Rafa Benitez makes bold Mohamed Salah claim after Cristiano Ronaldo denial

Rafael Benitez overlooked Manchester United great Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah as he named the best player he has ever worked with in his managerial career

Rafa Benitez has boldly branded Mohamed Salah a more complete player than Cristiano Ronaldo, but named another player as the best he has worked with.

The former Liverpool manager remains a legendary figure on Merseyside after steering the Reds to Champions League glory in 2005. Though he couldn’t deliver a Premier League crown – an accomplishment that Jurgen Klopp secured in 2020 – the Spaniard’s restoration of Liverpool’s European reputation has cemented his iconic standing amongst Reds supporters.

Having taken charge of clubs including Inter Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid during his long coaching career, the 65-year-old has worked with many of football’s elite, including Portuguese superstar Ronaldo in Spain. Pressed on whether he could choose between Salah – a player he hasn’t worked with first-hand – and Ronaldo, Benitez was clear.

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He told Shoot For Love: “Ronaldo is perhaps the best finisher, but Salah is more complete.”

Benitez’s time working alongside Ronaldo proved brief. The Spaniard lasted just seven months at Real before his dismissal in January 2016. Following his departure, speculation emerged that a possible rift with the Manchester United legend played a role in his dismissal.

However, he has since dismissed those claims, insisting: “It’s not true that I left Real Madrid because of Cristiano Ronaldo. There was never any problem between us; he’s a great player. Extraordinary. I left due to internal issues at the club, but nothing to do with Ronaldo.”

As for the best player he has ever coached, Benitez has chosen another Liverpool icon, Steven Gerrard. During an appearance on The Overlap’s It Was What It Was podcast, it was the former England captain who came to mind instead of other notable stars like Luka Modric, Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard.

He said: “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, taking penalties, deliveries, corners free-kicks. Defending, if it was necessary. He had energy, he trained well and was a good professional.

“The point with him is he was a box-to-box midfielder from the beginning and little by little he was understanding the game. He had all the potential and he was getting better in terms of position and decisions later on. But he was great from the beginning.”

Since his brief spell in charge of Everton ended in 2022, Benitez returned to Spain, managing Celta Vigo, only to be sacked in March 2024 after less than a season in charge.

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