Liverpool Legend Speaks: Gerrard Says Arnold’s Real Madrid Move Was A Gamble, And England’s Golden Generation Paid The Price

Gerrard weighs Arnold's Real Madrid move and England's golden generation fallout

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has sparked wide debate with candid remarks about Trent Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid.

Gerrard stressed that, personally, he would never have left Liverpool that way, and he opened up about his enduring regret at never winning the Premier League, revealing provocative behind-the-scenes details about England's 'golden generation' and its selfish rivalries.

In a lengthy interview on Rio Ferdinand's podcast, Gerrard said he wouldn't make the same move as Trent Alexander-Arnold when he left Liverpool last summer for Real Madrid for £10m after turning down a contract extension.

Gerrard, who captained Liverpool into his mid-thirties, said: I personally wouldn't have done it. I think he took a big risk. He's a wonderful, highly gifted player, one of the best passers I've seen.

He added: He's on par with David Beckham and Paul Scholes, no doubt. But he left Liverpool at the peak of his career after a fresh contract offer was made. He took a risk, and he now lives with the consequences. I hope he succeeds, because I love him very much, truly.

Gerrard explained that he understands Trent's motives from a purely footballing perspective, saying: If I remove my Liverpool cap, I can understand his decision. When offers come from Barcelona or Real Madrid, they catch any player's eye, because they are giants. Even I received an offer from Real Madrid when Jose Mourinho was in charge there, and it piqued my interest.

The offer wasn’t as publicly announced as Chelsea's, because Real Madrid wanted to pressure the club to sell me, and I refused. The file was closed quickly, but it did make me think. You can’t stop yourself from thinking when an offer from Madrid or Barcelona comes.

Despite understanding the human dimensions, Gerrard did not hide his heartbreak about how Alexander-Arnold left his boyhood club, saying with a nostalgic tone: Once I put on Liverpool's cap, I can't help but wonder... what have you done, Trent? You're playing for one of Europe's best clubs, winning titles I dreamed of. The fans adore you; you are a club icon.

He added: I have won the Champions League, and I was one of the team's key players. So what would drive you to leave? That I can’t understand except from my deep love for the club.

Gerrard stressed that Alexander-Arnold was on track to becoming a timeless Liverpool legend if he had stayed, and he said he understands the criticism the defender faced from fans after moving to Madrid.

When Ferdinand asked whether Alexander-Arnold deserves a statue at Anfield, Gerrard smiled and replied: I don't need a statue to feel Liverpool's love. The club has given me love and respect greater than any material honor. Since retiring, my bond with the club has grown deeper, truer, and warmer.

Absolute regret

In the same interview, Gerrard spoke bitterly about the regret that haunts him to this day for not winning the Premier League during his Liverpool career, especially after the infamous slip against Chelsea in the 2013-14 season that cost the club the title.

The captain said: It hurts today. I sometimes watch clips of that moment, or mispasses with England, or penalties I missed, and I feel terrible. The Chelsea incident in particular makes me feel the same every time.

He added: But that's life. I've learned how to deal with it. It doesn't haunt me daily, but I think about it often. I hate losing and I hate failure. I feel I should have won the league with Liverpool. I was captain; it was my duty to lead the club there.

Gerrard spoke frankly: I won't say I live in the past, but I own the responsibility. When I look at my career, I’m proud of what I achieved, yet there’s always a part telling me: you should have won the league.

A generation of selfish players

In another podcast segment, Gerrard addressed England's failure with his golden generation in the early 2000s, playing beside stars such as Beckham, Scholes, Lampard, Ferdinand, and Neville.

He described that period as 'a victim of selfishness and clashes between clubs'.

He stated plainly: In my view, we were a group of losing, selfish players. I’ll say it frankly. We saw each other as opponents more than teammates. When I see Carragher and Neville sitting together on shows today, as if they’ve been friends for 20 years, I wonder: why weren't we like that then?

He added, regretfully: Now I'm closer to Rio Ferdinand than I was when we played together for 15 years in the national team. Why? Was it ego, rivalry? There was something wrong with our culture in the squad. We were isolated, not talking, not feeling like a united team.

He stressed that his England experience was the opposite of his Liverpool one: I felt part of a family at Liverpool, always excited when traveling with the team. With England, I only waited for camps to end. I loved playing for the country, but I hated the atmosphere around the squad. I never felt united.

And he added: In the days at the end of any camp, I felt some closeness with teammates, but once the matches ended, everything faded. Only in major tournaments did we feel some togetherness because we spent more time together.

Punchline 1: If you overthink a transfer, at least it isn’t a deflection off your own goal.

Punchline 2: Football is serious, but the bench never wears a tux.