Barcelona is a club which is known by any football fan around the world. The amount of talent this club has produced over the years is really quite something.
From World Cup winners to Player of the year and Ballon D’or winner Barcelona had all. Several players from different nationalities have come over the years to play for the Catalans and have changed the overall look of the game.
Barcelona have seen 5 FIFA Player of the Year winners that includes (1994) Romario, (1996) Rivaldo, (2004, 2005) Ronaldinho and (2009, 10, 11, 12) Lionel Messi.
Apart from these there are phenomenal legends like Kubala (who was voted the greatest Barcelona player of all time), Luis Suarez (voted best Spanish player of 20th century, Evaristo and Kocsis. And one cannot forget Guardiola, Laudrup, Stoitchkov, Samuel Eto’o, Ibrahimovic, Schuster, Figo, Henry, Kluivert, Iniesta, Xavi, Overmars, Luis Enrique and Deco.
The Catalan club from the time of its existence in Spanish football has attracted and lured several world class players. And it is this reputation and heritage of the Spanish giants that some of the best players of the game have played there whole at Camp Nou.
To pick an all-time best XI of Barcelona is not that easy as it sounds since the Catalan Club has witnessed a lot of masters of the game to feature in the blue and scarlet outfit over the years.
With just 11 spaces to fill, there will perpetually be players that are absent from this rundown for whom you could make a genuinely sound contention to be incorporated.
Goalkeeper: Zubizarreta (1986-1994) (Spain)
Antonio Zubizarreta is undoubtedly one of the best Goal Keepers who played for Barcelona. The Spanish international appeared for 136 games for the national team and made close to 400 appearances for the Catalans. Though Valdes has played more games than Zubi but Victor achieved fame only in the last few years, whereas Andoni was consistent in his form and was a wonderful shot stopper. He helped Catalans to win 4 La Liga titles and was also a part of the 1992 squad who won the European Cup. Zubizarreta was also voted the Spanish player of the year in 1987.
DEF: Daniel Alves (2008-present) (Brazil)
Alves left Sevilla to join Barcelona in 2008 and since then has played 203 matches for the Catalans. The Brazilian international is one of the best right backs in the world and has impressed several critics with his brilliant skills over the years. He was (and still is) the part of the Barcelona team which grabbed almost all the titles in World Football in the past decade. Alves brilliance in holding the back line and his potential to go upfront is remarkable.
DEF: Segarra (1949-1965) (Spain)
Joan Segarra is the the fifth most capped player in the history of Barcelona. Nicknamed “El Gran Captia”(The Great Captain), Segarra was the skipper of one of the best Barcelona team which won 5 trophies that includes La Liga, Copa del Rey, Copa Eva Duarte, Copa Martini Rossi and Copa Latino all in single season of 1952. He featured in the first team for 16 seasons between 1950 and 1964, playing 299 matches in the La Liga. Segerra is also known for his fair play on the pitch and was respected by both team mates and opponents. It is know that throughout the time he played he only kicked a player once which was by accident.
DEF: Carlos Puyol(1999-2014) (Spain)
Puyol is unarguably the greatest defensive player to feature for Barca, he is a true symbol of loyalty and Passion. Carlos has only played for Barcelona for his entire life and was a long time Captain for the Catalans after he took over the armband from Luis Enrique. Puyol has lead Barca to win 6 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey,3 Champions League and 2 FIFA Club World Cup. Puyol’s defensive techniques and qualities made him a wonderful defender making the opposition attack difficult to penetrate. Carlos Puyol is a true legend and icon of Barcelona.
DEF: Ronal Koeman (1989-1995) (Netherland)
Koeman is the top scoring defender in Barcelona’s history, the Dutch international managed to score 102 goals during his 6 year at Barca. He joined Barcelona from PSV in 1989 after winning the European Cup for the Dutch club. After joining the Catalans he became an important part of Cruyff’s Dream team and helped the Spanish club to win four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994. He also scored the winning goal against Sampdoria in the final of European Cup helping the club win the title in 1992. The Dutch player was not only wonderful in playing in the back line but was also useful in attacking situations. His ability to convert free kicks was as good as any other attacker at that time.
Mid: Xavi (1998-present) (Spain)
Xavi is one of the best midfielders in the history of the game. A product of La Masia, he tasted his first team debut in 1998 against RCD Mallorca and since then has featured in nearly 700 matches with 82 goals and assists more than 180 for almost 50 different players. He is also the first player in the club history to play 150 international matches. He is the architect of “Tikki taka” style which the Catalans have adopted through the years. He also has 25 trophies to his name which is highest to any other Spanish player; he has won World Soccer Player of the Year in 2010 and has finished on the 3 place in 2009, 10 and 11 after being nominated 5 times for Ballon d’Or. Xavi also has been awarded the IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker award for 4 years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. He was included in the UEFA Team of the Year five times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012), and has been included into the FIFA World XI on six occasions: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. In Euro 2012, with his 2 assists in the Final, he became the first player to register assists in two different Euro finals, having set up the only goal in the Final four years earlier. He also received the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports in 2012. Xavi announced his retirement from international football after the 2014 World Cup.
MID: Johan Cruyff (1973-1978) (Netherland)
Cruyff is considered as one of the most influential player in the football history. He began his career playing for Ajax where he won 8 Eredivisie titles and 3 European Cups. He joined Barcelona in 1973 for a world record fee, and won La Liga in his first season and also was named European Footballer of the Year. His brilliant playing in the midfield and amazing leadership helped Barcelona to win the La Liga in 1974 after 14 years of drought. He also won Ballon d’Or three times and after hanging boot in 1984, he became a successful manager of Ajax and later on FC Barcelona leading the Catalans to several trophies and wins.
MID: Andres Iniesta (2002-present) (Spain)
Like Xavi, Iniesta is also a product of La Masia, the Barcelona youth academy, after emigrating from his birthplace, and impressing from an early age. Andres made his first team debut in 2002 at the age of 18. He became a regular during the 2004–05 seasons and has remained in the team since then. Iniesta played an important part in the Barcelona side of 2009, the only time the Catalan club managed to achieve six titles in one season. Iniesta’s technique and vision makes him a world class midfielder. In 2012 he won UEFA Best Player in Europe, and was also selected as the Best Player of 2011–12 UEFA Champions League. In 2010 he was runner-up to Lionel Messi for the FIFA Ballon d’Or and came on the third spot in 2012. He was also named the World’s Best Playmaker in 2012 and 2013 by IFFHS, and won La Liga Spanish Player of the Year award in 2009. Iniesta has been chosen in the UEFA Team of the Year for a consecutive four times (2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012), and has been voted straight six times into the FIFA World XI: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Due to his outstanding exhibitions for both country and club Iniesta was awarded the Marca Legend Award in 2011.He received the Golden Foot Award in 2014.
ATT: Kubala (1951-1961) (Hungary)
Kubala was one of the important players of the successful Barcelona team in the 1950s. During his time with Barcelona he played 256 matches and scored 194 goals for the Catalans. He was voted by the fans in 1999 as the best player to ever play for Barcelona. Kubala was a complete attacking player with marvellous brilliant skills and a vision to break down the defence of any opposition. He also contributed in helping Barca to win 4 La Liga titles in 1952, 53, 59 and 60. And a statue in his honour is also situated in the ground of Camp Nou.
ATT: Ronaldinho (2003-2008) (Brazil)
Ronaldinho joined Barcelona in 2003 after the Catalans outbid Manchester United to grab the Brazilian playmaker in a reported €30 million. He is one of the most prolific players to play at the Camp Nou and helped young talents like Messi, Xavi and Iniesta to become world class player. His brilliant skills, dribbling and pace is still known by the Barca fans, he was a maestro of set pieces and his deadly free kicks were a nightmare for the opposition goalkeepers. He is also among the few Barcelona players whose sublime performance impressed the rivals Real Madrid fans so much that they honoured him with a standing ovation at Bernabeu. Ronaldinho played 145 matches for the Catalans and scored 70 goals, he helped the club to win La Liga 2 times (2004-05, 2005-06), Supercopa de Espana 2 time (2005,2006), UEFA Champions League (2005-06). He also won Ballon d’Or (2005), though he left the Catalans in 2008 but his marvellous performances are still rememberd at Camp Nou.
ATT: Lionel Messi (2004-present) (Argentina)
Lionel Messi was signed by Barcelona at the age of 14 and the club paid for his medical expenses since the boy wonder was suffering from growth hormone deficiency. Messi evolved after moving to Spain and played in the junior team of Barca were he showed impressive results and made his debut in 2005-06 seasons for the first team. He since then hasn’t stopped impressing the fans and has been regarded by several critics as one of the best in the world. He is the first player in the history to win Ballon d’Or four times in row from 2009 to 2013 and European Golden Shoe 3 times, he also helped the club to win La Liga Titles 6 times, UEFA Champions League 3 times, Spanish Super cups 6 times ,Copa Del Rey 2 times and almost every other trophy. By the age of 24 Messi became the club top scorer, he is also La Liga top scorer and all-time top scorer of UEFA Champions League. Age 27 the Argentine has won almost every individual award in football and has also helped the club to win almost every trophy.
Manager – Johan Cruyff
Barcelona’s most successful and longest serving manager (1988-96) is Johan Cruyff, the Dutchman was not only an important player who brought glory to the club but was also an amazing manager and helped the Catalans to build the image what has still remained. The main style of play Tiki – Taka was introduced by Cruyff only and without it the Catalans wouldn’t have saw amazing talent like Iniesta, Xavi and Messi. He led the club to win the Spanish League four times in row from 1991 to 1994 and also the first Champions League trophy in the history of the club (1992). Throughout his career as the manager of the Catalans the Dutchman won a total 11 trophies and helped in building a new Barcelona what we see today. Cruyff’s last two seasons weren’t as successful as earlier and due his feued with then chairman Lluis Nunez the Dutchman left the club position and also vowed to never manage a club again, but he still remains as one of the best manager and prime figure in the history of FC Barcelona.
Pic courtesy – Getty, Marca, goal.com