Former England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai on Sunday for the opening of an adidas store.

Hundreds of fans visited the store to catch a glimpse of the Anfield legend on UAE soil. The recently appointed Liverpool Academy coach also took time to speak with budding young football stars, sign autographs and take pictures with the fans.

Speaking at the event, Steven Gerrard expressed his affection for Dubai and its young fans.

“I love Dubai, it’s one of my favourite destinations. Every time I come here I always bump into Liverpool fans, so it’s been great to spend some time with them. I think the region overall is doing a great job in growing football and I will give the same message I give to kids all over the world – just keep practicing and work as hard as you can, because you get out of this game what you put in.”

While in the adidas store, Gerrard spoke about how important boots are as well.

“When I was very young, I wore adidas World Cups and Copa Mundials. They are classics and still around today, which shows how consistent and good the boots are. Then I moved into Predator once I signed with adidas. I trust Predator, I believe in them, I wore them probably 17 years. Every single year adidas surprise me – they make the boot lighter and more comfortable. I have a fantastic relationship with this brand and I hope it will continue.”

The midfield icon also showed his support for the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022.

“I’ve got every confidence that Qatar will put on a great event, you can feel the passion and excitement every time you come to the region. Everyone is football crazy. Good luck to them and I hope they put a good show on.”