Peter Crouch: All-star XI of former team-mates, featuring ex-Liverpool and Tottenham stars
The 38-year-old hung up his boots on Friday to end a career spanning more than two decades
Peter Crouch has announced his retirement from football.
The former Tottenham and Liverpool striker enjoyed a successful 23-year career, scoring 108 goals in 468 Premier League appearances.
On Twitter, he said: “After a lot of deliberation this summer I have decided to retire from football ! Our wonderful game has given me everything. I’m so thankful to everyone who helped me get there and to help me stay there for so long.
“If you told me at 17 I’d play in World Cups, get to a Champions League final, win the FA Cup and get 100 @premierleague goals I would have avoided you at all costs. It’s been an absolute dream come true.”
Crouch starred alongside some world class footballers and below, marvelbet369.com look at the best club XI he played with.
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Goalkeeper - Pepe Reina
Reina joined Liverpool in the same transfer window that Crouch did in 2005.
The pair played together for three years before Crouch joined Portsmouth.
Reina, who won 36 caps for Spain, has gone on to play for Bayern Munich, Napoli and AC Milan.
Right-back - Glen Johnson
Johnson and Crouch were team-mates during their time with Portsmouth, Stoke and England.
Earlier this year, the full-back announced his retirement from football after winning 54 England caps.
He will be remembered for his attacking exploits and his ability to score the odd screamer.
Centre-back - Javier Mascherano
Mascherano played as a holding midfielder during his time with Crouch at Liverpool, however, the 35-year-old transformed into a top central defender at Barcelona.
He has also played further back for Argentina in the latter stages of his career.
Since leaving Liverpool in 2010, Mascherano has won five LaLiga titles, two Champions League trophies and reached a World Cup final.
He now plays for Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune.
Centre-half - Jamie Carragher
Crouch endured a four-month goal drought after joining Liverpool in a £7million deal from Southampton - and in his book, he revealed a pub karaoke session with Carragher was a turning point in his Reds career.
Carragher made 737 appearances for Liverpool before retiring in 2013.
Left-back - Justin Edinburgh
Crouch played with Edinburgh during the 2001/02 season when the young forward was making a name for himself in England’s lower divisions.
Edinburgh was in the latter stages of his career at the time after starring for Tottenham between 1990 and 2000.
The defender moved into management and had successful spells with Newport and Leyton Orient before tragically passing away last month.
Central midfield - Xabi Alonso
With over 100 caps for Spain, Alonso will go down as one of the greatest midfielders of the modern era.
He retired from playing football in 2017 and ended his career with winners’ medals in the FA Cup, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Bundesliga and LaLiga.
The 37-year-old also won two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain.
Now, Alonso manages Real Sociedad B.
Central midfield - Steven Gerrard
Gerrard is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history.
While he did not win as much silverware as he would have liked, Gerrard’s loyalty to Liverpool was second to none.
He scored 120 goals in 504 appearances for the Reds and helped them clinch a fifth Champions League trophy in 2005.
Gerrard is making his name as a manager and is aiming to guide Rangers to a Scottish Premiership title next season.
Central midfielder - Luka Modric
Modric is the current Ballon d’Or holder after starring for Croatia at last summer’s World Cup.
He turns 34 in September, but is showing no sign of slowing down.
The Real Madrid star, who played with Crouch at Tottenham, is expected to play a crucial role for Zinedine Zidane’s side in the upcoming season.
Right winger - Gareth Bale
Tottenham initially signed Bale as a left-back from Southampton in 2007 before being converted into a winger by Harry Redknapp.
He spent the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons playing alongside Crouch.
Bale joined Real Madrid in a then-world-record £85million deal in 2013.
During his time in Spain, the Welshman has won four Champions League trophies, scoring in two finals, and a LaLiga title.
Striker - Jermain Defoe
Defoe and Crouch had a lethal partnership at Portsmouth and Tottenham.
Following a successful 2008/09 season with Pompey, the pair were both signed by Spurs.
Defoe, who is on loan at Rangers from Bournemouth, has made a career out of scoring goals.
The 36-year-old is Tottenham’s sixth all-time top scorer with 143 goals.
Left wing - Rafael van der Vaart
Although Van der Vaart’s preferred position was playing behind the striker, he was occasionally deployed as a winger during his career.
Crouch only played with Van der Vaart during the 2010/11 season before the former England star left for Stoke.
Van der Vaart impressed during his two-year spell at White Hart Lane and had spells with Real Madrid and Hamburg.
Are these the best players Crouch played alongside?
