Benitez backs Salah ahead of Ronaldo in legends debate

Benitez weighs up football icons

Rafa Benitez has never been shy of an opinion, and this week the Champions League-winning manager sparked debate by choosing Mohamed Salah over Cristiano Ronaldo when asked to compare the two. In conversation with YouTube channel Shoot For Love, the former Liverpool boss was invited to playfully pick between some of the game’s greatest forwards.

Salah was immediately put up against Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min, and while Benitez initially teased the crowd with a nod towards Son, his answer was clear. “No, Salah because he is more consistent,” he said.

Salah’s Anfield legacy

Arriving from Roma in 2017, Salah was considered a gamble after a failed spell at Chelsea. Eight years on, he has rewritten Liverpool’s history. With more goals and assists in the Premier League than Ronaldo, his numbers are staggering. Two Premier League titles, a Champions League crown, and countless individual records now define his legacy.

Benitez himself acknowledged this consistency: “You talk about attackers, Salah has been consistent for so many years.” It is a reminder that beyond the goals, Salah’s durability and impact across multiple seasons have set him apart.

Ronaldo comparison examined

When asked to compare Salah to Ronaldo, Benitez kept his verdict balanced. “Ronaldo is the greatest maybe finisher, but Salah is more complete,” he explained. The line captures the essence of the debate. Ronaldo, for so long a machine of goalscoring brilliance, is unrivalled in the art of finishing. Yet Salah brings more to the table: creativity, selflessness, and the ability to adapt within a team’s system.

The final choice ended up between Salah and Lionel Messi. On this occasion Benitez opted for Messi, though he admitted with a smile that he already knew where the conversation would lead.

Legacy beyond the rivalry

The discussion illustrates more than just idle comparison. It reflects how Salah has forced himself into the same sentences as Ronaldo and Messi, two players once considered beyond reach. From being dismissed at Stamford Bridge to becoming Liverpool’s Egyptian King, his story is one of relentless reinvention.

For Liverpool supporters, the endorsement from a manager who once guided the club to Champions League glory reinforces what they already believe: Salah belongs in the pantheon, alongside Ronaldo and Messi, as one of the defining figures of the modern game.