- Steven Gerrard to join Liverpool Legends v Australian Legends at Stadium Australia on Thursday 7 January
- Some of the greatest Socceroos in history will line up for the Australian Legends against Liverpool
- Tickets to the football classic start from just $29
- The Liverpool game is part of a Family Festival of Football at Sydney Olympic Park from 7-9 January, also featuring Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets
Crystelle Cordero and Julian Keith
LIVERPOOL’S greatest ever player Steven Gerrard will pull on the iconic red jersey and join a team of club legends against the heroes of Australian football at Stadium Australia on Thursday 7 January.
Gerrard, 35, who captained Liverpool to a Champion’s League Title in 2005 and played 504 games with the historic English Premier League club will join a team of Reds legends including fellow superstars Jamie Carragher, Ian Rush and Luis Garcia in the one-off football classic at the home of Sydney’s major events.
The Australian Legends will be equally represented with some of the greatest ever Socceroos set to feature, including Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Jason Culina, Robbie Slater and Tony Vidmar just to name a few.
An exclusive pre-sale for LFC Supporters Group kicks off 11am Thursday 26 November. General Public tickets go on sale Friday 27 November at 11am.
Click here for tickets and key event details.
The Liverpool FC Legends v Australian Legends match was announced Tuesday 24 November by Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres.
“This match will feature a star-studded line-up of football legends, and I am pleased the NSW Government has secured this event exclusively for Sydney, through our tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW,” Mr Ayres said.
“The Liverpool Legends will be led by current LA Galaxy player Steven Gerrard, a true great of the game who made over 500 appearances for Liverpool and played in over 100 games for England. His team will also feature Jamie Carragher, Ian Rush, Luis Garcia and many more. The team will be managed by club legend Gerard Houllier.
“The Australian team, named the Australian Legends, will be a who’s who of local champions, including Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Tony Vidmar and many more. It will be a great occasion, and I encourage everyone to book their tickets as soon as possible,” Mr Ayres said.
Socceroos legend David Zdrilic expects there’ll be no love lost between the two sides.
“We’re definitely going to get stuck in – both teams are full of players that are used to winning and have that competitive edge,” Zdrilic said.
Former Socceroos captain Alex Tobin added: “It’ll be great to get so many legends of the game together to play in such a fantastic venue like Stadium Australia.”
The Liverpool Legends football classic follows a stellar year for football in Sydney, with Stadium Australia hosting the AFC Asian Cup, won by the Socceroos in January, and visits by Tottenham Hotspur and reigning EPL champions Chelsea FC.
Legendary manager Gerard Houllier will once again lead the team and said: “It will be a very proud moment to step back into the dugout to manage the Liverpool Legends team. I’m very much looking forward to working with some of the best players in the club’s history, some for the first time and some not.
“But getting back out in front of the LFC fans will be the most special – wherever you are in the world their support is incredible and will make this game a really special experience.”
Gerrard added: “It will be great to play with the official Liverpool FC Legends. The squad looks like it’s a great set of lads, it’ll be good to get on the pitch with them. Our fans are the best and to play in front of them again will be emotional, I’m sure.”
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase said the match will attract thousands of visitors to the State and further showcase Sydney to the world.
“This is a must see event for football fans and will attract thousands of domestic and international tourists to Sydney who in turn will contribute over $9 million to the local visitor economy. Sydney is Australia’s capital of high adrenaline sporting events, and this cast of football superstars is sure to put on a fantastic match,” Ms Chipchase said.
The Liverpool game on Thursday 7 January is part of the Family Festival of Football at Sydney Olympic Park during the summer school holidays, with Sydney FC hosting Newcastle Jets in a special family day on Saturday 9 January.
