Steven Gerrard on Luis Suarez: 'He should be fighting Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d'Or'

Gerrard blamed 'politics in football' for Suarez's omission

Steven Gerrard posted an emotional farewell to Luis Suarez after he left Liverpool (Getty Images)

Steven Gerrard has blamed "politics in football" for Luis Suarez not being named on the shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or.

Suarez scored 31 goals playing with Gerrard for Liverpool last season, but was controversially omitted from the list as a direct consequence for biting Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup, for which he received a fourth-month ban.

The Uruguayan left the Reds to join Barcelona in a £75m transfer over the summer.

"I can't believe it but that’s politics in football isn’t it?" he told the Daily Mail.

"He scored 31 goals and was voted best player in the hardest league in the world. So you tell me how he’s not on the Ballon d’Or list. Incredible. He should be fighting Cristiano Ronaldo for it. That’s a fact."

Gerrard also has revealed that he will leave Liverpool play for another team at the end of the season if he is not offered a new contract.

The Reds' captain has spent the entirety of his career at Anfield, but says he could be forced to play for a different team next term if the club doesn't offer him a new contract when his current deal expires in May.

"I can only worry about this season 'cos I'm only contracted until May," Gerrard said.

"As it stands at the moment, I'm here until the end of the season and want to make the most of it. I certainly won't be retiring this summer.

"I will play beyond this season. We will have to wait and see if that’s at Liverpool or somewhere else. That's Liverpool’s decision. If they don’t come then I will see what’s out there."