Pele hails Lionel Messi as great player... despite his World Cup defeat

Pele has hailed Lionel Messi as a great player, although he claims that he was "not very good" at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The football legend, a three time World Champion, did not blame Messi for Argentina's defeat by Germany in the World Cup final. 

"Maybe he was not very good, but it does not show he is a bad player. Both Argentina and Brazil have had several players who could have won the World Cup and did not.

"Messi is undoubtedly a great player and we cannot take away from him his credit because he did not win the championship," Pele told DPA.