Man City star Raheem Sterling can become the best player in the world, Barcelona legend Xavi believes.
It has been an excellent start to the season for Sterling, who has already netted eight goals for club and country, adding to the 25 he scored last campaign.
Sterling has emerged as one of the world's top players since Pep Guardiola was appointed Man City boss
Xavi, the former Spain midfielder now in charge of Al Sadd, played alongside Lionel Messi and faced Cristiano Ronaldo numerous times throughout his career, and he believes Sterling is on course to eventually surpass both.
"Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the best-player-in-the-world awards for so many years now, it's hard to remember a time before them" Xavi told the Mirror.
"Messi is the best ever for me - and even though they're both still playing at a very high level - there will come the day not so long away when somebody else must step into those shoes.
"You look at young players who can be crowned the future best in the world and you still think of Neymar, Mbappe, Salah, and of course Sterling. I look at the moment - and Sterling is winning that race."
For the best part of a decade, Ronaldo and Messi have long been considered the best players in the world and have five Ballons d'Or between them since 2008.
Under Pep Guardiola, Sterling has become one of the Premier League's most influential players and Xavi feels he will soon be the world's best.
"He's always been a good player, a dangerous player, but under Pep he has become one of the best in the world," added Xavi.
"I know how Pep works - he would have worked closely with him since his arrival - where he needs to improve and what he needed to work on.
"We're now seeing the results of that - he's still young and can be the world's best."
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