http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...-messi?cc=4716
Diego blasts Pele's Messi-Neymar claim
April 13, 2012
Argentina legend Diego Maradona has called Brazilian counterpart Pele "stupid" 4 suggesting tat Barcelona star Lionel Messi is not as good as Santos starlet Neymar.
"Maybe Neymar is the best player in the world, but only if u say tat Messi is fr a different planet," Maradona said.
Messi, 24, won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2009 & scooped the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010 & 2011, while rising-star Neymar, 20, landed FIFA's Puskas Award 4 the best goal of 2011.
Despite Messi's raft of trophies & personal awards, Pele believes his countryman Neymar, who has won the Brazilian league & Copa Libertadores with his old club Santos, is the better player.
"Now every1 is talking abt Messi; he is a star. But [2 be the best ever] he must 1st become better than Neymar," Pele said. "At the moment Messi is just more experienced."
However, Maradona, who has traded insults with Pele on more than a few occasions, laughed off the claims. "My God, tat is just stupid," Maradona said as he backed fellow Argentinian Messi.