A narrative regarding Steven Gerrard’s contempt for his former Liverpool colleague El-Hadji Diouf has resurfaced.
Gerrard and Diouf were teammates at Liverpool in the 2000s, yet their relationship was strained during their time together on Merseyside, with both individuals expressing negative sentiments about one another in recent years.
Diouf made his way to Liverpool in 2002 after showcasing his talent for Senegal at the World Cup, but he struggled at Anfield, netting only six goals in 80 appearances throughout the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.
The following season, Diouf was loaned to Bolton before making a permanent move there in 2005.
Throughout his tenure in England, Diouf was a polarizing figure and was involved in several controversial incidents.
In 2003, he faced charges of assault and received a fine equivalent to two weeks’ wages after he spat at a Celtic supporter during a UEFA Cup match.
Years later, English manager Neil Warnock compared Diouf to a ‘sewer rat’ for allegedly mocking QPR player Jamie Mackie while he was on the ground with a broken leg.
Reflecting on Diouf’s tenure at Liverpool, in 2020, the former French striker Florent Sinama Pongolle recounted an incident where the two nearly engaged in a physical altercation during a pre-season match.
“At half-time of a pre-season game, there was a confrontation between Diouf and Gerrard. I was left traumatized,” Pongolle shared with journalist Walid Acherchour, as reported by Sport Witness.
“Can you imagine the younger players witnessing this and believing that this is how professionals behave at that level? “During half-time, in the locker room, Stevie G was adamant, saying, ‘You need to pass, you need to pass,’ and [Diouf] completely lost his temper. He did not speak English well.
His command of the language was poor.
Do you know what he did? Their animosity was so intense.
When Steven Gerrard arrived, he hurled insults at Diouf, saying, ‘Hey, you f*****.’ And [Diouf] was unable to respond verbally, so he turned to [former Liverpool manager] Gerard Houllier and said, ‘Tell him, I’ll f*** his mum.’ He then added, ‘I’m not his friend; I will confront him immediately.’
Diouf may have departed from Liverpool permanently in 2005, yet more than ten years later, he continued to take jabs at the club’s iconic former captain.
In 2017, he remarked: “Stevie G was an excellent player. He is well-liked in Liverpool, but he never accomplished anything for his national team.
I am Mr. El Hadji Diouf, Mr. Senegal, while he is Mr. Liverpool, and Senegal holds greater significance than Liverpool, which he must acknowledge.”
In his autobiography published in 2007, Gerrard expressed doubts about Diouf’s dedication on the field.
“I was not Diouf’s biggest admirer,” Gerrard stated. “During my time at Melwood and Anfield, I recognized which players were truly eager, which ones had Liverpool in their hearts.
Diouf seemed solely focused on himself. His mindset was completely misguided.
I sensed that he did not genuinely care about risking his body to help Liverpool reclaim its former glory.