Rio de Janeiro: Brazil legend Pele has praised Barcelona star Lionel Messi, but noted that the Argentine still has a long way to go to be as successful as he was.
The Argentina international became the second player in the history of the Ballon d'Or to win the prestigious award three times in a row when he lifted the title earlier this month in Zurich.
Pele acknowledged that he is a fan of Messi, but stressed that the diminutive Argentine faces a hard task to equal him.
"Technically speaking, we are practically at the same level," Pele told Le Monde. "We have both received a gift from God.
"Records are made to be broken, but it will be hard to break mine. When Messi has scored 1,283 goals and won three World Cups, then we will talk.
"People ask me all the time when there will be a new Pele. I tell them: 'Never'. My parents shut down the factory."
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