While many pundits argue the merits of current Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo or four-times winner Lionel Messi, Cantona believes Pastore's creativity is at a different level.
"Today the best player in the world, the most exciting player in the world, is Pastore from Paris Saint Germain," the 48-year-old Cantona told a news conference at the Laureus Awards on Tuesday.
"Why? Because I watched two games just to see Pastore playing, giving passes. He's got something special," Cantona said.
Pastore, 25, left Italian club Palermo for PSG in a deal worth 37 million pounds in 2011 and has made 174 appearances for the French champions, scoring 32 goals.
"Football is interaction, that is why football is so popular I think and Pastore can do things that others don't know," Cantona said.
"He does things that surprise you every time. Not only on scoring goals, spectacular goals all the time, just passing, passing.
"He's a very creative player, he's the most creative player in the world today, that's why I think he's the best player in the world because he's this kind of player, I love this kind of player."
(Reporting by Mike Collett, editing by Ed Osmond)
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