Guardiola pays tribute to Pele but insists Messi is the number one

scored 757 goals in 831 games in his 20-year career from 1957 to 1977 although Santos claims his tally was closer to 1,000.

Manchester City manager

paid tribute to the late legend ahead of their clash with Everton. He said:

"Football is football thanks to these types of people, players and human beings.

"What he has done for football is there and always will remain. He didn't just win three World Cups – it was a new thing when he came up. I was not born when he was playing, but it's like a good movie, no?

"The legacy after many years is still there. We are still talking all these years later. Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Messi, Beckenbauer, Cristiano Ronaldo – these players will be forever, will be eternal.

"They have done many things for many years, and these types of players make our business, our work, our job a better place. What he produced; we have seen with the World Cup one team can change everything for a country of millions of people."

"When I was in the academy at Barcelona I had a physio who was in love with Brazil and Pele. And after when I was nine or 10, I started to watch some clips.

"Now I realise he was so strong and could do everything. These type of players, if he was playing now, he would adapt to the rhythm and the pace. He was so intuitive and in skills and mentality, he could play in every generation."

However, the Spaniard insists the Argentina World Cup winner,

is the greatest of all time.

"

Everyone has their own greatest,"

said Guardiola.

"For Argentina they might say Di Stefano, Maradona or Messi. I always say Messi is my favorite because I worked with him – but I understand people choose another one."

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