Steven Gerrard didn’t hold back when naming the worst teammate he played with during his time at Liverpool.
Spending nearly his entire professional career at Anfield, Gerrard had the privilege of sharing the pitch with some of the club’s greatest talents, including Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, and Xabi Alonso.
However, staying at one club for 17 years also meant Gerrard encountered players who didn’t live up to expectations. When asked to name the worst, he didn’t hesitate.
Throughout his career at Liverpool, Gerrard made over 700 appearances, scored 186 goals, and provided 155 assists, captaining the team for several years — notably during their famous 2004/05 Champions League triumph.
Despite his many successes, one criticism often levelled at Gerrard is his failure to win the Premier League, most heartbreakingly missing out in the 2013/14 season.
In his autobiography My Story, Gerrard revealed that the worst teammate he had was one who was supposed to help Liverpool claim the league title.
Reflecting in 2015, Gerrard wrote: “I don’t really want to waste much time talking about El Hadji Diouf, but his wasted seasons at Liverpool are a perfect example of how things can go wrong.
“Gerard Houllier, a great manager and usually an excellent judge of character, signed Diouf for £10 million from Lens in 2002 — largely based on the recommendation of his former assistant, Patrice Bergues, who had coached Diouf previously.
“I could understand why Houllier rushed the deal, but he didn’t truly know Diouf as a person. Diouf, along with two others, was brought in to help us win the Premier League.”
The Senegalese forward was one of three major signings that summer, and according to Gerrard, turned out to be part of the biggest waste of money in the club’s history.
He continued: “We had finished second to Manchester United the previous season, and the trio of Diouf, Salif Diao, and Bruno Cheyrou were meant to push us to the title. Instead, it turned out to be an £18 million disaster.
“We ended up fifth, and Diouf firmly established himself as my least favorite Liverpool signing.
“He seemed to have no real passion for football and showed little care for Liverpool. A perfect example of his attitude was when he spat at a Celtic fan during a UEFA Cup match at Parkhead in 2003 — a truly disgraceful act that reflected his spiteful character.”
Gerrard concluded by saying that while people have compared Diouf to Mario Balotelli, he sees a clear difference: “I respect Balotelli; I have zero respect for Diouf.”
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