Steven Gerrard's five-a-side team excludes Cristiano Ronaldo, here's why

Former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard was recently asked to pick his five-a-side team. While his team did include many legendary names, an important player was not included in the list, his Manchester United rival - Cristiano Ronaldo. Gerrard has now provided an explanation for not including the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star in his team.

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Steven Gerrard's five-a-side team does not include Cristiano Ronaldo

While speaking on the Greatest Game podcast with former Liverpool teammate Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard lauded Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the best ever to embrace football. However, he did not name the Portuguese on his side because he needed team players. Gerrard briefed Carragher saying that there are certain players who are on a different level to anyone else like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But Ronaldo could not make it to his team as Gerrard wants players who could do more for the team. Ronaldo will win things but the England International believes more in a team player than an individual player.

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Steven Gerrard's five-a-side team includes Gianluigi Buffon and Ronaldinho

Though Steven Gerrard’s five-a-side team did not include Cristiano Ronaldo, it did include the likes of Lionel Messi, Gianluigi Buffon, Paolo Maldini, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho. He further elaborated on his choice of players, saying that he chose Maldini for defence as he was a hero for Gerrard, a one-club man who has won many European Cups and was good looking too. For attack, he chose the three best players he had played against. Zidane, for his unbelievable control and skill with the ball, who used to glide past with ease. Ronaldinho had a two, three-year spell when he was on a different level. He did things on the pitch where one could think about how could a player do that. Gianluigi Buffon was his natural choice for the goal as Gerrard considers him as the best goalkeeper of all time.

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Steven Gerrard also praised Manchester United legend Roy Keane

Steven Gerrard also lauded Roy Keane as someone who contributed more to the team than the likes of Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, and Patrick Vieira. He further elaborated saying that Lampard was better in front of goal, Scholes had a bit of both - he could control the tempo of a game. While he also described Vieira as unstoppable when he got into his stride.

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Picture Courtesy: Rangers FC and Cristiano Ronaldo Twitter handles