In football, there would always be discussions about who is the better player between 2 or more footballers based on the position they play, their style of play, personal achievements and team achievements.
From Pele vs Maradona, to Ronaldo Delima Vs Zidane, to Lionel Messi vs C.Ronaldo this debates have shaped football up to this moment and fans would argue with their last breathe based on bias , sentiments and statistics to make sure their favorite wins the argument at least in their own world.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard (36) announced his retirement from professional football following an 18-year career in the game and while Liverpool fans have been praising their idol, rival fans while acknowledging that Gerrard is a great of the game, have come out to say Frank Lampard was the better player.
The Gerrard-Lampard debate is one that did not start today and the rivalry is one that is eternal, , but really who is the greater Midfielder between the duo, Gerrard or Lampard?
Stats don't lie, both players have accomplished great things on the field of play:
Steven Gerrard Honours: includes two FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Cup, and one UEFA Super Cup.
In 2005, Gerrard was honoured as the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or Bronze Award. He has also been named in the PFA Team of the Year a record eight times, the UEFA Team of the Year and FIFA World XI three times, and was named PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2006 and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2009. He is, to date, the only footballer ever to have scored a goal in an FA Cup Final, a League Cup Final, a UEFA Cup Final and a UEFA Champions League Final, also being on the winning team on each occasion
Gerrard played for Liverpool 504 times scoring 120 goals, assisting in 92 & represented England 114 times & netting 21 goals.
Frank Lampard honours: he was a key part of the Chelsea sides which won back-to-back Premier League titles in 2004–05 and 2005–06 and a domestic cup double in 2007.
Lampard is Chelsea's all-time top goalscorer with 211 goals in all competitions. Lampard is one of seven players, and the only midfielder, to have scored 150 or more goals in the Premier League. He is second in the Premier League's all-time assists table, behind Ryan Giggs.
THE LAMPARD SUPERIORITY.
One important trophy missing in Gerrard's cabinet is the Premier league trophy which Lampard has won on more than one occasion.
The Gerrard superiority was the UCL trophy in his cabinet and Liverpool fans used this as a bragging right over Chelsea in general until Frank lampard captained Chelsea to win the UEFA Champions League in 2012.
Frank Lampard made it to the top 3 of the FIFA best player of the year award in 2005 finishing 2nd to Ronaldinho while Gerrard has never made it to the top 3.
In truth, Lampard over Gerrard in terms of total goals and assists and in terms of trophies won, while most people just prefer Gerrard because of his personality and charisma.
THE GERRARD SUPERIORITY.
Gerrard could play in a variety of positions, as a DMF Central Midfielder or as an attacking midfielder of even as the perfect supporting striker, he coul pass the ball effectively, win tackles for his team, and his distribution rate was very high- VERSATILTY.
To buttress that point, here is what Henry had to say about Gerrrad:
"I had the chance to play with so many great players and saw so many in this league. Alongside Paul Scholes, he is the player I would have like to have played with.
"He could do anything well, whether it was a nice tackle or assist, everything was done well. The quality that he had was at the time, especially in Europe, underrated-
Thierry Henry on Steven Gerrard.
Lampard at his prime functioned effectively as an attacking midfielder majorly.
in all, they are two great players that gave football their all, Lampard has more career goals and assists, Steven Gerrard will go down as probably the greatest player never to win the Premier league, but he represents the perfect role model, football will never see any player like Gerrard or Lampard again, Steven Gerrard we love, Frank Lampard the better player.
AS WRITTEN BY:
ADEKANYE OPEOLUWA SAMUEL
08085552449
@adekanye52
