Gerrard ends 26-year-long love story with Reds

LONDON: It is curtains down for Steven Gerrard's 26-year-long love story with the Liverpool Football Club (LFC). Gerrard who joined LFC as an eight-year-old and has made almost 700 appearances, lifting 11 trophies has confirmed that he will leave the club at the end of the English season.
LFC too confirmed on Friday that its captain is to leave the club, ending an unparalleled Anfield career.
Gerrard, who was on brink of leaving the club twice before, for Chelsea in 2004 and 2005 has to his name 180 goals to date since joining the club's youth system.
Gerard has earlier rejected offers from the likes of Bayern Munich to remain at LFC.
On Friday, he made it clear that he will not play for a rival club as it would be impossible for him to line up against Liverpool.
LFC's number 8 stressed "I won't be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool. My decision is completely based on my wish to experience something different in my career and life and I also want to make sure that I have no regrets when my playing career is eventually over".
"From now until the last kick of the last game of the season, I will be as fully committed to the team as I ever have been and giving everything I have to help Liverpool win games".
Speculation is rife that he will take up Major League Soccer in the United States once the English season ends.
The former England midfielder who has won the UEFA Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups and earned 114 England caps before retiring after the recent World Cup in Brazil said "This has been the toughest decision of my life, one both me and my family have agonised over for a good deal of time".
One of the highlights of Gerrard's illustrious career was in the Champions League final in 2005 when he inspired Liverpool to come from 3-0 down at half-time against AC Milan and win the trophy on penalties.
His heroics earned him the title of UEFA's Most Valuable Player, as well as a nomination for the prestigious Ballon D'Or award. He would come third in the latter, behind Ronaldinho and countryman Frank Lampard.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said "It is almost an impossible task to find the words to appropriately sum up Steven Gerrard and his importance to Liverpool. This is an era where the word 'legend' is vastly overused, but in his case it actually doesn't do him justice".
The Club's official statement said "Gerrard will not retire from professional football at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season. No decision on his new club has been made yet, but he will continue his career outside the UK and at a side that will not bring him into direct competition with Liverpool".
Gerrard has been Liverpool's captain for the past 11 years. According to Rodgers, Gerrard's decision against signing a new deal at Anfield was not due to his fee but "a life decision".
The midfielder was rested for the first time in his career this season - against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Gerrard also came in for high praise from fellow players.
Reds forward Mario Balotelli who compared Gerrard to Italian world cup-winning midfielder Andrea Pirlo said "I think of him as being at the same level as Pirlo. Vision, technique but he is powerful as well. Steven can do anything, he is an amazing player. It's going to be very difficult for the team to find another player like him in the future".
Former England star Gary Lineker tweeted "So that's it then, Gerrard is going. What a player he has been for Liverpool. Dragged teams to levels they'd never have reached without him".
LFC called Gerrard "a once in a generation a player".
It said: "Our inspirational captain is one of the most complete footballers in the world. Power, pace, touch and a never-say-die attitude, Stevie G has it all. The midfielder has collected almost every club medal during 15 years in the first team and in 2006 was awarded an MBE by the Queen. The one piece of silverware that eludes him is the Premier League title. He also had the honour of captaining England before announcing his retirement from international football on July 21, 2014."
Gerrard's LFC love affair began when he was spotted playing for Whiston Juniors aged nine. Eight years later, after a period as a trainee, he signed his first professional contract.
Having already featured at U18 and U21 level, Gerrard was handed his first senior international cap against Ukraine in May 2000. From there he was selected for Euro 2000 in Holland and Belgium, but had to settle for just a single substitute appearance.
Off the pitch, Gerrard established the Steven Gerrard Foundation in 2011 with the aim of supporting children's charities in Merseyside and beyond.