This Is Our Captain

Steven Gerrard on... the burden of expectation before the Champions League final

"It was do or die. It meant everything. I was watching the fans gathered in the main square on television, taking in the build-up in the papers, the manager's team talks: everything was different. Being a player at this football club is all about winning trophies. You hear ex-players going on about winning all those European Cups, everyone goes on about the successful sides of the past and if you are a player here and not winning things it seems like you are failing. So to get an opportunity to play AC Milan in a European Cup final, all I could think about in the days before was that it is impossible to come away as a loser. It can be a burden as a Liverpool player. Pressure builds up as the years go by. We won the treble in 2001 but the big trophies are the Premier League and the European Cup and now there is definitely a weight off my shoulders. I wouldn't say the burden is too heavy - there is a responsibility on every player, and especially on the captain - but I love it. It is what I have dreamt of and when the pressure is on and things aren't going well I like that challenge."

Steven Gerrard on... why he reacted last to Dudek's penalty save in Istanbul

"I was last to react because I had to grasp the fact that I didn't have to take the penalty. I had prepared myself so much for that penalty - I knew exactly where it was going, so it was just relief. As Shevchenko walked up to take the pen, Carra shouted across, 'It's all going to be down to you, son!' I thought, 'I know that, cheers'. I knew I was going to have to step forward and take the last penalty, because Shevchenko is not going to miss from 12 yards, it's impossible. But I don't think he was fully focused. He was still thinking back to the chance when he could have won it for them in extra time and Jerzy pulled off a world-class save. For the best striker in the world, on current form the best finisherin the world, to miss from six yards and then from 12 yards, well, it's your night. Simple as that. If he was to get those two chances now he would take them 10 times out of 10, but that night he missed both. That's why we play the beautiful game! A penalty shoot-out is a horrible way to lose a final and I am just glad it was our night because I don't know how it would have affected us this season. It would still be on my mind now."

Stven Gerrard on... the day he almost left Liverpool

"I always knew what I had and what I would be leaving behind if the move did go through. When it came to the crunch though, I couldn't let go. Sometimes in football you can take what you've got for granted until you are put in a situation like I was put in. I didn't realise how hard I have worked to get to where I am. And it took some of my family to remind me of that, make me realise how proud I am to be here. Everything went through my mind at the time. I looked at players who had moved on and been successful and players who had stayed at the one club and been successful. I was thinking about my future non-stop through Euro 2004 and then it happened again the following summer. But it wasn't a case of thinking that I had to move on to be successful. I always knew that, if I was to stay, I could be successful here... It was down to miscommunication.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinion but no one on the planet knows what was going through my mind and no one knows what I was put through. I respect everyone's opinion but what I want to do with my life is up to me. It has moved on now, but I never had anything to prove anyway. When I decided to stay I knew that. This football club got me for nothing. I have given 100 per cent from day one and I will continue to do that. It wasn't as though the club paid £15m or £20m for me and then I wanted to leave after a few seasons. I knew there was a small percentage of fans who were not happy when I stayed but I never felt as though I owed them anything. I just had to get back to giving everything for the shirt again."

Steven Gerrard... on the hunger inside the Liverpool dressing room

"People might look at this Liverpool team and say we have delivered but what I've noticed in the dressing-room is that winning the European Cup has made the lads even hungrier. It has made us all want to improve. We believe we have the squad to challenge for the Premier League now. Most of the lads in this squad have won every trophy except the Premier League so that is the aim this year. If not, improve again and do it next year, but we feel a title challenge is around the corner."

Steven Gerrard... on why England must win the World Cup next year

"When you beat Argentina like that and play so well, you start to think you can beat anyone. It is probably the most exciting team there has been at that level for a while. I think it will be such a waste if we go there and fail. It all depends on what England side turns up. We've got world-class players in Lampard, Rooney and Owen. We've got so many top centre-halves, the best left-back in the world, the experience of Gary Neville. The 2010 World Cup will be really difficult in South Africa but this one in Germany will really suit us. We've got to make the most of it."

And finally, Steven Gerrard on... his favourite bedroom

"I've just moved into a new house, and, to be honest, there was a bit of friction with my girlfriend over what to do with certain rooms. One of the ideas behind the move was to have a special room to record everything I have done so far. I managed to get the whole top floor, to turn it into a memorabilia room so you can imagine where that medal is, right in the middle, hanging on a mannequin. It is pride of place. When I go into the house that is my favourite room because all of my football memories are in there, shirts of the top players I've played against, all my medals and individual awards. In that respect the last year has been very special; it has helped top the room off."