With Lionel Messi having finally won a FIFA World Cup, Brazil legend Pele has insisted that Argentina icon Diego Maradona "is smiling now".
There has been widespread suggestions that Messi is now the greatest footballer ever to have played the sport following Sunday night's monumental success.
The famous trophy had eluded the the 35-year-old on four previous occasions, with a defeat to Germany in the 2014 final being the closest he had come to clinching the prestigious prize.
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With the player boasting an incredibly decorated club and individual career, many over the years have suggested that Messi needed to win the World Cup if he was to ever be considered the greatest of all time.
The subject has seemingly held greater importance in his country, where many consider Maradona as the best to ever do it due to the fact he inspired the nation to the 1986 World Cup crown in Mexico.
Following Messi's success in Qatar, though, some believe the Paris Saint-Germain superstar is now at the pinnacle of the sport, while many also argue that the former FC Barcelona forward has even eclipsed countryman Maradona, who sadly passed away in November 2020.
While he might not necessarily agree, three-time World Cup winner Pele has now praised the Argentina captain for his outstanding achievement and insisted that former skipper Maradona would be proud of his nation.
"Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way. Messi winning his first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved," the Selecao icon wrote on Instagram.
"My dear friend, [Kylian] Mbappe, scoring four goals in a final. What a gift it was to watch this spectacle to the future of our sport.
"And I couldn't fail to congratulate Morocco for the incredible campaign. It's great to see Africa shine.
"Congratulations Argentina! Certainly, Diego is smiling now."
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Former England star Gary Lineker, however, is one of those who feel that Messi has surpassed Maradona after his fruitful exploits in the Middle East.
"I never thought I'd see a better player than Diego Maradona and it's kind of slightly unfair to compare them because they played in different times," Lineker said, according to the Daily Mirror.
"But I think Messi's done it through what he's achieved now and his longevity.
"Diego for seven, eight, nine, maybe 10 years even was so similar, but he [Messi] has done it for nearly two decades. Seven Ballons d'Or as well.
"He's done them both in his mid-30s, the two big ones – the Copa America and the World Cup."
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