• Premier League

Rodgers: Gerrard may quit England after World Cup

Gerrard has excelled as England captain © PA Photos

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Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers admits he expects Steven Gerrard to call time on his England career after the Word Cup in Brazil next summer to prolong his club career.

Gerrard has 107 caps for England - and is just one away from equalling Bobby Moore as the third most-capped of all time - but will be 34 by the end of the World Cup next summer. And after being named in Roy Hodgson's squad for the upcoming friendlies against Chilie and Germany he has the chance to overtake England's 1966 World Cup-winning captain on that list.

The Liverpool and England captain has been to a World Cup and two European Championships in his international career and may even have one eye on overtaking David Beckham's total of 115 caps.

But captaining his nation in a World Cup may also be a fitting point for the 34-year-old to bring the curtain down on his international career, and Rodgers believes it may be right for him to do so to maximise his Liverpool career.

Rodgers said: "'It will be Steven's decision, but I'm sure in these years now he'll want to maximise every cap, every performance and every minute on the pitch he can, and that's what he's trying to do.

"I think it's something he will assess and look at. If you go to a World Cup in Brazil at 34 years of age you might not have many more championships left in you. Very few players do. I can think of [Javier] Zanetti and [Paolo] Maldini who have played on late but it's rare.

"Steven is a real talisman for the group. He is a real leader for the team and everyone there. Whether he plays in the two friendlies or not is another matter. There are absolutely times when you can rest him and I think that is important for him.

"But, for Steven, he probably looks at it as though this is his last international year and after the World Cup that will be all finished and he will have time to rest. He and Roy have a good relationship and I'm sure if he needs a breather in these two games he will get it."

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