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Rafa Benitez says he coached a player at Liverpool who was better than Cristiano Ronaldo

Charles Jones

Fri 22 November 2024 10:45, UK

Rafa Benitez has coached some of the very best players of all-time during his storied managerial career.

From Cristiano Ronaldo to Samuel Eto’o, Benitez has worked with the best of the best in the b൲eautiful game.

However, according to Benitez, the best player he ever managed was one of his Liverpool stars.

Benitez had his crowning moment at Liverpool when he won the Champions League in Istanbul in 2005, and the man of the moment during that run was Steven Gerrard.

Speaking on It Was What It Was, Benitez has named Gerrard as the best player he has ever coached, claiming that the Liverpoo𒈔l legend was even more complete as a player than Cristiano Ronaldo.

• READ MORE: What Levi Colwill said to Virgil van Dijk on the pitch last season t🔴hꦗat annoyed him during Liverpool vs Chelsea

Steven Gerrard is the best player Rafa Benitez ever managed

Benitez spoke about working with Gerrard.

The Spaniard♏ says that Stevie G was the best player he’s ever coached, even better than Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He was great, he was great obviously. I’ve said it💜 before, he’s the best player I have ever coached. He was very good and at the beginning when we were knowing each other,” Benitez said.

“I was going to pull you up on tಞ♔hat, you coached Ronaldo, you think Steven was a better player than Cristiano?” Benitez was asked.

“In terms of a complete player. Stevie has the power, he could score goals, good in the air, both feet, he could shoot from distance, short, deliveries🐈, defending, he has energy, he trained well, a good profes✤sional. He was great from the beginning,” Benitez said

Cristiano Ronaldo record under Rafa Benitez

Crisꦬtiano R✤onaldo is undoubtedly one of the best players of all-time, but you can understand why Benitez is more fond of Gerrard.

Indeed, Benitez’s time at Real Madrid didn’t exa🐼ctly go to plan, and h🦹e didn’t manage to see the best of Ronaldo in the biggest moments.

Meanwhile, Gerrard was Benitez’s most trusted lieutenant in his most successful team, and he almost single-han🌸dedly handed Benitez two of the biggest trophies of his career.

Ronaldo’s record under Benitez was, inevitably, incredible, but he didn’t win anything during this time🍒, and they only worked together for a short period.

Benitez didn’t get along 🌳with everyone at Liverpool, but he had a special bond with Gerrard, and these two certainly brouꩵght the best out of each other.

Benitez nearly ended up at Tottenham instead ဣof Liverpool, but, he came to Anfield instead and became a true Liverpool l✤egend.