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Only after winning the World Championship, Lionel Messi can be considered one of the best footballers of all time, says UEFA President Michel Platini.
Indeed, the legendary Frenchman spared no praise for the 24-year-old Argentine, who on Monday won his third consecutive FIFA Best Player of the Year award.
"Messi will always be great, regardless of whether he has won the World Cup or not, but this is a special trophy," Platini said. "This trophy remains in people's memories."
Although the forward shines in Barcelona, he regularly faces criticism for not delivering such impressive performances for the Argentine national team, which has failed to surpass the quarterfinals in World Cups and Copa America tournaments.
"When we talk about Diego Maradona, the first thing that comes to mind is what he did in the 1986 World Cup," added Platini, whose French team lost in the semifinals to West Germany that year. "He was very strong in that tournament, and scoring in the World Cup is extremely important."
