Lionel Messi possesses a "special quality" that makes him the best player in the world above Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, according to Brazil head coach Tite.
The Barcelona star scored on his return from a groin injury in the 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna, before he netted a hat-trick in the 4-0 Champions League victory over Manchester City at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
"They are the top three," he said. "This is nothing new, they're the top three that have been chosen for the Ballon d'Or before.
"They are different generations - Messi and Ronaldo are more or less the same in terms of their timeline, being 29 and 31 years old. Neymar is a player who is on the rise, who is evolving.
"But today, Messi, for me, is the best. He has this special quality that brings something new to the game, and for us it's a challenge to be able to go up against him for all the virtues and qualities that he has."
Brazil sit top of South America's qualifying table for Russia 2018 with 21 points from 10 matches, five ahead of Argentina in fifth.
