As one of the biggest football clubs in the world, Liverpool have had their fair share of legends over the years.
From heroes of yesteryear such as Billy Liddell and Kenny Dalglish to contemporary icons like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool fans have been spoilt for choice over the decades.
Although the 2000s weren’t a great time for Liverpool with regards to Premier League title challenges, they still won plenty of silverware, including the Champions League in 2005.
Rafa Benitez, the man in charge of the heroes of Istanbul, has now named one of his former charges at Anfield as the best player he has ever coached.
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Rafa Benitez says Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is the best player he has ever coached
As part of the latest Reds Roundtable, the Liverpool media team interviewed Benitez, Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia.
The trio, who were all involved in the Miracle of Istanbul, discussed a number of topics including the 2005 final and Gerrard’s career.
Benitez revealed that Gerrard is the best player he has coached, more so than Cristiano Ronaldo, Samuel Eto’o and Eden Hazard.
“They were asking me so many teams, who is the best player you have coached,” Benitez began.
“I’ve had Ronaldo, Eto’o and Hazard, but I always say Stevie.
“Why? He has the potential, he’s good in the air, he has power, pace, technically he was good.
“As a player he is the best that I have coached because he has everything.
“And the leadership, he was a leader on the pitch and he was very positive and very demanding with his teammates.”
Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool career
Gerrard joined Liverpool as a youngster in 1989 and made his first-team debut nine years later.
The then 18-year-old came on for Liverpool on 29 November 1998 as a late substitute in a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers.
Gerrard went on to make 710 competitive appearances for Liverpool, registering 186 goals and 155 assists for his boyhood club, who he also captained.
Gerrard left Liverpool in 2015, when his contract expired, and he spent a season at LA Galaxy before hanging up his boots and turning to coaching.
He won the Champions League, the UEFA Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups at Liverpool, as well as two UEFA Supercups and two Community Shields.
