LIVERPOOL, July 21 — Five facts on Steven Gerrard, who announced his retirement from England duty today:

— The England captain, 34, is number three on the country’s most capped players behind Peter Shilton and David Beckham. He has played 114 times for England since 2000 and after being briefly captain in 2008 became full time team leader in 2010. He’s captained England 38 times, winning 20 of those games.

— Gerrard scored the first of his 21 England goals in a famous 5-1 win over Germany in a World Cup qualifier in September 2001.

— With his tireless running and vision, Gerrard is considered one of the best midfielders to be produced by England. He has spent all of his club career at Liverpool, making 669 league, FA Cup, League Cup and European competition appearances for the side and scoring 173 goals.

— Gerrard has a cousin, Anthony Gerrard, who plays for Huddersfield Town in the English league. Another cousin, Jon-Paul Gilhooley, was killed in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster at the age of 10. Gerrard’s 2006 autobiography ends with the words “I play for Jon-Paul.

— In a real life drama, Gerrard appeared in court in 2009 accused of affray after a fight outside a bar. He pleaded not guilty and was cleared. On the screen, he appeared in a 2011 movie, “Will”, about an 11-year-old boy and a Bosnian footballer who trek to Istanbul to see Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final. — AFP