Messi recently broke German striker Gerd Muller’s record of 85 goals in a calendar year that had stood for 40 years.
And Swansea City manager Laudrup, who enjoyed a glittering playing career with Barcelona, believes Messi deserves all the accolades currently being showered on him.
The Dane said: “He is out of this world, a class for himself.
“He is already, for me, one of the top players of all-time, and let’s see if he will be maybe No1. He is up there with the greatest — Maradona, Pele and all those."
Laudrup’s team could come up against a rumoured Barcelona transfer target in Gareth Bale when the Swans tackle Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Bale is currently battling a hamstring injury and might not start the Premier League clash but Laudrup has no doubt about his ability.
He added: "What he has is that he’s a fantastic physical player.
"His runs with the ball are incredible because he doesn’t lose pace over a distance. He starts and he maintains it."
Asked how Bale could fare at the likes of Barcelona or Real Madrid, Laudrup said: “It is very difficult to say. It is a completely different type of football.
“If you play in Barcelona or Real Madrid, you don’t play on a pitch 105m x 68m, you play in the last 20-25 metres of the pitch.
“If you have seen some Barcelona games, they play 19 players in nothing, so you don’t have space. You can’t run.
“If he does go to Spain and play for one of the top two teams there, then that part of his play would be very difficult.
"It will be a different way of football, but if you have quality I think you will always adapt.”
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