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Liverpool head coach Brendan Rodgers believes that skipper Steven Gerrard will finally call time on his illustrious international career after next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
The inspirational midfield player will lead the Three Lions out at the tournament next year, however, Gerrard will be 34 by the time the competition kicks off in June.
And his manager at Anfield feels that in all likelihood the man who has already been capped on 107 occasions by his country, during which time Gerrard has appeared in three European championships and two World Cups, will then decide to call it a day with England so as to concentrate and preserve his club career with the Merseyside giants.
“I think it’s something he will assess and look at,” said Rodgers. “If you go to a World Cup in Brazil at 34 years of age you might not have many more championships left in you. Very few players do. I can think of (Javier) Zanetti and (Paolo) Maldini who have played on late but it’s rare.
“Steven is a real talisman for the group. He is a real leader for the team and everyone there. Whether he plays in the two friendlies or not is another matter. There are absolutely times when you can rest him and I think that is important for him.
“But, for Steven, he probably looks at it as though this is his last international year and after the World Cup that will be all finished and he will have time to rest. He and Roy have a good relationship and I’m sure if he needs a breather in these two games he will get it.
“It will be Steven’s decision. But I’m sure in these years now he’ll want to maximise every cap, every performance and every minute on the pitch he can, and that’s what he’s trying to do.”
Gerrard has already played in 12 matches in total for the Reds in all competitions so far in this campaign, ten of which have come in the Premier League, with the Englishman scoring two goals in the process, both of which came from the penalty spot.
Meanwhile, the midfield player has also been an ever present under England manager Roy Hodgson, with his last-minute goal against Poland at Wembley Stadium last month helping to deal the home side’s 2-0 qualifying win that confirmed the Three Lions’ place at the World Cup.