"He's at a select level, being the best in the world and a star at Barcelona. Lio is playing kick-about with Jesus," Diego Maradona told Radio Metro back in 2010. (h/t The Guardian)
This was actually Maradona's reaction to Leo Messi scoring four goals in Barca's 4-1 win over Arsenal in the Champions League. The legendary Argentine also advised Leo not to follow his path, alluding to his drug abuse.
"There are moments when you are invaded by loneliness, but you have to be strong so you don't end up doing things one did. I spoke to him a lot about this.
"I told him I'd done my thing, now he has to make his career and at the end, we'll see who was the greatest of all time. But he's on the right path. I saw that he's mature and full of will.
"How could I not be happy for Messi to win the World Cup? The Maradona and Pele polemics will end and the best thing is that Messi is Argentinian."
