Footballing icon Pele believes thatBarcelona legend Lionel Messi is the world's best player due to his goals record over the last 10 years, as reported bySky Sports.
The Argentina international, 29, is widely considered to be the greatest player of his generation and along with his bulging trophy cabinet and numerous records, the diminutive forward has an unprecedented five Ballon d'Ors to back up the claim.
The prestigiousaward has almost become a duopoly with Real Madrid great Cristiano Ronaldo, who has claimed the title three times, but Pele, speaking at a packed press conference in Scotland on Friday, highlighted Messi's well-rounded game as reason for being the best.
The Santos icon, who won three World Cups with Brazil, was quizzed by the packed crowd on who he thought was the best and he replied:"I could mention some names but, what has happened in the last 10 to 15 years, I think Messi is the player who was the most consistent all those years, no doubt.
"We have had a lot of good players. Then Cristiano Ronaldo (of Real Madrid) came late but it is different because Messi is the more organised, he scores goals.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is like the Ronaldo from Brazil. He is a good scorer, no doubt, but to me as a player it is Messi."
The Brazilian also gave his thoughts on the Premier League and the Brazilians plying their trade there and picked Liverpool's PhilippeCoutinho as the outstanding player.
"Coutinho is the player who everybody in Brazil two or three years ago was disappointed because he was not in the team (for the 2014 World Cup)," said Pele.
"Some people joked that Brazil didn't win because they didn't have Coutinho in the team. He was one of the well-known players.
"Of course we have a lot of players in Europe but, to me, Coutinho was one of the best players who was supposed to be in the national team."