I’ve always loved the five-a-side debate because it strips football down to its essence: who do you actually trust when the pitch shrinks and every touch matters? In 2026, we still argue about Steven Gerrard’s best teammates, and his own picks are fascinating. He captained Liverpool and England with the same driving energy, and when he names a five-a-side side, I listen. No goalkeeper, no safety net — just five outfield players he believes in.

Liverpool: Hyypia, Alonso, Hamann, Suarez, Torres

Gerrard’s Liverpool five is a proper mix of steel, intelligence and firepower. The bold part is that he did not pick a goalkeeper at all. Instead, he went with five outfield players who could dominate a small pitch. That tells me he wants control, leadership and goals — not just damage limitation.

At the back, he picked Sami Hyypia over Jamie Carragher when forced to choose an all-round prime defender. I get it. Hyypia arrived from Willem II in 1999 for a bargain £2m and became a rock. He was almost unbeatable in the air, read the game beautifully and even captained Liverpool when Gerrard was absent. Carragher was a warrior, but Hyypia’s calm authority makes sense in a five-a-side team.

In midfield, Gerrard chose Xabi Alonso and Dietmar Hamann. That is a dream pairing for me. Alonso’s passing range and composure would give the team its rhythm, and he scored the crucial equaliser in Istanbul that pushed the 2005 final to extra time. Hamann, meanwhile, is one of the most underrated players of that era. He sat deep, broke up play and kept the team ticking. Gerrard even explained that Javier Mascherano was excellent but only played with him for a short period, so Hamann got the nod. That is a fair call.

Up front, there was only one realistic pairing: Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres. Torres scored 81 goals in 142 games for Liverpool and gave defenders nightmares with his movement. Suarez scored 82 in 133 and produced some of the most untouchable football I’ve seen in a red shirt. Gerrard rates Suarez as the greatest he played with, and many of those goals came from Gerrard assists. He also mentioned that Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen peaked at different moments, which is true — timing matters in these debates.

Liverpool pick	Why it works
Sami Hyypia	Aerial dominance, calm leadership and a bargain price
Xabi Alonso	Passing, composure and a huge goal in Istanbul
Dietmar Hamann	Underrated screen who controlled games
Luis Suarez	Chaos, genius and relentless output
Fernando Torres	Pace, movement and a deadly finisher’s instinct

England: Cole, Scholes, Lampard, Shearer, Rooney

Gerrard’s England five is even more controversial because he avoided choosing between Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. He respected both, said their styles suited each other and admitted it was difficult to split them. That is not fence-sitting — it is a recognition that they were different kinds of elite defenders. Instead, he went with Ashley Cole, and I love that call. Cole was, in Gerrard’s view, the best left-back in the world when they played together. He was crucial for Arsenal’s Invincibles and later won the Champions League at Chelsea.

In midfield, Gerrard picked Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard. The old England problem of fitting Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes into one team is famous. Scholes often ended up on the left, which never got the best out of his playmaking genius. Gerrard even said that Scholes would be the best midfielder in the Premier League now. Lampard, meanwhile, remains the highest-scoring midfielder in top-flight history with 177 goals in 611 games. He fired Chelsea to titles and captained them to a Champions League win. That is a midfield with brains, goals and big-game pedigree.

Up front, Gerrard chose Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney. Shearer is still the Premier League’s all-time top scorer with 260 goals in 441 games, and he scored 30 in 63 for England. Rooney was a masterful footballer who could do any job asked of him. He dazzled at Euro 2004 as an 18-year-old and became Manchester United’s all-time top scorer. The idea of Shearer’s brutality and Rooney’s brilliance playing together is almost unfair.

What These Picks Say About Gerrard

The most revealing detail is that Gerrard left himself out of both teams. That is the most Gerrard thing possible. He talks about teammates with respect, highlights the underrated ones and rewards players who made his life easier. His Liverpool five feels balanced and ruthless. His England five feels explosive and technically rich. If I had to choose one to watch, I’d take the Liverpool side for its mix of control and chaos — but I’d pay good money to see that England front two together. Either way, these teams remind me why Gerrard’s era still sparks such strong opinions in 2026. 🏆",

"content_note": "