Steven Gerrard and his partner beat Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez in a padel match in Liverpool. The match took place on Tuesday, 18 August at Ignite Padel Speke. Described as competitive in information provided by the club, it featured Szoboszlai and Kerkez against Gerrard and a partner whose identity has not been disclosed. Liverpool FC confirmed on 21 August that the former Reds captain was on the winning side. The exact score has not been made public.
The session took place five days before Liverpool’s first competitive match of the 2026-27 season. The Reds travel to Newcastle United on Sunday, 23 August, with kick-off scheduled for 4.30pm UK time. Liverpool FC also confirms that it will be Andoni Iraola’s first competitive match as head coach.
Gerrard and Szoboszlai, connected by Liverpool’s No.8 shirt
The presence of Dominik Szoboszlai gave the padel match an additional Liverpool connection. The Hungary international wears the club’s No.8 shirt, the number long associated with Gerrard at Anfield. Following the 4-0 Champions League victory over Galatasaray on 18 March, Szoboszlai explained on Liverpool’s official website that he had watched Gerrard play when he was growing up.
[He is] a club legend, nothing else to add.
That same evening, Gerrard praised the midfielder’s development on TNT Sports. His assessment was clear.
I like his mentality.
He went on to describe Szoboszlai as a potential future captain. Five months later, Liverpool’s two No.8s met in a very different setting, with Milos Kerkez joining them on the padel court. Instagram Story reactions posted on 18 August are no longer available through a sufficiently stable official source to reproduce their wording verbatim.
Kerkez confirms Gerrard’s victory and wants a rematch
The result of the match is now known. In an update published on 21 August, Liverpool FC confirmed that Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai were beaten by Steven Gerrard and his partner. Kerkez explained that he is still relatively new to padel and acknowledged that Gerrard’s greater experience helped make the difference.
The Hungary defender also revealed that he exchanged messages with Gerrard after the match. He now intends to practise more before facing the former Reds captain again, with a rematch in a month or two already being discussed. No official date has yet been announced.
Steven Gerrard playing padel in Liverpool, another visit to Speke
Ignite describes Speke as its largest venue. Its official booking page currently lists 10 indoor and outdoor courts, including six indoor courts described as championship standard, along with a lounge area and a dedicated spectator gallery. The group also operates venues in West Derby and Cheshire Oaks. Actu Padel previously covered Ignite’s expansion in Liverpool earlier this year.
Gerrard already knows the Speke venue. In April, the Liverpool Echo reported that he played there with Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. This time, the former Liverpool captain shared the court with two members of the current Reds squad. The latest appearance also provides further evidence that padel is more than a one-off experience for the former England international.
The exact score of the 18 August match remains unknown, but the winner is now confirmed: Steven Gerrard and his partner defeated Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez. The game took place just days before Liverpool’s Premier League opener away to Newcastle, while another meeting on the padel court is already being discussed.
