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We all knew that this day was coming, post international tournaments are the perfect occasions to announce your intentions to step down from International football. Although Gerrard has not confirmed that he will retire after Brazil, he hinted that he will have that conversation, from SB Nation's Liverpool blog "Liverpool Offside"
"I think the appetite and desire to go on will still be there," Gerrard said in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live. "Of course it will be. I want to play football for as long as I can.
"But I think it’s going to be a case of going to Brazil, giving it my best and then, when the tournament’s over, I’ll chat to the right people, and then I’ll make the decision — because I don't think it’s one you can make overnight."
Gerrard will be 34 by the time the World Cup comes around in Brazil, which means he would be 36 by the time the Euro's arrive in 2016, set to be held in France. I'm not disputing that Gerrard would still continue to perform at that age, he is still one of the most active players in the Premier League covering a lot of ground. As he mentioned himself, the desire to perform would still be there and the hunger would be as well. However the body may be telling him that if he wants to play football for as long as a Ryan Giggs, he may well need to concentrate and focus his energy on just club football.
Gerrard is an England legend, the one thing I love about Gerrard is you are guaranteed to get his best every single time he plays. He may not have his greatest game, but he will work his tail off and he will run himself into the ground for his country. He's made 108 caps for his country, scoring 21 goals, and he can go out with his head held high. It's a shame that he never experienced International success (well unless England pull off a minor miracle in Brazil) but he has been one of England's most consistent players over the last 10 years.
The question he will need to ask himself is, do I stay on and help the team qualify for Euro 2016 in the knowledge I made not be able to physically help them at the tournament. Or would it be a good sign-off from the team, to finish after a World Cup finals. It would also give the likes of Ross Barkley, Tom Cleverley, Nathaniel Chalobah and team-mate Jordan Henderson a little room to breath in terms of advancing their career with England.
Whatever Gerrard decides, he is, has and always will be an England legend.
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