Steven Gerrard always rated me but I had doubts, claims Liverpool ace

LIVERPOOL starlet Joao Teixeira claims Steven Gerrard tipped him to make it to the top of the game but he didn't think he would make it.

Steven Gerrard - Player Profile

The 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder is currently on a season-long loan at Championship outfit Brighton.

Brendan Rodgers handed Teixeira his Liverpool debut last season, and he came off the bench in a 3-2 win against Fulham.

Teixeira, who plays in the No.10 role, claims Gerrard talent-spotted him when he was playing for Sporting Lisbon although he wasn't sure he would make it as a professional footballer.

"No, no. Something happened with age," Teixeira told magazine Forever Sports.

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Joao Teixeira in action for Brighton

Some guys were more talented than me, but some grow up and improve, others don't

Joao Teixeira

"Some guys were more talented than me, but some grow up and improve, others don't.

"When I was 13, I moved to Sporting Lisbon and that was the big moment of my life, when I really put everything into football.

"You start improving when you play with the best players and Sporting has one of the best academies in the world.

"You learn a lot from playing with the best players in Portugal."

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