Brazil legend Pele joined those paying tribute to the life of the late, great Muhammad Ali, revealing that the sporting icon told him “football is more beautiful than boxing, but I'm more beautiful than you".

Tributes have since flooded in for Ali, who transcended his sport in more ways than one, becoming an inspiration for a generation in the 1960s and 70s. In football, Pele was arguably of a similar stature in that period, spearheading the attack of the great Brazilian teams on the international stage.

The 75-year-old was good friends with Ali, and paid tribute while in Manchester at an event to mark the 25 th anniversary of the city's humanitarian aid charity Human Appeal.

"He used to say he was my brother," Pele told reporters. "We had many opportunities to be together in time... we worked together for children in Unicef. He once told me, 'Football is more beautiful than boxing, but I am more beautiful than you’.

"I saw him last year. We went to his house, we did an interview for a hospital in Brazil - a children's hospital I work for."

Pele then took to Instagram, writing: "The sporting universe has just suffered a big loss,” he wrote. “Muhammad Ali was my friend, my idol, my hero. We spent many moments

together and always kept a good connection throughout the years. The sadness is overwhelming. I wish him peace with God."