Pep Guardiola says Pele's place as one of football's all-time greats will be eternal, as the Manchester City manager gave a lengthy tribute to the Brazilian.
Pele sadly passed away on Thursday in Brazil, with figures from all around the football world and beyond paying tribute to the three-time World Cup winner.
Guardiola added his name to those remembering Pele's memory, offering his condolences on behalf of City and explaining how Pele made the number 10 shirt one to be coveted by players.
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"On behalf of Manchester City biggest condolences for his family and friends. Football is football thanks to these types of people, players, human beings," Guardiola said.
“Before, the number 10 was just a number and after him it became something special. Every top player wanted to wear number 10 in their team. What he has done for football is there and always will remain.
"But I was not born when he was playing. It's like a good movie - the legacy after many years we are talking about him like a good movie or good book is because he was so good. Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Messi, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Cristiano Ronaldo, these type of players will be eternal.
"These type of players make our business, our work, our job, a better place because what he produced, the feeling for the people, we have seen in the World Cup can change for 48 million people. It's unbelievable."
Guardiola admitted that he didn't see Pele as a player, but explained how the stories of those who did made a big impact on him as a young player in Barcelona.
He continued: "I don't remember clearly because it was the period when there wasn't social media. My father and mother had just one TV with two channels. When I was in the Barcelona academy I had a physio who was in love with Brazil, always talked about Pele, Pele, Pele. When I was nine or 10 I started to watch some clips. Now I realise from the images how strong he was - he could do everything.
"People say the rhythm in that period was completely different, and the spaces, but these types of players playing right now would have adapted the rhythm and the spaces because he was so good.
"These types of players control the games, so good in skills and mentality and everything. He could play in every generation and for the people who saw Pele I can understand why Brazilians would say Pele was the best just as in Argentina they would say Di Stefano, Maradona or Messi. Everyone has his own and this is nice - it doesn’t mean any one is better than the other one
"I would always say Messi because I worked with him and what he did was unexpected scoring 40, 50 goals in every season, but I understand if other people choose another one. All of them made an incredible contribution to world football by giving emotions to people."
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