LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016) – The LA Galaxy announced today that midfielder Steven Gerrard will not return to the LA Galaxy for the 2017 MLS season. Gerrard departs from LA following the conclusion of his contract in Major League Soccer. Since joining the team in July of 2015, Gerrard tallied five goals and 14 assists in 34 appearances during his 18 months with the club.
Read Steven Gerrard's open letter to Galaxy fans
“When I left Liverpool, I came to Los Angeles with the goal of helping the Galaxy lift another MLS Cup,” said Steven Gerrard. “I am of course disappointed to have not achieved that objective, but I can look back at my time at the club with pride at what we accomplished, including two straight playoff appearances and countless memorable moments on the pitch. As someone who spent the whole of their career in Liverpool, it has been an incredible experience to come to Los Angeles and play for the LA Galaxy. I would like to thank Mr. Anschutz, Dan Beckerman, Chris Klein and Bruce Arena for this opportunity. I would also like to thank my teammates, the coaching staff, all of the support staff and most importantly the fans for their fantastic support during my time at Galaxy; I am excited to see this league and this great club continue to grow. I am now looking forward to spending time with my family as I consider the next stage of my career.”
“We were honored to have a player and person of Steven’s caliber represent the LA Galaxy over the past two seasons,” said LA Galaxy Head Coach and General Manager Bruce Arena. “His experience, class and leadership made him a valuable member of this team both on and off the field. I will always remember his last kick for the LA Galaxy as he smashed home his penalty against Tim Howard. We thank Steven for his time and contributions to this club and we wish him the best in whatever comes next. He is one of the most iconic players of all-time and he will always be a part of the LA Galaxy family.”
Gerrard, 36, signed with the Galaxy on January 7, 2015 before joining the team in July after finishing the English Premier League season with Liverpool. As a member of the Galaxy, Gerrard tallied five goals and 14 assists during the MLS Regular Season, including three goals and 11 assists in 2016, while helping lead the club to two straight berths in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The midfielder joined the Galaxy after one of the most storied careers in Liverpool and English football history. During his 17 seasons with Liverpool, the team’s longest-serving captain made over 700 professional appearances and scored 185 goals in all competitions. Gerrard also served as captain for England, making 114 appearances and scoring 21 goals on the international level, including captaining his country during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
LA Galaxy Season Ticket Memberships for the 2017 MLS season are available for purchase now. Season Ticket Members and Galaxy fans can go to www.lagalaxy.com/tickets/seasontickets to secure their 2017 LA Galaxy Season Ticket package.
