Rafa Benitez lays his cards on the table as he makes Mohamed Salah claim

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Rafa Benitez claimed that Mohamed Salah is a more complete player than Cristiano Ronaldo(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Rafa Benitez has revealed his belief that Mohamed Salah is a more complete player than Cristiano Ronaldo.

The former Liverpool boss, who led the club from 2004 to 2010, is a legendary figure having guided them to the 2005 Champions League trophy.

While he was unable to bring a Premier League title to Merseyside, a feat that was finally achieved by Jurgen Klopp in 2020, the return of Liverpool at the top of Europe under the Spaniard's stewardship has earned him iconic status among the Anfield faithful.

Benitez's love for the city is well-known and it's a place he's continued to live throughout a managerial career that's taken him across the world following his departure from the club 15 years ago.

Having managed the likes of Inter Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid in a 30-year career as a head coach, the 65-year-old has overseen the very best football has to offer, including Portuguese icon Ronaldo.

However, during an interview with Shoot For Love, when asked to choose between Ronaldo and Salah, Benitez opted for the Liverpool legend.

Explaining his choice, the football manager said: "Ronaldo is perhaps the best finisher, but Salah is more complete."

The former Liverpool boss claimed Mohamed Salah is more a complete player than Cristiano Ronaldo

Benitez's experience of working with Ronaldo was a brief one as the Spaniard lasted just seven months at Madrid before he was sacked in January 2016.

I left due to internal issues at the club, but nothing to do with Ronaldo."

It wasn't only Ronaldo that Benitez passed up on in favour of Salah as he also chose the winger ahead of his former player, Steven Gerrard.

Having managed the ex-Liverpool captain for the entirety of his six-year stay at Anfield, Benitez recently bestowed Gerrard with the title of being the greatest player he ever coached.

The ex-Reds boss also chose Salah over Steven Gerrard

During an appearance on The Overlap's It Was What It Was podcast, it was the former England skipper that came to mind instead of the likes of Luka Modric, Eden Hazard, Frank Lampard, and more.

"He's (Gerrard) the best player I have ever coached.

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

Article continues belowBenitez was the mastermind behind Liverpool's legendary comeback victory in the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan(Image: Photo by Colin Lane)

"In terms of a complete player.