Former skipper Steven Gerrard will pull on the famous red Liverpool shirt when he joins the club’s all-star side against an Australian legends side at ANZ Stadium on 7 January.
Gerrard, who quit Anfield to move to Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy at the end of the 2014-15 season having made more than 500 appearances for the club, will captain a side that also includes Jamie Carragher, Luis Garcia, Dietmar Hamann, Ian Rush, Danny Murphy and John Aldridge.
Former manager Gerard Houllier will coach the team against a Socceroos outfit likely to contain the likes of Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Scott Chipperfield, Tony Popovic, Jason Culina, Mile Sterjovski, Craig Foster, Robbie Slater and Ned Zelic.
NSW minister for sport Stuart Ayres said the match was a massive coup for soccer fans.
“The Australian team, named the Australian Legends, will be a who’s who of local champions, including Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Tony Vidmar and many more. It will be a great occasion, and I encourage everyone to book their tickets as soon as possible,” Ayres said.
Houllier managed Liverpool between 1998 and 2004, and helped secure a Cup treble in 2000-01, winning the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup, while also finishing third in the Premier League.
“It will be a very proud moment to step back into the dugout to manage the Liverpool Legends team,” Houllier said. “I’m very much looking forward to working with some of the best players in the club’s history, some for the first time and some not.”
Gerrard added it would be great to play with the official Liverpool FC Legends. “The squad looks like its a great set of lads, it’ll be good to get on the pitch with them. Our fans are the best and to play in front of them again will be emotional, I’m sure.”
It will be Liverpool’s third trip to Australia since 2013, but this will be the first time their legends’ team is visiting.
Fellow European football giants Manchester United, Juventus, Roma and Real Madrid have also visited Australia in recent years, playing in front of sold-out crowds.
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