Barcelona great Xavi says Ronaldinho deserves to be regarded among the club's greats.

Al Sadd coach Xavi has no doubt the Argentina international Leo Messi is the greatest player ever.

"Ronaldinho is at the level of the best. Ronaldinho is at the level of the best, perhaps what he lacked was consistency," he told Globo Esporte.

"Perhaps he lacked consistency in being at his peak. For me, only Messi is above Ronaldinho because of the consistency in the last few years."

Xavi added: "Messi is the best in history, but Ronaldinho is with the best. The rest follow.

"He [Ronaldinho] is with the best – with Ronaldo 'Fenomeno', with Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, that group."