Cody Gakpo says 'amazing' Liverpool legend is one of his favourite players ever
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Liverpool have had some truly iconic players whose influence could be felt all around the world.
The Reds are one of the most historic clubs across the globe and the list of top quality players who have represented them is endless.
The first-team squad now is also filled to the brim with elite players, with many of these likely to leave a strong legacy behind once they depart in the future.
One player who will be hoping to do just that is Cody Gakpo, although the Dutchman has a long way to go given that he has not been there very long at all.
However, despite this only his fourth season at Anfield, he knows just what it takes to wear the shirt and gives his all every time he steps onto the pitch.
A reason for this could be because a player he looked up to used to do the same, and it turns out that this idol of his turns out to be a Liverpool legend.
Photo credit should read STEVE PARKIN/AFP via Getty Images
If there is anyone who embodies Liverpool football club, it is Steven Gerrard, with the scouser truly one of the best players in the team’s history.
His loyalty was unwavering and his ability was second to none, with every young fan during this period looking up to him and wanting to be exactly like him.
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And, Gakpo has admitted that he used to do the same, with the Dutchman choosing Gerrard as one of his four favourite players when selecting his ‘Mount Rushmore’ of footballers.
“Let’s go with Steven Gerrard,” Gakpo said on the Rising Ballers YouTube channel after already saying Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as three of his four choices.
“He has had a big influence on the club I play for, I think also for me, not in terms of positionally, but I think the way he played and his mentality, and what he did for the club, is amazing.
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“He is someone you can look up to, so I will go for him and I think that is a good four.”
Gakpo will not be the first to admit that Gerrard was one of his idols growing up, but unfortunately now, today’s generation will never truly know just how good the scouser was.
The Dutchman mentioned how Gerrard’s mentality is something that made him stand out, and this is something he will need to take with him this season.
The scouser knew how to win trophies and get his team over the line in tricky periods, something Gakpo can now do given his prominence in the first team.
Now he is the first-choice option at left-wing, the onus is on him to both create and score, something he has done to good effect so far this season.
However, consistency can be the 26-year-old’s problem, so if he manages to sort this out, he might just be one of Liverpool’s most important players for a long time to come.