Brendan Rodgers Made Luis Suarez a 'Better Player and Better Person,' Says Pele

Brazilian football icon Pele has hailed the positive impact former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had on the development of Barcelona star Luis Suarez. 

Suarez and Rodgers worked together at Anfield for two seasons before the former moved to the Camp Nou in July 2014. The striker enjoyed many memorable moments on Merseyside, although there were controversial incidents, too.

Since joining Barcelona, Suarez has matured and is now considered by many to be the best centre-forward in world football. And Pele feels Rodgers can take a lot of credit for that, per Steve Beacom of the Belfast Telegraph:

"

I think Celtic are very lucky to have a manager with the qualities of Brendan.

Luis Suarez was a really good player when he went to Liverpool but I believe Brendan gave him great coaching, guidance and advice and made him a better player and a better person.

Suarez was prepared well for his move from Liverpool to Barcelona after working under Brendan. Celtic have a good reputation around the world—and have a good manager.

"

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Suarez and Rodgers combined for a memorable 2013-14 season, as a swashbuckling Liverpool team got to within touching distance of the Premier League title. 

The Uruguayan forward lit up the division with 31 goals and 12 assists, although a late collapse eventually cost the Reds a chance at glory.

That season was put on hold for Suarez, who made his return to Premier League football in September after serving a ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic during the previous campaign. In 2012, the striker was hit with an eight-game suspension for using racist language towards Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

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Indeed, even his Barcelona career got off to a slow start, as a four-month ban from all football-related activities hung over the player. That was after he sunk his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini while playing for Uruguay at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

However, since making his debut for the Catalan club, Suarez hasn’t looked back, winning a memorable treble in his first season—scoring the winning goal in the UEFA Champions League final—and a double in his second term.

The Champions League Twitter feed summed up just how effective the former Reds man has been since moving to the Camp Nou:

Here is a reminder of some of his many great goals in a Barcelona shirt:

Suarez certainly improved under the guidance of Rodgers, and his 2013-14 season was arguably the finest individual campaign from any player in Premier League history.

The player hailed the Celtic manager recently, suggesting "if it wasn't for Brendan, then I know I would not be the same player that you see at Barcelona today," per Nick Lustig of Sky Sports.

Rodgers may not be working with the same calibre of player in Glasgow nor is his reputation as high as it was during that season with Liverpool, having been dismissed early in the 2015-16 campaign. But to receive acclaim from two figures of such stature in the game suggests the Northern Irishman is doing something right.