforted him was that he was able to work hard in the team he loved, and that team loved him. Such a loyal captain, once in a hundred years, then, will there be any after him? We dare not estimate. This iron man who always turns the tide at key times, never tires, from the beginning to the end, his dedication to the team, his love for football, I think no one can do more sincerely and harder than him. If Gerrard is made of iron, then many players are fragile glass. His role has been a hundred times, one will be an amulet, one will be a stunt performer, and the other will be a leader - this is Gerald. While footballers get into trouble off the pitch or get distracted by a huge aura, Gerrard does the same, but no one is perfect, Gerrard, he practices what he preaches, and the respect his teammates and fans never stops.
There were a lot of visitors on the green pitch, and there were people coming and going. Some people have won a lot of honors, while others have not been so glamorous and have never won anything. The former captain of England, although he has never been able to catch up with the Premier League title, however, he is already a winner, and the way people remember him will not be "someone who has never won a Premier League title", but "a captain who still loves football no matter how ruthless the years are". Gerald had persevered for so many years, and he wouldn't give up easily. He's a hero. Despite the sadness, despite the devastation of the years that have caused him to fade many of his former luster, he is still the most authentic and reliable him.
One day, he will take off his boots that have been with him for a long time, step by step out of Anfield Stadium, and never come back. However, teammates and fans have always regarded Gerald as their captain, forever and ever.
If you don't have it, you will remember who you don't have, and if you don't have it, it will always pass. Bless the eternal loyal soul of the Red Army, you are the spirit of Anfield.
Text/Andy Chen @ Sports Madness App