The Manchester City manager stated that he considers his former Barcelona player to be 'the best' of all time, but added that his opinion wouldn't have changed had Argentina lost the final to France. Pep Guardiola has paid tribute to Lionel Messi, calling his World Cup triumph the 'final cherry' on an 'incredible career'.

Guardiola added it would be difficult for any player to compete with 'what he has done in the last 15, 17 years' but accepted people's opinions may vary depending on their age, because there is a sentimentality towards names such as Diego Maradona and Pelé. 

Pep Guardiola congratulates Julian Alvarez

Guardiola said: “For Julian, we are delighted. He played a lot and his contribution was amazing for the team, for the way they played. We have a world champion in our team.

“We are incredibly happy for him. Congratulations to him, for Nico Otamendi and, of course, personally for Leo Messi, for Argentina as a country, well deserved champions.”

Messi’s victory cements his place among the greatest players the game has ever seen.

For Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice with Messi at Barca, that issue had never been in doubt.