Lionel Messi: Eto'o and Henry great, but Neymar and Suarez the best

In an exclusive interview with Squawka.com, the Barcelona and Argentina forward was asked about the duo who play alongside him up front in a team that stands on the verge of claiming the treble.

And Messi claimed that the current strikeforce at Barcelona is the best he has ever been a part of.

"I’m lucky. I’ve played with so many wonderful forwards over the years," said Messi.

"I had a great connection with Ronaldinho. I played with Samuel Eto’o, with Thierry Henry, with Pedro, David Villa, Alexis [Sanchez]. But I have to say that it is hard to top lining up alongside Neymar and Suarez.

"They are two players at the top of their games. We have only been together as a three for one season, so there is still work to do on the partnership, and we can all improve together – but we all see it as teamwork.

"I’ve said before that with Neymar’s quality, touch and fitness, he can become the best in the world – and Luis is the same. His touch, vision, his movement, his instinctive play, are incredible. We all offer something different, and make each other better."

Messi, still just 27, was also asked about his future with the team, and suggested that if and when his electric turn of pace deserts him he could reinvent himself as a midfield playmaker lying in a deeper position.

"It’s possible. A lot of players drop deeper when they move into the later stages of their career, and that’s certainly an option for me, to become an out-and-out midfielder," he said.

"I have played in midfield a lot already, and I cover a lot of ground there. I am happy to play as a forward, as a deep forward, in the middle – I just hope that I can keep going.

"There are many players who have prolonged their careers by playing in a different place, where maybe you don’t rely on being so explosive all the time, on your speed."

Messi also revealed his thoughts on the disappointments of 2014, a year in which he suffered a severe dip in form compared to arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

And the Argentine admitted that the pain of losing the chance to become world champion affected him deeply.

"Losing the World Cup final was a big, big blow. I wanted to win it for Argentines everywhere, for my country, and I was very upset afterwards. But being a professional means moving on from low moments quickly," he said.

"If you’re on the pitch and you miss a chance, you can’t dwell on it – you need to think you are going to score the next one.

"So yes, losing the World Cup spurs you on to do better, and you want to use the anger and disappointment as motivation.”