According to 442, Shelvey recalled his time playing alongside Gerrard and becoming his neighbor at Liverpool in an interview with the outlet.

For Jonjo Shelvey, Steven Gerrard was not only a Liverpool and England legend, but also a player he admired since childhood and dreamed of emulating.

When Shelvey made his first-team debut for Charlton in 2008, Gerrard had already won the Champions League, two FA Cups, and earned 65 caps for England. Two years later, Shelvey shared a dressing room with the Liverpool icon and even became his neighbor.

"I grew up watching DVDs about his career, so I knew everything about him," Shelvey told 442. "When I was a kid, I would watch that DVD the night before a game to motivate myself. I wanted to be like him, so it was amazing to play with him."

Shelvey and Gerrard played together 36 times for Liverpool before Shelvey left in 2013. Even after leaving Anfield, Shelvey enjoyed the opportunity to play against his former idol.

"Later in my career, I also enjoyed playing against him because that was the ultimate test," he said.

In Shelvey's view, what truly set Gerrard apart from his peers was his all-around versatility on the field.

"He was the best—he had everything: defending, shooting, and passing," Shelvey added.

Shelvey also revealed that their relationship extended beyond the training ground: "I also lived next door to him when I was at Liverpool, and I could actually see his living room from my bathroom window, so I spent a lot of time in there! (laughs)"

"He would give me lifts to training, and he was just a very normal person, easy to talk to, and he would help you with whatever you needed. I can't praise him enough."

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