To be an elite footballer, you need a level of self-belief that isn't common among most people. Reaching the very top usually requires players to trust that they possess the ability to compete with the best. Some footballers, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, may take that confidence to an entirely different level, but virtually every top star needs to display a strong belief in their own ability.

That confidence can also make it challenging for players to admit when they are no longer at their peak. Several footballers have previously explained how they realised it was time to retire once they understood they could no longer perform at an elite standard. Patrick Vieira is another star who had no problem acknowledging that he believed another midfielder was better than him.

The former Arsenal midfielder was at the centre of a fierce rivalry with Manchester United throughout the 2000s, with the two clubs regularly battling for supremacy at the top of the Premier League. Vieira frequently found himself going head-to-head with players and figures associated with the Red Devils. Now, he has openly admitted that Sir Alex Ferguson was justified in claiming that one English icon was a superior footballer to him.

Vieira Agreed With Ferguson That Steven Gerrard Was Better Than Him

In the middle of the 2000s, Ferguson spoke highly of Steven Gerrard in public. In an interview, with quotes shared via Sky Sports, the Scot admitted that he viewed the Liverpool legend as the ideal successor to Roy Keane and believed he could become the Premier League’s outstanding midfielder.

He then compared the midfielder, one of the best English footballers of all time, with Vieira and made it clear that he felt Gerrard brought more to his side. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Ferguson said:

"If you were looking for the player you would replace Keane with, it's Gerrard, without question. He has become the most influential player in England, bar none. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but I think that Gerrard does more for his team than Vieira does."

Rather than being offended by the assessment, Vieira surprisingly agreed with Ferguson’s view of Gerrard. The Frenchman praised him for everything he achieved at Liverpool and his role in helping the club reach the promised land. In quotes shared by Planet Football, the ex-Juventus man said:

Vieira made 405 appearances for Arsenal during a nine-year spell in North London. 279 of those outings came in the Premier League, and he remains widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders in Premier League history. Even so, both he and Ferguson felt Gerrard had the edge when it came to overall quality.