'The greatest' - Liverpool boss Klopp hails Messi and points to his longevity after Argentina World Cup triumph

• Klopp hails Messi
• Happy for Argentina
• Messi 'greatest footballer'

WHAT HAPPENED? The Liverpool boss was in awe of Messi's longevity at the top level, suggesting his age should make people think twice about when a footballer is past their best, and revealed that watching the icon lift the World Cup brought him great joy.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to reporters, Klopp said: "Argentina deserved it and when you saw the team and the country celebrating, then it probably hit the right country in difficult times. I am really happy for them, they waited for a long time.

"The greatest footballer in my lifetime, Lionel Messi, the way he plays football in this age should give us all a hint at how long footballers can perform at the top level. We shouldn’t close the books too early. It was a joy to watch him."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi scored seven goals and became the only player in the history of the World Cup to win two Golden Balls, as Argentina lifted the trophy after a long wait of 36 years. He also equalled Pele's tally of 13 World Cup goals and became the top Argentine goalscorer in the tournament's history, overtaking Gabriel Batistuta who had held the record with 10 goals to his name.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

Getty

Getty

WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI? The Argentina skipper is expected to sign a new deal with his club Paris Saint-Germain, keeping him in the French capital for at least one more season.