Pep Guardiola on Lionel Messi: 'I compare him with Pele'

Comparing footballers from different generations makes for great conversation, and it can be done without seeking an answer to who is better than who.

Speaking after Bayern Munich's 5-3 defeat on aggregate versus Barcelona in the semifinals of the Champions League, Pep Guardiola did just that, comparing Lionel Messi - the machine he helped create at the Camp Nou - to Pele without being dragged into the endless debate of who ranks at the top.

"He is the best player of all time," Guardiola said, according to the Guardian. "I compare him with Pele. I am so happy to see this football."

Guardiola added: "He is back, he is there where I had the privilege to train him. He is definitely back at his best."

It can be tough to compare two footballers who hail from two completely different eras.

How would Messi have performed at Santos in the 1960s? How would Pele have fared if he had kicked off his professional career at Barcelona in the early 2000s? It's safe to say that both deities would still have established themselves as one of the greatest footballers the planet has ever seen. Though, trying to reach a consensus on who ranks at the top is near impossible.

For comparison's sake, Messi's numbers are still a far cry from the statistics that are sketched next to Pele's name, but keep in mind that the Argentine phenom's total appearances fall well short of the Brazilian icon.