5 greatest Brazilian footballers in FC Barcelona's history 

In 1931, Fausto Dos Santos and Jaguare entered record books by becoming the first ever Brazilian footballer to represent Barcelona.

Since then, over 30 Brazilians have had the honour to wear the Blaugrana colours, with Arthur and Malcolm being the latest. Some of them succeeded while the others failed. There were a few, however, who left an indelible mark on the club and its history.

Today, we acknowledge the five greatest Brazilians to play for FC Barcelona. The list includes transfer record signings, world-cup winners and Ballon d'Or awardees. These players have been chosen based on their individual brilliance, success as a team as well as their overall legacy on the club.

---

#5 Ronaldo

Is a single season enough for a player to become a club legend? The answer is yes if we are talking about Ronaldo's 1996/97 season at Barcelona.

Joining from PSV Eindhoven for a world transfer record, fans had huge expectations from the 19-year old Brazilian. To say that Ronaldo lived up to them would be an understatement.

A physical specimen with the strength of a bull and the speed of a cheetah, Ronaldo would bludgeon his way past the defence. Add to it his inch-perfect finishing, and he was, simply put, unstoppable. He scored 47 goals in 49 matches to round-up the greatest debut season in football history.

Ronaldo ended the season with a host of individual and team awards including the FIFA World Player of the Year and the European Golden Boot. Contract issues saw him join Inter in 1997 for yet another world record amount, thus bringing an abrupt end to his mythical run at Barcelona.

#4 Neymar

Neymar played a critical role in Barcelona's 2015 treble win.

Say whatever you want to about his shenanigans on and off the pitch, but no one can deny the tremendous amount of talent Neymar possesses.

Neymar was already a star in Brazil by the time he was 21. It was only a matter of time before he took a leap of faith and joined a European giant, which in his case was Barcelona. After a modest 2013-14 debut season and an impressive World Cup in 2014, things drastically changed for him.

With the signing of Luis Suarez in 2014, Barcelona boasted of arguably the most fearsome attack in recent times. The trio of Messi-Suarez-Neymar would run riot across the pitch. Their chemistry as a unit would leave opponents clueless.

The 2014/15 season was Neymar's highpoint at Barcelona. He scored 39 goals in all competitions, including 10 in the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona completed their second treble and Neymar achieved his first Ballon d'Or podium finish.

The next couple of years saw Neymar develop his overall game to such an extent that PSG splashed a whopping €222 million for him, more than double the previous transfer record. Despite a feeling of resentment, fans would love to watch him wear the Barcelona colours again.

#3 Rivaldo

Rivaldo scored 130 goals in five years for Barcelona.

The perfect blend of technique, toughness and trickery, Rivaldo was one of the most versatile forwards Brazil ever produced. He could successfully operate in various attacking roles including centre-forward, winger, attacking midfielder or second striker.

Rivaldo joined Barcelona in 1997 from Deportivo La Coruna. In his very first season, the club won the domestic double with Rivaldo being their top-scorer. Barcelona successfully defended their league title in the 1998/99 season. Rivaldo, once again their top-scorer, was awarded the 1999 Ballon d'Or.

1999 also marked the beginning of Barcelona's trophy drought which lasted longer than most expected. Meanwhile, Rivaldo continued his glorious form. He peaked as a goalscorer during the 2000/01 season, scoring 36 goals in all competitions.

Rivaldo's most memorable performance for Barcelona came against Valencia in June 2001. The Brazilian scored a bending free-kick, a 25-yard piledriver and an overhead bicycle kick, all in the same match, to complete one of the greatest hat-tricks of all time.

Reservations against the newly re-appointed manager, Louis Van Gaal, propelled Rivaldo's move to AC Milan in 2002. From there on, he became a journeyman, spreading joy and happiness in different parts of the world like he once used to in Barcelona.

#2 Dani Alves

Dani Alves won 23 trophies at Barcelona.

With 39 major trophies, Dani Alves is the most decorated footballer on Earth as of today. A large chunk of these came during his eight-year spell at Barcelona, where he won anything and everything that was up for grab.

Dani Alves was already a La Liga veteran by the time Barcelona signed him in 2008. He readily fit into Pep Guardiola's tiki-taka based playing style, making 54 appearances during their treble-winning 2008-09 campaign.

A big reason for Alves' success at Barcelona was his instant bonding with Lionel Messi. Their close relationship both on and off the pitch was visible during their inter-plays on the flank. The attack-oriented fullback assisted 42 of Messi's goals, more than any other Barcelona player.

Dani Alves went on to play close to 400 matches for the Catalonians, winning 23 major trophies. Individual honours kept pouring in too, as Alves regularly made it to various 'Team of the Year' lists.

Alves' growing discomfort with the Barcelona board resulted in him to join Juventus in 2016. Fast forward two years, he still going strong at the age of 35 while Barcelona is yet to find someone of his competence. Alves, undoubtedly, is their all-time greatest right-back.

#1 Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho helped in ushering a new era of success for Barcelona.

Ronaldinho Gaucho, what can we say about this man that hasn't been said before. His artistry on the football pitch brought a smile to more faces than we could imagine. For Barcelona, however, he was much more than a world-class footballer, he was their angel, their saviour.

Barcelona had gone four straight seasons trophyless, agonising in mid-table mediocrity when a 23-year-old Ronaldinho joined them from PSG. With him at its forefront, the club rose from ashes like a phoenix.

In the next three years, Barcelona went from playing in UEFA Cup to winning consecutive league titles and the 2006 UEFA Champions League. For his brilliant performance throughout the period, Ronaldinho won the Ballon d'Or in 2005 and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005.

Unable to find room in Pep Guardiola's new Barcelona, Ronaldinho left for AC Milan in 2008. What he left behind was a vast legacy and a successor in the form of his protege, Lionel Messi.

Ronaldinho may not have had a debut season as remarkable as Ronaldo Nazario or a career as decorated as Dani Alves. But he was pivotal in laying a strong foundation that allowed Barcelona's ascent to the absolute top. And for this reason, we consider him the greatest Brazilian footballer in the club's history.