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Rodri names Steven Gerrard and another former Liverpool star amid perfect midfielder debate

Rodri in action during Man City 0-0 Inter Milan in the Champions League.
-Credit: (Image: Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)


Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has been praised by Manchester City star Rodri with the former captain being selected as one of the European Championship winner's picks for making the perfect player.

In an interview with ESPN, Rodri was asked to build his "ultimate midfielder" based on the key attributes required for the position. The categories were passing, vision, skills, IQ, creativity, mentality, work rate, and technique.

As you might expect, there were lots of Spanish players featuring in his answers. Inter Miami's Sergio Busquets was chosen for football IQ and passing, Xavi for vision, Andres Iniesta for skills, and Manchester United's Casemiro for work rate.

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Manchester City teammate Kevin De Bruyne was in there for technique, Gerrard was picked for his mentality, while another ex-Liverpool player, Xabi Alonso, who is now the manager of Bayer Leverkusen, was selected for his creativity.

During the September international break, Rodri agreed with Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker's assessment that there are too many fixtures and too many pressures placed on top-level soccer players in the modern era. The Champions League has now been expanded and Premier League stars are being asked to do more than ever before.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri. -Credit:Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images

"I think we are close to [players going on strike]," Rodri said while he was away with Spain playing in the UEFA Nations League. "If you ask any player, they will say the same. It's the general opinion of the players. If it keeps [going] this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option, but let's see."

"Sometimes nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games," Alisson said ahead of playing AC Milan this week. "Maybe our opinion doesn't matter, but everybody knows what we think about having more games. Everybody's tired of that."

Liverpool.com says: Rodri is just a ridiculously good soccer player. It won't be long before players asked to name their perfect midfielder put him right near the top of the list. Primarily a defensive midfielder, he can also pop up with big goals and start attacks. In his position, he is comfortably the best in the world right now.