Hansi Flick and Thomas Muller both lavished praise on Robert Lewandowski after the Bayern Munich striker equalled a longstanding Bundesliga record.
Lewandowski converted a first-half penalty to open the scoring in the champions' 2-2 draw with Freiburg on Saturday, taking his tally for the season in the competition to 40 goals.
The Poland international now sits level with the great Gerd Muller for the most scored in a single Bundesliga campaign - and he still has one more game to go to move clear of the Bayern icon.
Flick feels the feat demonstrates just why Lewandowski is the best striker in the world right now, albeit his achievement would not have been possible without the efforts of the entire team.
"Robert had his most successful season last year - he won the treble with the team and the FIFA Men's Player Award," the Bayern boss - who will bring an end to his hugely successful reign next weekend - said.
"Now he has matched Gerd Muller's historic record. But that is always due to the performance of the team, they have to provide the opportunities.
"In the last few years, you would never have believed that the record would fall. But a lot is possible in football.
"Right now, Robert is the best striker in the world. We'll have to wait and see what comes next. The competition has to decide how long he will have his record."
Lewandowski had two glorious opportunities to add to his tally in the second half at Freiburg, including scuffing an attempt from point-blank range straight to goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Muller believes the uncharacterstic misses demonstrated how his team-mate is human after all, but made it clear the 32-year-old deserves his place among the club legend.
"It's hard to classify because it's kind of normal with Lewy," Muller said.
"He didn't just do it for one season, he has scored a huge number of goals in recent years. That's crazy.
"He had two huge chances even today. He's only human too, but one who is very, very good in front of goal.
"I can't put it in this historical context because I'm there myself. Gerd Muller helped make this club with his goals to where we are now.
"The club grew up through such players and that Lewy has now placed himself on that level, you can only tip your hat to that. The team has granted him that and appreciates what he does."
Lewandowski will hope to make it to 41 when Bayern host Augsburg in Munich in the final round of Bundesliga fixtures.
Liverpool 1-0 Real Betis: Szoboszlai gets Slot era up and running
Dominik Szoboszlai's goal was the difference as Arne Slot's first game in charge of Liverpool with spectators present ended in a 1-0 win over Real Betis in Pittsburgh.
Liverpool lost 1-0 in a behind-closed-doors meeting with Preston North End last week, but they were victors in sweltering conditions when their pre-season tour of the United States got under way on Friday.
Szoboszlai scored the only goal after 34 minutes, stroking his finish past Adrian after Mohamed Salah slipped a pass through to the Hungary international.
That goal came four minutes after Curtis Jones was forced off through injury, being replaced by 17-year-old Trey Nyoni.
Former Reds goalkeeper Adrian denied Conor Bradley as a strong Liverpool side chased a second, while Harvey Elliott nodded wide from a Kostas Tsimikas cross.
After Slot rang the changes with 63 minutes gone, Kaide Gordon missed Liverpool's best chance to make it 2-0 by dragging his effort wide, but it did not matter as a controlled performance saw the Reds home.
Data Debrief: Reds in cruise control
Slot had been expected to bring a slightly more measured approach than the "heavy metal football" preached by his predecessor Jurgen Klopp, and that was on full display on Friday as Betis were held at arm's length.
Liverpool enjoyed 62.7% of the possession throughout the match, though Slot will be looking for more penetration when they face Arsenal in the next game of their tour on Wednesday, having only recorded 12 touches in the penalty area to Betis' 10.
Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure
Ryan Sessegnon has resigned for Fulham on a free transfer, five years after leaving the club.
The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Cottagers with the option to extend for a further year following his departure from Tottenham last month.
In his first spell at the club, Sessegnon worked his way through the academy over 11 years, scoring 25 goals in 120 first-team appearances.
He then moved to Spurs in a £25million deal in 2019, though struggled to nail down a place in North London, making just 57 appearances in all competitions, and scoring three goals.
"It's amazing to be back. Emotional, as well," he told FFCtv. "It's where it started for me, where everything began, and it's amazing to be back.
"It will always be home for me. I think it had the feeling that it was meant to be, coming back here, so I'm delighted to get it done."
Sessegnon is Fulham's first signing of the transfer window, though they have seen plenty of first-team departures already, with Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid all leaving the club.
Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.
The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.
Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.
The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.
"The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.
"I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.
"I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.
"He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."
Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.
Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.
"We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.
"That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.
"Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.
"I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."
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