Emile Heskey Named 2 ‘Hardest’ Teammates He Ever Played With

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Liverpool icon and Celtic legend included - Emile Heskey once named his two hardest teammates ever

Former Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey once named a British icon, with over 100 international caps, among his two 'hardest' teammates throughout his career.

With 110 goals in 510 Premier League appearances, Heskey carved out a career that many forwards could only dream of. His name still sits 27th on the competition’s all-time scoring charts - a testament to a player who, despite his critics, always did the dirty work with quiet resilience.

Unfortunately, he's still made to talk about some of the impressive sides he was involved in, rather than his own underrated playing career. That's the case here again during a segment with OLBG in 2025, where he named an England player, as well as an Ireland legend, as his two toughest teammates.

Having also played for the likes of Leicester City, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, and Bolton Wanderers across a career that spanned 32 years, Heskey played with some well-respectable 'hardmen' through the years.

But his two picks went to players who, though tough in their own right, may not have got the same level of praise as others for being so. Heskey explained:

> "Probably Steven Gerrard or Neil Lennon. Neil Lennon was very tough. He was not only tough physically, but he'd give it to us as well.

> "So I think Neil Lennon was one that goes under the radar sometimes. I think Steven Gerrard was probably one of the toughest that I'd played alongside."

Both players - Lennon for Celtic, Gerrard for his beloved Liverpool - were no-nonsense, combative midfielders during their sunshine days, never afraid to put their body in where it hurt to win the midfield battle.

As for the former, he also turned into a fiery, intense, and uncompromising manager, which brought both high success and turbulent fallout during his time in charge of several Scottish giants.

Gerrard went toe-to-toe with some of the most feared midfielders of his era, such as Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira. As a result, the Scouser was swiftly forged in the fires of battle, rising from the club’s academy to become one of their most iconic captains.

The complete midfielder was willing to take on anyone - or anything - that stood in his path, and his mental toughness was a driving force behind guiding Liverpool to the unforgettable 2005 Champions League triumph.

His total of seven red cards - two each against Everton and Manchester United - is more than double any other Reds' player. Add to that his tally of 61 yellow cards, more than the notorious Vinnie Jones, and it’s clear that Gerrard wasn’t afraid to get stuck in.

In the 2006 FA Cup final, moments after being struck by cramps in his hamstring, he unleashed a thunderous strike from 30 yards out, blasting the ball past the West Ham goalkeeper to lead his side to another monumental victory. Gerrard was a man who would’ve given his all for the club, and thus goes down as an underrated addition to a list detailing Liverpool's hardest players ever.

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