Lionel Messi remains the best footballer of all time in the eyes of his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Ander Herrera, who says that the Argentine's struggles to deliver a prolific haul in his maiden Ligue 1 campaign should not diminish his legacy.
The veteran forward made the switch from Barcelona last summer to Parc des Princes, and added another domestic crown to his resume with victory in the French top-flight.
But compared to his typical free-scoring performances at Camp Nou, the 35-year-old struggled to find the back of the net, posting just 11 goals in 37 appearances - but Herrera feels that one below-expectation season should not force rigorous assessments of his abilities at this part of his career.
What has Herrera said about Messi's goal haul?
"You are asking for 50 goals per season," Herrera told AS. "From there, if he doesn't score them, people talk.
"Nor should we forget that Leo has had the all-time record in Ligue 1 - he has hit the post 10 times! If he had scored 10 more goals, it would [have] been a very good season for Leo.
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"But for me, he is the best of all time, without any discussion. Now I admire him even more for how he manages his day to day life with total humility, [and] always with a smile for people."
What has Herrera said on Messi and Mbappe?
(C)Getty ImagesIn the Argentine's stead, PSG were fired back to Ligue 1 success by Kylian Mbappe, and the France international's decision to snub a switch to Real Madrid in favour of a new deal in the capital has been one of the sporting stories of the year.
A continued partnership between the pair will only benefit the younger Frenchman, says Herrera, who added: "Kylian can get a lot out of Leo. He is going to put the ball in the right place and with his speed he will go toe-to-toe with the goalkeeper, where he is lethal.
"Perhaps Messi is no longer [needs] 50 goals at the present time. It's like Cristiano [Ronaldo], they never lower their level."
