London, Feb. 10: Liverpool and England football star Steven Gerrard has a secret love - reading classic novels.

The England star likes nothing more than settling down with a weighty book after a day on the pitch.

And he has read his favourite - John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men - so many times it has fallen to pieces, reports the Daily Star.

"Obviously football is my main passion, but I love reading. My favourite book is definitely Of Mice And Men," the 28-year-old Gerrard said.

"It is quite a sad story. I've read it so many times the book has almost fell apart. In school we watched the story on video, did a project on it and an exam on it. I got a C in my English GCSE because of that book," he adds.

Gerrard also fancies himself as something of a creative writer.

"I wrote a great story in school about how one day I would win the World Cup. I liked messing about with words - it was good fun," he said. (ANI)