Lionel Messi was at his brilliant, mesmerising best against Manchester City and the knee-jerkers have been out in full force proclaiming him as the greatest footballer of all time. Steady on, boys and girls. Barcelona’s little big man was just having fun with one of our pot-holed Premier League defences. Lionel Messi (second left) was at his mesmerising best as Barcelona beat Manchester City on Wednesday . Messi (left) takes on Manchester City and England midfielder James Milner in the game at the Nou Camp . Messi was repeatedly denied from getting on the scoresheet by City goalkeeper Joe Hart's excellent display . It was indeed a delight to watch Messi enjoying himself and it was hard to keep a straight face when he made a laughing stock of a player who has been described by his City manager as the complete English footballer. If James Milner really is the complete English footballer that begins to tell us something of what’s wrong with the England football team. Barcelona played football from a different planet to the England of which City are currently champions and Messi was the principle, be-dazzling reason for that. Yet they only won 1-0 when it should have been six and could have been ten and Messi missed his share of those chances. But that is not the reason for resisting the temptation to enshrine him as the best ever. Rather, sublime performances like this perpetuate the riddle as to why he has failed to fully deliver on the greatest stage of all. It is sometimes difficult to evaluate the best of the best when considering players who come from outside the elite footballing countries. Messi (centre) is adjudged to have fallen short of his high level of performance on the international stage . Messi was part of the Argentina squad that finished as runners-up in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil . Messi has never won the World Cup during his international career and his last chance could be Russia 2018 . But when someone plays for such a major nation as Argentina then World Cup impact weighs upon the calculation, in Messi’s case against him. The tango he danced around poor old City was exquisite to behold but it does not erase the memory of how he fell short – not for the first time at the World Cup Finals – in Brazil last summer. Russia 2018 now represents his last chance to gate-crash this list of the top five players in the history of the beautiful game – and by the way I saw them all: . 1) Pele . Pele won the World Cup three times as a player and scored over a thousand goals throughout his career . Pele celebrates with the Jules Rimet trophy after being part of Brazil's 1970 World Cup winning side . Brazil striker Pele's other two victorious World Cup campaigns were in the 1958 and 1962 tournaments . There can be no arguing with the three World Cup glories, the thousand goals, the rare art of making the impossible look simple, nor that extraordinary ability in the air for the comparatively short man who will be guest of honour at Liverpool v Manchester United this Sunday. And by the way, he was also as hard as nails. 2) Diego Maradona . Not only as mind-boggling to watch on the ball as Messi but capable of winning the glittering prizes single-handed – as he did in lifting Argentina to one World Cup triumph and, when virtually crippled, to the final of another. Diego Maradona celebrates winning the World Cup in 1986 after beating West Germany in the final . Maradona captained the Argentina team to victory at the World Cup in 1986 held in Mexico . Maradona (second right) infamously scored the Hand of God goal against England in 1986 . Forget our English angst about the Hand of God and all the scandals. Remember the genius who also spirited a deeply indifferent Napoli to their only Serie A title. 3) Garrincha . Revered as greater than Pele in Brazil, where they worship above all pure, incredible magic on the ball. Was the divine inspiration for two of his country’s World Cup triumphs, perhaps most notably in 1962 when he assume the mantle of leadership from the injured Pele. Brazil forward Garrincha (left) was held in higher regard by supporters than the iconic striker Pele . Garrincha (left)  takes on England player Ray Wilson while in action for Brazil, where he was loved for his skill . Garrincha (left) was renowned for his dribbling ability and inspired Brazil to two World Cup victories . Also the most loved of all Brazilian players, as a bohemian man of the people. 4) Alfredo di Stefano . Can be excused the absence of the World Cup from his portfolio, as he played only six times for Argentina before joining Real Madrid, who had him naturalised in the vain hope that he might galvanise a poor Spanish national team. Don Alfredo was one of only three stars who played in all Real’s winnings of the first five European Cups. Striker Alfredo di Stefano (centre) was described as one of the most complete players ever by Pele . Di Stefano (right) scores for Real Madrid in the European Cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 final . Di Stefano poses with five European Cup trophies won during a trophy-laden era with Madrid . He ran the team from midfield, inspiring the dazzling moves which he then arrived in the box to turn into goals. At his greatest when Ferenc Puskas came from Hungary to join him at the Bernabeu. Don’t just take my word for it. Pele and Eusebio are among many who describe di Stefano as ‘the most complete footballer of all time.’ 5) Cristiano Ronaldo . Exempt from our World Cup statute by virtue of playing for second-tier Portugal, yet still did more for his country at Brazil 2014 than Messi for Argentina. Cristiano Ronaldo has fired in goals at a relentless rate during his career at Real Madrid . Ronaldo (right) scores for Portugal in the World Cup Group G game against Ghana at Brazil 2014 . Ronaldo has a physicality that appears to emulate Messi when comparing the two best modern day players . He, too, is blessed with little Leo’s dexterity on the ball but also brings physical power and serious pace to the argument as to which of these Ballon d’Or winning rivals should be the representative of the modern era occupying the final place this list.
Lionel Messi starred as Barcelona beat Manchester City on Wednesday . Pundits, managers and players have described him as the best player ever . But does his lack of international success with Argentina hold him back? READ: Messi was magnificent... even Pep Guardiola was left gasping . Javier Mascherano: I have never seen anything like  Messi .