Francesco Totti: “The best player I faced? Steven Gerrard. A champion! An example! He would be captain of my World XI dream team.” Lionel Messi: “I think Gerrard is England’s greatest ever player.” Arsène Wenger: “He was a fantastic player who had the qualities that every midfielder dreams of. He scored goals, he could pass. He had commitment and motivation.” Kaká: “For me, and I have always said this, Gerrard will be regarded as one of the greatest midfielders ever when he finishes his career. No doubt.” Thierry Henry: “I find it a disgrace that he didn’t win European Footballer of the Year in 2005 after Istanbul. For me, he is one of the best ever. Whenever you play Liverpool you know you have to get him out of the game. If not, it’s all over for you.” Patrick Vieira: “The best midfielder I would say is Steven Gerrard. I really rate him as a player and a man.” Wayne Rooney: “The best player I’d played for England with? I’d have to say Stevie. For me he is an incredible player, an incredible leader. He helped me a lot during my early days with England.” Paul Scholes: “Who was better, me or Gerrard? I can answer that. Gerrard. Gerrard’s a great player. I wouldn’t be able to do what he did at Liverpool.” Zinedine Zidane: “I have said in the past that at his peak he was the best in the world. I think it was the summer of 2004 I was having a conversation with Florentino Pérez and I told him I wanted him to partner me in midfield for Madrid.” Andrea Pirlo: “That night in Istanbul, Liverpool’s fightback was centralised on Steven Gerrard. He was their leader, their star player, their man who made it happen.” Pelé in 2007: “For me, for the last five years Gerrard has been the best player in the world.”