Messi the world's 'best'

Abu Dhabi - Argentina's football legend Diego Maradona said on Sunday that his compatriot Lionel Messi was the world's best player.

Maradona told Abu Dhabi television that Messi, the Barcelona striker, still had a lot to offer on the pitch.

Maradona, who coaches the Emirati team al-Wasl, was speaking on his 51st birthday. Referring to himself, he said he had done his best as a player and was now interested in developing himself as a coach.

In May, Maradona signed a two-year contract to coach al-Wasl, which is chaired by Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, brother of Dubai's ruler.

He called on football fans in the United Arab Emirates, mainly those of al-Wasl, to show up in matches to support their teams.