Pep Guardiola would love Raheem Sterling to reach the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Manchester City manager is not sure if any player will be able to equal the feats of that legendary pair, reports AFP.
Others have recently been comparing Sterling to the two dominant players of the last decade.
City manager Guardiola is thrilled at Sterling's progress during their three years working together, but having also coached Messi at Barca, he knows the exceptional standards required at that exalted level.
"Right now, Raheem is not in that level, but maybe in the future I wish. It would be a dream for him and for all of us," Guardiola told reporters.
"The consistency of these two guys, they are legends, something unique in world football.
"If Raheem can target that level – wow. We will be there to help him and of course he can do it.
"But right now, nobody, not in the club, or in all the clubs in the world can compare with these two guys and what they have done every single week for ten years. Nobody."
Sterling enjoyed his best goal-scoring season last year as he netted 25 times to help City win the domestic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup.
To understand what Sterling is up against, Ronaldo's mark of 29 club goals last season for Juventus is the lowest figure either he or Messi have recorded in the last decade.