From 'Best Night of My Life' to 'Box of Frogs': Gerrard Opens Up on Post-Istanbul Turmoil

Steven Gerrard has revealed the psychological toll that followed Liverpool's famous 2005 Champions League triumph in Istanbul, describing his mental state weeks after the final as 'like a box of frogs' and crediting then-manager Rafael Benitez's blunt coaching style with fuelling his doubts about staying at the club.

The Details

In a new BBC Sport feature tied to a Netflix documentary revisiting Liverpool's historic European Cup win, Gerrard reflects on the emotional whiplash of the summer of 2005. Just weeks after captaining Liverpool to their fifth European title—a comeback from 3-0 down against AC Milan that has become one of football's most storied finals—the midfielder found himself in what he describes as 'a bad place' mentally.

Gerrard is quoted saying that despite calling the Istanbul victory 'the best night of my life,' the aftermath was coloured by tension with Benitez. 'I felt like he didn't rate me, he didn't trust me, he didn't want me,' Gerrard says in the documentary coverage. That perceived coldness, Gerrard suggests, contributed directly to the uncertainty that engulfed him as Chelsea and Real Madrid both signalled strong interest in securing his signature.

The timing compounded the pressure. Liverpool had already lost Michael Owen to Real Madrid in August 2004 for a fee of approximately £8 million plus Antonio Núñez, leaving Gerrard as the club's most recognisable star. The prospect of losing him too appeared real enough that Gerrard came close to departing Anfield entirely.

Yet with hindsight, Gerrard's assessment of Benitez has shifted dramatically. 'I look back at Rafa and think he's the best coach I have worked with,' he says, acknowledging the distance between his emotional state in 2005 and his later perspective on the Spanish manager's methods.

Context

The summer of 2005 was one of the most volatile transfer windows in recent Liverpool history. Gerrard had been integral to the drive to Istanbul, scoring a crucial goal in the final itself and later converting his penalty in the shootout. His potential departure would have represented not merely a sporting loss but a symbolic rupture for a club still celebrating its most improbable European victory.

The doubts were not fleeting. BBC Sport archive coverage from July 2005 confirms that Gerrard appeared set to leave before reversing course and signing a new four-year contract on 8 July 2005. The U-turn was dramatic even by the standards of football's summer silly season, and it secured a player who would go on to spend the majority of his playing career at Anfield.

The Netflix documentary adds fresh first-person reflection to a story that has been retold countless times, but rarely with this level of candour from its central figure about the psychological cost of the period.

What's Next

The documentary is expected to draw significant attention from Liverpool supporters and football historians alike, given the central role the 2005 final plays in the club's modern identity. Gerrard's remarks about Benitez may also reignite discussion about the often-complex dynamic between elite players and the managers who push them hardest.