When Benitez arrived in 2004, one of his first priorities was persuading Gerrard to stay at Liverpool rather than join Chelsea, as he aimed to leave his boyhood club.
He achieved his goal and went on to win the Champions League, with Gerrard playing a major role in the famous Istanbul comeback whilst also finding a stunner against Olympiacos.
Across Benitez's first three seasons, Gerrard played 143 of Liverpool's 174 matches, scoring 47 goals as he established himself as one of the club's greatest assets.
Why Gerrard?
Speaking this week, Benitez has heaped praise on to Gerrard as he admitted that he rates him higher than every player he coached during his lengthy career.
"When I was at Real Madrid, they were asking me who is the best player I have coached, and I said Steven Gerrard.
"When we came to Liverpool, he was a box-to-box midfielder. The power, the potential. Then, tactically we were trying to manage. I think he didn't realise at this time, (it was) late on he realised what we were looking for.
"He has the power, he was good in the air, he could shoot with the right foot and the left foot, and he could pass, he could control the ball.
"So, he was a complete player that needed to understand a little more the game, the tempo of the game. These kind of things he was learning. That was the only thing he was missing at the beginning, because he has all the energy, all the potential.
"Later on, little by little, and especially when we signed (Fernando) Torres - because Stevie has a very good touch, it's precise and with power - and with Torres running, it was very difficult for defenders to stop him.
"He was very good doing almost everything. He has also stamina, he has commitment. I think he was great in terms of a key player for Liverpool and the way he was conducting himself on the pitch and outside the pitch. He was professional and he liked all the players to give everything.
"That is the reason why, for me, he is the best player I have coached. I had (Samuel) Eto'o, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Karim) Benzema - but he was more complete than all of them."
The relationship between the pair produced the 2005 Champions League and 2006 FA Cup, and there is no wonder Benitez holds him in such high regard.