EXCLUSIVE – Diego Maradona believes it is still too early for Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to be considered amongst the pantheon of footballing greats as “he is still writing his own story” in the game.

Messi’s stunning exploits for Barca in recent seasons has seen him hailed by many as the finest of them all, surpassing both his Argentine compatriot Maradona and Brazilian legend Pele.

At 24 years of age Messi is already Barca’s second all-time leading scorer in history with 220 goals, has won a host of trophies, including a hat-trick of Champions League crowns, and won three successive FIFA Ballon d’Or awards.

Question marks though, remain over his ability to deliver on the international stage given his inconsistent displays for the Argentine national team, but Maradona believes it is still far too early to judge.

“Messi is doing really well in the comparison to me,” said Maradona, who worked first hand with Messi during his 21 months as Argentina coach. “You see I have made my career, Messi is just making his.

“At the end of a career one can say ‘this one was better’ or ‘I liked this one more’. I laugh when people say ‘he is better than Maradona.’ Let him write his own story and at the end of his career one can decide who is the best.”

Maradona and Pele have long been accepted as the game’s two greatest. But asked whether he considered himself the best to have ever played the game, he replies with a huge smile: “Absolutely.”

READ MORE:

* The Argentine reveals his love for the Holland team of ’74 and why, for him, they are better than the current Barcelona side.

* Maradona’s amazing blow-by-blow account of his ‘Goal of the Century’.

* Maradona on why he does not regret his ‘Hand of God’ goal as England “cheated” in 1966.