Alfredo Di Stefano was the greatest, even better than me, proclaims Diego Maradona

In an interview with AS, former Napoli and Barcelona player Diego Maradona gave his verdict on the all-time best player in football. According to the Argentine, Alfredo Di Stefano is the best player to have ever graced a football field. The Spaniard who is also an Argentine played for Barcelona's rivals Real Madrid for 11 years and during his time in Madrid, Stefano scored 308 goals at an impressive rate.

Considered to be one of the greatest ever, Stefano helped the Los Blancos win five Champions League titles and eight Primera division titles.  This plus the era that Spaniard played in saw Maradona admitted that Di Stefano was better than him and Pele. The Argentine, and former Barcelona man, also added that Pele refused to recognise just how good the former Real Madrid superstar was.

“I think the best was Di Stefano, he was superior to everyone - even me. Pelé didn't want to recognise Di Stéfano's talents. Pele's friends invented a trophy especially for him for being a living legend of football. I even beat Pele in Río for being the best in history,” said Maradona.

Maradona was known to be an amazing freekick taker during his time and his former pupil Lionel Messi has learned a lot from Maradona. Messi has become a phenomenal freekick taker and has scored 51 freekicks for Barcelona in his career. Maradona also claimed that he gave his counsel to Messi on freekicks which has helped achieve so much.

“I told him where he should place his foot, but the rest is all down to him. He has got it down to a tee. I would never like to face Messi - not ever. I don't criticise Messi, the lad comes home, plays, doesn't sing the hymn and they say he's Catalán. I'm a friend of Leo's,” concluded the former Argentina manager.