Ed Sheeran has joked Justin Timberlake makes the rest of the male population "look bad".

The British singer-songwriter has achieved global success with his hugely successful debut offering '+' which spawned hits including 'The A Team', 'Lego House' and 'Drunk'.

Despite his popularity, Sheeran insists Timberlake wipes the floor with his male chart counterparts.

Speaking to British newspaper The Sun he gushed: ''Watching him made me want to quit. He's 32 and I'm 22. In ten years ... no I still can't ever be like him. He makes men look bad.''

Sheeran appeared at the star-studded Grammy Awards last month (February 10) in Los Angeles and shared the stage with Sir Elton John for a stunning collaboration.

Timberlake also made his live return at the ceremony, and Sheeran took to Twitter after the star's performance to share his admiration for the US singer.

He posted to fans: ''Just watched Justin Timberlake live, absolutely incredible, One of the best shows I've ever seen (sic).''