Brazilian legend Pele has declared that Lionel Messi still has a very long way to go before he can be considered one of the all time greats.
The 71-year-old is considered by many to be the greatest player to have ever stepped foot on a pitch but believes that the Argentinean has a lot to prove before his name can be mentioned in the same breath as Pele.
Messi won the Ballon d'Or for the third time in a row earlier this month to become just the second player in history to achieve that feat, while his exploits at Barcelona have seen him win just about every trophy available at club level.
However, while Pele admitted that he is a fan of Messi he has stressed that he still has a very long way to go before he can be considered an equal.
"Technically speaking, we are practically at the same level," Pele told Le Monde. "We have both received a gift from God.
"Records are made to be broken, but it will be hard to break mine. When Messi has scored 1,283 goals and won three World Cups, then we will talk.
"People ask me all the time when there will be a new Pele. I tell them: 'Never'. My parents shut down the factory."
