Ryder Cup hero Bjorn to call on his Liverpool ‘hero’

Steven Gerrard: Bjorn's hero

Steven Gerrard: Bjorn's hero

New Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn has hinted he will call on his “hero” Steven Gerrard to help motivate Europe.

The Dane will lead Europe into the 2018 Ryder Cup in France after being named as Darren Clarke’s successor on Tuesday.

Bjorn is a massive Liverpool fan, with a particular love of Gerrard, and hopes to use the former midfielder to get the best out of his team.

“He is my absolute hero of all time,” Bjorn said in quotes appearing in the Daily Mirror.

“I think he is an inspirational guy for so many reasons. To stay at a club for that long, while he realised he might not win everything and he could have gone pretty much where he wanted, that says a lot about the man.

“Getting him in as an inspirational speaker is one of the things I have to look at.”

Gerrard announced his retirement from professional football last month.

The 36-year-old recently departed MLS side LA Galaxy and turned down the opportunity to manage MK Dons.

After a long and distinguished career with Liverpool and England, for whom he won 114 caps, he joined LA in May 2015.

Gerrard made 710 appearances for the Reds, scoring 186 goals.

He skippered Liverpool to their incredible comeback victory in the 2005 Champions League final, where they trailed 3-0 to AC Milan in Istanbul at half-time before pulling back to 3-3 in the second period and winning the match on penalties.

Gerrard also won two FA Cups, three League Cups, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. He won 114 England caps, captaining his country at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

A statement read: “Following recent media speculation surrounding my future I can confirm my retirement from playing professional football.

“I have had an incredible career and am thankful for each and every moment of my time at Liverpool, England and LA Galaxy.

“As a teenager I fulfilled my childhood dream by pulling on the famous red shirt of Liverpool, and when I made my debut against Blackburn Rovers in November 1998 I could never have imagined what would then follow over the next 18 years.”