UEFA president Michel Platini has described Lionel Messi as a "diamond".
Platini admits he's a big fan of Barcelona.
He told L'Equipe: "Messi is the diamond of a wonderful team. Other big players at Barcelona, such as Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Carles] Puyol, [Dani] Alves they need him."
Platini refused to assess whether the 23-year-old could already be regarded as the greatest player of all time, adding: "It is too early to rule. If you ask me in two of three years, we will see.
"Each generation has its best, and every generation thinks it has the best player in history."
