Former Liverpool and Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez reveals the best player that he’s ever coached – and why it’s NOT Cristiano Ronaldo

Rafa Benitez has coached some of the greatest players of all time and he has now revealed which one he rates the most highly.

Benitez is perhaps best known for his time at Liverpool and has also managed the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea, Napoli and Inter Milan.

The Spaniard has overseen the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard, Toni Kroos Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Eden Hazard.

However, he did not name any of those men as his No 1 during an appearance on The Overlap’s It Was What It Was podcast.

That honour goes to Steven Gerrard, with whom Benitez won the Champions League in 2005. 

‘He’s (Gerrard) the best player I have ever coached. He was very good and at the beginning when we were knowing each other,’ Benitez said.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez says Steven Gerrard is best player that he has coached

‘I was going to pull you up on that, you coached Ronaldo, you think Steven was a better player than Cristiano?’ Benitez was then asked by journalist Rob Draper.

‘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,’ 

Gerrard was with Liverpool from age nine to 35 and captained the Reds from 2003 to 2015, when he joined LA Galaxy.

The Champions League triumph under Benitez was undoubtedly the greatest moment of a career which also saw him lift two FA Cups and play over 100 games for England.

Benitez and Steven Gerrard (left) won the Champions League together at Liverpool 

Benitez coached Cristiano Ronaldo during a six-month spell in charge of Real Madrid

Benitez only coached Ronaldo for six months during a brief spell in charge at the Bernabeu between 2015 and 2016. 

Ronaldo is regarded by most as one of, if not the, greatest players of all time.