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Wednesday, January 7, 2015

English soccer superstar Steven Gerrard to join LA Galaxy



gerrard champions league 2005



Updated 11:32 AM ET, Wed January 7, 2015
Gerrard has put in dozens of match-winning performances for Liverpool down the years and often on the biggest stages. Here he can be seen belting home a last-minute equalizer in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham. The goal took the game to extra time which Liverpool eventually won on penalties.
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A year earlier, Gerrard won the Man of the Match award in the Champions League final against AC Milan. Trailing the Italian giants 3-0 at halftime, Liverpool clawed their way back into the game and eventually won on penalties.
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Gerrard won eight trophies with Liverpool, including two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Cup (pictured) in 2001. A much-coveted Premier League title remains elusive although the Reds came close to winning in 2009 under coach Rafa Benitez and last season under Brendan Rodgers.
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Liverpool's talismanic midfielder, Steven Gerrard has announced he will leave the club at the end of the season after 17 years.
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Gerrard has been at the heart of the action at Anfield ever since he made his first team debut debut in 1998. The 34-year-old (center), seen here during a Champions League match against Ludogorets in September, said Friday he will carry on playing but not in the Premier League. "I can't confirm at this stage where that will be, I can say it will be somewhere that means I won't be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool -- that is something I could never contemplate."
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Gerrard has put in dozens of match-winning performances for Liverpool down the years and often on the biggest stages. Here he can be seen belting home a last-minute equalizer in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham. The goal took the game to extra time which Liverpool eventually won on penalties.
Show Caption
3 of 5
A year earlier, Gerrard won the Man of the Match award in the Champions League final against AC Milan. Trailing the Italian giants 3-0 at halftime, Liverpool clawed their way back into the game and eventually won on penalties.
Show Caption
4 of 5
Gerrard won eight trophies with Liverpool, including two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Cup (pictured) in 2001. A much-coveted Premier League title remains elusive although the Reds came close to winning in 2009 under coach Rafa Benitez and last season under Brendan Rodgers.
Show Caption
5 of 5
Liverpool's talismanic midfielder, Steven Gerrard has announced he will leave the club at the end of the season after 17 years.
Show Caption
1 of 5
Gerrard has been at the heart of the action at Anfield ever since he made his first team debut debut in 1998. The 34-year-old (center), seen here during a Champions League match against Ludogorets in September, said Friday he will carry on playing but not in the Premier League. "I can't confirm at this stage where that will be, I can say it will be somewhere that means I won't be playing for a competing club and will not therefore be lining up against Liverpool -- that is something I could never contemplate."
Show Caption
2 of 5
Gerrard has put in dozens of match-winning performances for Liverpool down the years and often on the biggest stages. Here he can be seen belting home a last-minute equalizer in the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham. The goal took the game to extra time which Liverpool eventually won on penalties.
Show Caption
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Story highlights

  • Steven Gerrard to join Los Angeles Galaxy in July
  • Liverpool midfielder set to leave Anfield club at end of season
  • Gerrard made Liverpool debut in 1998
  • Led club to Champions League title in 2005
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(CNN)From Liverpool to Los Angeles -- Steven Gerrard's move to California has been confirmed.
The former England captain will play Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy after deciding to bring an end to his 17 years at Anfield.
"I'm very excited to begin the next chapter of my career in the United States with LA Galaxy," Gerrard told the American' club's website.
"The Galaxy are the most successful club in Major League Soccer history and I am looking forward to competing for more championships in the years to come.
Gerrard, 34, is expected to arrive in LA in July where he will team up with Bruce Arena, the Galaxy coach.
    The MLS club did not disclose details of how long Gerrard had signed for.
    "My discussions with Bruce Arena and Chris Klein were extremely positive and the future of the team is very bright," said Gerrard, referring to the Galaxy president.
    "I am committed to helping the LA Galaxy compete for trophies and to having an impact in Los Angeles and I will give my all for the club.
    "In the meantime, I will continue to give everything for Liverpool for the remainder of this season before joining up with the Galaxy."
    Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Leicester City and Liverpool at The King Power Stadium on December 2, 2014 in Leicester, England.

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    Speaking to Liverpool's in-house TV channel last weekend, the player himself confirmed that the U.S. would be his next destination.
    "I can tell the supporters at the moment that it will be America," he said.
    "But I'm not over the line with any team just yet. I'm close and as soon as I know, I'll make the announcement, I'll do the bits and bobs that I need to do.
    "Then we try to go and win a trophy and forget about Steven Gerrard for a bit."
    Gerrard says his decision to move to the U.S. came after discussions with Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, in which he was told that he would no longer be a regular starter.
    "There was more than one moment that has made me come to this decision, but I think the key conversation or moment was with the manager when he sat me down not so long ago and said it was time to manage my games for me and for the team," Gerrard said.
    "I'm bright enough to realize it is the right thing for everyone, but when you've been a starter and a mainstay in the team for such a long time, it was a very difficult conversation to have with the manager.
    "I accept it and I'll continue to give everything I've got, whether I'm starting, coming off the bench or whatever, but that was the key conversation that swung me to deciding to come away for a short while.
    "I had an idea it was going to come at some time - I'm a human, not a robot. I'm not 24. I wish I was 24, I wish I'd met Brendan when I was 24 because I think I'd be sitting here talking about a lot of titles that we'd won together."
    Gerrard, who has scored four goals in his past two games, made his Liverpool debut in November 1998 as a raw teenager.
    He won 114 international caps for England before retiring after the 2014 World Cup where he captained his country.
    While he never managed to win the English Premier League trophy, Gerrard did win eight trophies during his time at Anfield.
    Gerrard won two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Cup in 2001.
    But his greatest achievement came in 2005 when he led Liverpool to an unforgettable Champions League triumph against AC Milan in Istanbul.
    Liverpool, which finished second to Manchester City last season, has struggled this campaign.
    It lost the services of Luis Suarez, its top scorer, when the Uruguayan opted to join Barcelona.
    Daniel Sturridge, the England forward, has missed most of the season with injury while players which joined the club in August have struggled to make an impact.
    Liverpool is currently eighth in the Premier League, 17 points behind leaders Chelsea.

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