Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott has shared his opinion on some of the world’s best midfielders past and present, and left no room for doubt who he thinks better between Jude Bellingham and Steven Gerrard.
Elliott, a lifelong Liverpool fan, joined the Reds on in July 2019 from Fulham for an initial £1.5 million and became the club’s youngest-ever competitive starter at 16 years and 174 days in an EFL Cup tie against Milton Keynes Dons.
After making his Premier League debut as a late substitute in a 2-0 over Sheffield United in January 2020, the former Fulham academy player spent the next season on loan at Blackburn before returning to Liverpool and securing a long-term deal in July 2021.
The 2021–22 season saw Elliott gain prominence under Jürgen Klopp, scoring his first Premier League goal during Liverpool’s 9–0 thrashing of Bournemouth in August 2022 and making key contributions in the Champions League, including goals against Rangers and Ajax.
Under Arne Slot, the England U21 international’s time has been limited, fuelling transfer speculation this summer as West Ham become a likely destination.
Whilst representing England U21’s during their triumphant UEFA Euro U21 campaign, Elliot was asked by Rising Ballers to compare Steven Gerrard to midfielders from past and present by staying silent until he heard a better player.
Late in the round, Harvey was asked to compare Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham to the Liverpool icon and was clear in his response — silence. Even though no words were spoken, the 22-year-old’s reaction spoke volumes of how highly he regards Gerrard.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Elliot explained how Gerrard inspired him growing up whilst developing his own footballing style.
“The link up between Gerrard and Torres back in the day, for me, was just exciting to watch. You know, the football was entertaining.
It was either one or the other, kids want to be either striker scoring all the goals or assisting. I decided to try and base it around the assister, which was Gerrard.
I just think his all around game was unbelievable. He has every attribute and you could see how much it meant to him playing for Liverpool and I always try to bring that with me.”
A true Anfield icon, Gerrard played 710 games for Liverpool during a 17 year spell in the senior team after joining the club as a youth player, scoring 186 goals and lifted two FA Cups, three League Cups, a UEFA Cup and the Champions League.
After breaking into the global football picture at Borussia Dortmund, comparisons between Gerrard and Bellingham have been persistent. Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher labelled the then 19-year-old’s talent as “frightening”, likening his physique and athleticism to a 27-year-old Gerrard.
Now 22, Bellingham has already been capped 44 times for England and has the footballing world at his feet, but whether he has the longevity of Gerrard remains to be seen.
