Jeremy Doku claims Newcastle had a player who was better at dribbling than Ronaldo | OneFootball

Newcastle have had a number of cult heroes of the years, including the likes of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Allan Saint-Maximin. Hatem Ben Arfa can also be considered in this list, with his dazzling dribbling skills having wowed the St James’ Park crowd on many occasions during his four years on Tyneside.

Ben Arfa, who retired from playing in 2022 after a spell in his homeland with Ligue 1 side Lille, is well-known for having been a fantastic dribbler, and this is still very much appreciated by players of a similar style that are currently operating in the Premier League.

Jeremy Doku: Ben Arfa better dribbler than Cristiano Ronaldo

Hatem Ben Arfa during his time at Newcastle. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

According to Man City winger Jeremy Doku (via Geordie Boot Boys), Ben Arfa is one of the best dribblers in football history. During a segment with K+ Sports, the Belgium international declared the former Newcastle man as being better than him at dribbling, as well as the likes of Raheem Sterling, Sadio Mane, Adama Traore and even Cristiano Ronaldo. However, he did opt for Arsenal legend Thierry Henry when asked to choose between the two.

Over the years, Newcastle have had several players that have stood out for their dribbling ability. Ben Arfa, Saint-Maximin and David Ginola all come to mind, and the club will hope that the likes of Anthony Gordon, who was recently confirmed to have a release clause in his contract, and Anthony Elanga will be able to fall into this category too, although both players have been below-par so far this season.

Newcastle supporters can certainly look back on Ben Arfa’s spell at the club with a lot of fondness, although it is clear that he made a lasting impression on more than one fanbase.