Steven Gerrard's son already taking after dad with goal Liverpool legend would be proud of
Lio Gerrard, 7, scored a stunning bicycle kick in his backyard to the excitement of Liverpool fans, with the moment caught on camera and uploaded to social media.
The son of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard displayed tidy juggling skills before flicking the ball up and attempting an audacious acrobatic effort. His shot found the top-right corner and the clip has gone viral online, with fans already accepting he could take after his father.
Lio is the youngest of four children raised by Gerrard and his wife Alex, who all recently relocated to the Middle East. Gerrard accepted the role as head coach of Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq in July 2023, agreeing to an initial two-year contract before signing a two-year extension through 2027.
Rather than live in Saudi Arabia the Gerrard's reside in Bahrain, which is a one-hour commute to Damman where Al-Ettifaq is located. The club provided Gerrard with accommodation which helped him make the decision to leave England, and the luxury condo is now where he lives with his wife and their four children: Lilly Ella, 19; Lexie, 17; Lourdes, 12, and Lio, 7.
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The clip of Lio was filmed by Lilly and uploaded onto her Instagram story, with her profile currently followed by over 200,000 people. Gerrard's eldest daughter specifies in her bio that her page is a 'personal blog' as she looks to become an influencer.
It's not the first time that Lio has gone viral for his soccer skills, as he was a mascot for a Liverpool game back in 2023. The young Gerrard scored a penalty past his father during the halftime interval as Liverpool went on to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 at Anfield.
With the Gerrard's out in the Middle East until 2027, it may be some time before Lio has an opportunity to test himself and potentially land a place in the Liverpool academy. Steven Gerrard didn't join Liverpool until the age of nine, meaning that Lio still has a couple of years to get up to speed.
Gerrard was met with backlash when initially accepting the role in Saudi Arabia, as he looked to build his coaching career in the UK. The controversy has since died down with hundreds of high-profile players and coaches heading out to Saudi, and Gerrard believes that the region is misunderstood.
"Before taking on the job, I had never been to Saudi Arabia before, and it was completely contrary to the perception I had previously," Gerrard said. My family faced a completely new challenge in accepting this new adventure, and we wanted to make the most of it. The family has settled very well.
"I am happy and excited. The easy decision would have been to stay in Liverpool and wait for job opportunities. But as a family, we decided that we wanted something a little outside the box. I have learned how to adapt to a new culture, and a new league, make new friendships, and face new challenges.
"I believe this has made me a better person and a better coach, and it has also made me more mature. Of course, there will be challenges ahead. But I am ready to face them, embrace them, and do the best job I can for this club."