Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City can help Raheem Sterling be a Ballon d’Or winner.
The Blues star has been exceptional for club and country in recent weeks leading to claims that he is reaching a similar level to greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Guardiola rejected the notion that England winger Sterling – who scored one and claimed three assists for his country against Kosovo in midweek – is already up there with Messi and Ronaldo.
But the City boss said that the 24-year-old could one day hit the same heights.
“Right now he is not in that level,” said Guardiola. “Maybe in the future I hope.
“That would be a dream for him and for all of us, but right now those two guys in the last decade have scored 50 or 60 goals per season and had I don’t know how many assists.
“They have won the Ballon d’Or and all the individual prizes every season except this season.
“So the consistency of these two guys ... they are legends, they are something unique in the world football. If Raheem can target that level, wow.
“We will be here to help him and of course he can do it. I will not be the guy who let him or gives him any limits.”
Guardiola says Sterling will not be able to blot out the talk, but says he needs to channel it into achieving his aims.
“Today, finish the training session, practice some free kicks, but right now nobody, not in this club or any other club in the world, can compare to those two guys in what they have done, and what they have done every single week in more than a decade," he added.
“They are absolutely legends these two players, and nobody can compare.”
