Is the rift still there with Cristiano Ronaldo? Benítez: The best player I’ve coached in my career is Gerrard

Rafael Benítez, a renowned coach who has led prestigious teams such as Liverpool and Real Madrid, during an interview with Neville, stated that the best player he has coached throughout his career was former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a brief and reportedly strained relationship with Benítez, was completely overlooked.

Although currently unemployed, Benítez has had a distinguished coaching career that included stints at top clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Liverpool, working with world-class players such as Frank Lampard, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Steven Gerrard.

When asked by Neville if he had never truly trusted Gerrard, Benítez provided an explanation, asserting that Gerrard was the best player he has ever coached, “This isn’t about trust or lack thereof; Gerrard is the best player I have ever coached. Of course, I couldn’t say this when I was in Madrid, but now I can. I am very clear about it; he possesses all the qualities of an outstanding player.”

Benítez further added, “Gerrard had excellent physical stamina, he could push forward into the box and also play as a full-back to participate in defense. He had a deep understanding of the holding midfielder position and could do anything he set his mind to.”

Although Benítez and Cristiano Ronaldo did work together at Real Madrid, their relationship was reported by the media to be contentious. However, after leaving Real Madrid, Benítez revealed that these rumors were false and that there were no issues between them. Yet, choosing Gerrard as the best player in his coaching career over Ronaldo suggests that there may have been some underlying tension after all.