Pope Francis: Messi is a joy to watch, but 'he is not God'

Pope Francis understands why some refer to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi as God - given the forward's otherworldly skills on the football pitch - but still urged supporters to avoid their holy adoration of his Argentinian compatriot.

"In theory, it's a sacrilege," Pope Francis replied on Spanish television when asked if it was wrong to take the lord's name in vain while referring to Messi, as translated by Adriana Garcia of ESPN FC.

"You can't say it and I don't believe it. I think people say 'he is God' just as they say 'I adore you.' You have to adore only God. It's expressions that people use. This is a god with the ball on the pitch. It's a popular way that people have of expressing themselves. Of course, it is a joy (to watch Messi play). But he is not God."

The Pope's comments came just two days after Messi reached the 40-goal mark with Barcelona for the 10th season in a row.