Though a Messi fan Guardiola posits Pelé could have been great in any era 

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said that the legend of Pelé would live on for ever as he paid tribute to the Brazilian after his death at the age of 82.

Guardiola was one of several Premier League managers who celebrated Pelé while the FA lit up the Wembley Stadium arch in the yellow and green of Brazil to mark his passing.

Flags are being flown at half-mast across Brazil as the country begins three days of national mourning.

Pelé died of colon cancer on Thursday at the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo. Yesterday morning a banner had been placed in front of the hospital, with the words: “Eternal king.”

Guardiola believes that Pelé is one of a small number of players whose impact on the game will never be forgotten.

 “I think Pelé, [Diego] Maradona, [Johan] Cruyff, [Lionel] Messi, [Franz] Beckenbauer, Cristiano Ronaldo — these players will be for ever, they will be eternal,” Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, said.

“These types of players make our business, our job — whatever you want to call it — a better place, because you have seen what he produced, how he could change the lives of 48 million people, one country. It’s unbelievable.

 “There’s not another show or event that can produce this type of emotion. It’s part of what these exceptional players do. It’s like the legacy of a good movie or a good book — for many years after we are still talking about them. He was so good.”

Given that he grew up in a house with only one television and two channels during the 1970s, Guardiola was unaware of Pelé’s talents until he joined Barcelona’s fabled academy, La Masia. There, he bonded with a Brazilian physio, who spoke about Pelé at length. “He was in love with Brazil,” Guardiola said of the physio. “He always talked about Brazil and Pelé.

“When I was nine, ten years old I started to watch some clips. Now I realise how strong he was and that he could do everything.

“People say that because the rhythm in that period was completely different and there were more spaces, it was easier, but if he were playing now, he would have adapted to the rhythm and spaces because he was so good.”

Guardiola also learnt a lot about Pelé from César Luis Menotti, who managed Barcelona from 1983 to 1984.

Pepe, who won two World Cups alongside Pelé, shared more wisdom about his former team-mate when he coached Guardiola at the Qatari side Al-Ahli towards the end of the Catalan’s playing career.

Despite his praise for Pelé, Guardiola said that he would not name the Brazilian as his favourite player of all time.

“I would always say Messi is my favourite because I worked with him and what he did was unprecedented, scoring 40 or 50 goals every season, but I understand if people choose another one,” Guardiola, 51, said. “For the Brazilian people, Pelé was the best. I understand that. For Argentinians, they would say [Alfredo] Di Stéfano, Maradona or Messi. Everyone has his own, and this is nice. That doesn’t mean one is better than the other one. All of them made an incredible contribution to world football.”

Frank Lampard, the former England and Chelsea midfielder who is now manager of Everton, also recognised the enormous impact Pelé had on the game. Lampard, 44, said: “There’s huge respect for him as a player and as a person, as all the responses since yesterday have shown. He was a great man as well as a great player.

“He was one of the greatest without doubt, so a sad day for football.

“The reach of his name in the game was huge. It just gets bigger with age. We have lost him, unfortunately, but his name will continue for evermore.”

The Tottenham Hotspur head coach, Antonio Conte, said: “We are talking about one of the most important players in the world. We are talking about the story of football.

“I was lucky to know him and, honestly, I am really sad for his death. Also, because Pelé was an important person for football. One of the most popular, maybe the most popular players in football.

 “His behaviour, it was always a person who lived without arrogance and showed always to be humble despite, in my opinion, with Maradona, being the best player in the world.”

Julen Lopetegui, the Wolverhampton Wanderers manager, said: “I grew up [watching] him and his matches, and without playing in Europe he has been one of the best players in history.

“I have seen a lot of his matches and I think he represented the complete player. He was demanding, with a big mentality so I think it’s a pity for football, but above all for his family.”