"He is as good as a Lionel Messi" - Djibril Cisse makes astonishing claim about club-less star

Former Paris Saint-Germain attacker Hatem Ben Arfa is just as good as Lionel Messi. That's according to former Liverpool star Djibril Cisse, who claims the Frenchman's technical abilities place him on par with his Argentine counterpart.

"Technically, Hatem… I might seem crazy but I think that Ben Arfa at a good level is as good as a Messi," Cisse was quoted as saying.

"I’ve seen him do things… […] I’ll say it again, Hatem at his best, is Messi," the former Liverpool attacking midfielder added.

This comparison is quite ridiculous considering there's a gulf between Lionel Messi and Hatem Ben Arfa with regards to how they've fared in their respective careers.

Messi is arguably the greatest player in football history. The Argentine has been at the top of the game for nearly two decades, proving to be unstoppable as he fired Barcelona into their most successful era.

So far, he's bagged 675 goals and 301 assists in 786 appearances at club level. Lionel Messi holds the record for the highest number of Ballon d'Or wins (6) as well as the most European Golden Shoe triumphs (6).

The 34-year-old won several honors with Barcelona, including five Champions League crowns, 10 La Liga titles and seven Copa del Rey trophies.

Hatem Ben Arfa, on the other hand, has been regarded as a huge talent but nothing much beyond that. Despite representing a whopping nine clubs across Europe's top-five leagues, the Frenchman has failed to reach his potential.

He has a record of 75 goals and 62 assists to his name in 419 club appearances, winning the Ligue 1 title five times and the French Cup thrice. He is currently a free agent, with his most recent appearance coming for Bordeaux last season.

Lionel Messi became a PSG player this summer

Lionel Messi with a new challenge at Paris Saint-Germain

Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain after parting ways with Barcelona during the summer transfer window.

Judging by what we've witnessed so far, the diminutive forward is finding it a huge challenge to adapt to a new environment in France.

Messi is yet to score in Ligue 1 this season despite making five appearances for PSG. The physicality and intense pace of the game in the French top-flight has made the ride a rough one for the playmaker.

The Argentine has, however, enjoyed a better outing in the Champions League, where he has bagged three goals so far.