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With Andres Iniesta retiring from European and International football, now is a good time to look at the most important players that defined the last decade of football at FC Barcelona.
The club is at a stage where it has signed multiple players such as Coutinho and Dembele and is going through some kind of an identity crisis.
It no longer employs the famed Tiki-Taka style of football of the past and is looking to engineer a return to past glory. One way to do that is to understand the type of players it took to achieve that success.
Honorable Mentions:
Gerard Pique
Pique has been instrumental in keeping the Barcelona defense as stingy as it has been throughout the years despite having multiple partners in defense. He was an important and inspirational defensive pillar in his prime, along with the other major stalwarts from the famed Spanish academy La Masia. He deserves a mention here for his contribution to the club.
Victor Valdes
Valdes was the last line of defense for Barcelona for many years and will be remembered for his excellent distribution and shot stopping skills. Although his career with Barcelona ended rather unceremoniously, he is still fondly remembered among the faithful.
#5 Sergio Busquets
One of the two remaining players on this list still playing in Barcelona, Sergio Busquets is possibly the most underrated of the five. A defensive midfielder by trade, Busquets embodied the Tiki-Taka style of play in his every move. He was an undisputed lock at his midfield position and has provided much needed stability for the club over the years.
Busquets made his senior debut on 13th September 2008 and hasn't looked back since. He has been an integral part of both FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. His ability to read the game and his sense of positioning are what set him apart from most players.
He flourished under Pep Guardiola's system and became a first team regular under him. He is not the fastest and probably not the strongest player on the pitch. But he makes up for it with guile and tactical nuance.
In soccer, tall players are usually not the quickest with their feet and don't have the best balance due to their high center of gravity. But Busquets broke that constraint by showing quick feet and great balance under pressure from opposing defenders.
He is also good in the air due to his height and has scored quite a few goals from set-pieces, an area where Barcelona traditionally lacked good attacking threats.
Although his antics in feigning injuries and diving haven't brought him much love. However, he remains worthy of praise for all that he does on the football pitch. At the age of 30, he now looks to be quickly moving out of his prime and headed for retirement. But his contributions on the field will not be forgotten.
#4 Carles Puyol
The central bedrock of the Barcelona defense, Carles Puyol was widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation. He, in his defensive partnership with Gerard Pique formed the base of the legendary Barcelona attacks.
A great passer of the ball and a dependable defender, Puyol represented the best that the golden generation of Barcelona had to offer.
Puyol made his La Liga debut on 2nd October 1999 and has been keeping opposition strikers on their toes ever since. A versatile defender, his proficiency in the air made him a great attacking threat from free kicks and corners as well.
Puyol has been instrumental in the Barcelona defenses that famously kept clean sheets against arch rivals Real Madrid including the 5-0 victory over them in November 2010.
The Spanish maestro has gone up against the likes of Raul, Ronaldo, Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo and held his own. Having won six La Liga trophies and achieving three triumphs in the UEFA Champions league, Puyol is one of the most successful Barcelona players and defenders of all time.
He was the player who was known to not shy away from getting his hands dirty and to put his body on the line to make last ditch tackles. His work ethic and in-game ruggedness made him a world class defender.
A one club man his entire career, Puyol was defined by his loyalty and his commitment to FC Barcelona and deserves to be fondly remembered for his contributions to the sport and the club.
#3 Andres Iniesta
The latest person on this list to effectively retire from competitive football, Andres Iniesta was an integral part of Barcelona's golden generation. La Illusionista will forever be remembered for the magic he created with his feet and the longevity of his career having played in his sixteenth season for Barcelona this year.
Known for his first touch and ability to get out of tough situations with elegance and grace, Iniesta along with Xavi and Busquets formed the formidable triumvirate of Barcelona's midfield.
Forming the mobile part of the passing triangles that they were famous for, Iniesta had to be one step ahead of the defense every time. His sense of space and time were imperative for Barcelona to keep their possession and to launch attacks as his thrilling runs along the wing were often the starting point for them.
A charismatic personality, he rose through the ranks to become captain of the senior side after Puyol's retirement and Xavi's departure. Off the field he has been known for his reserved nature and class in handling delicate issues such as the Catalan independence movement.
As he now leaves for Japanese shores to play for Vissel Kobe, his achievments on the field for Barcelona and his grace and class off it will always be remembered.
#2 Xavier Hernandez
It is perhaps surprising that the person who best embodied the Tiki-Taka style of play is second on the list. But there is no doubt that Xavier Hernandez deserves his place on the list as a key contributor to the success of Barcelona in their golden generation. He is quite possibly the most important person on this list.
Xavi made his first team debut in August 1998 and was the first person on this list to make his senior debut. Since then he has been instrumental in Barcelona's midfield and has been the lynch pin that turns defense into attack.
Known for his sense of space and direction, his through balls have sent many a Barcelona striker on their way towards goal.
Xavi wasn't the fastest player on the pitch, but he frequently lead the team in distance covered and passes completed. His work rate and efficiency made him unstoppable and a force to be reckoned with.
His midfield partnership with Iniesta yielded such rich dividends for Barcelona. He is also one of the most successful mid-fielders in footballing history having won eight La Liga and four UEFA Champions league trophies.
He was the team's designated free kick and corner kick taker and created multiple chances from those set pieces. An icon in the club's pantheon, Xavi was also a vocal supporter of the Catalan independence movement and played for the unrecognized Catalan national team.
Xavi served as Barcelona captain after Puyol's retirement and was instrumental in guiding them to his 4th champions league triumph in 2015.
He now plys his trade in Al sadd, but a return to Barcelona as coach seems possible in the future. Whatever happens his role in the last decade of FC Barcelona will not be forgotten anytime soon.
#1 Lionel Messi
Was there ever a doubt that someone else would make the top of this list. For all their contributions, no one can stake claim to this throne the way Lionel Messi can. He is and will remain Barcelona's greatest ever player and an undeniable part of their rich legacy.
The most essential part of this list, Lionel Messi made his Barcelona senior debut on 16th November 2003 in a friendly. Since then he has amassed over 600 club goals in all competitions to be considered by many to be the greatest footballer to ever lace up his boots. Messi represents the Barcelona philosophy better than anyone else and he deserves to be on the top of this list.
A mercurial dribbler, with unbelievable acceleration and control, Messi has routinely dismantled opposition defenses with his speed and accuracy. His close control, touch and shot are the best in what is a talented and deep Barcelona side. He has also become a sublime free kick taker.
What makes Messi stand out is his performances on the biggest stages. Whether it be his four goals vs Arsenal in the Champions league, or his solo wonder goal vs Real Madrid in the Champions league semi-final, all of his stand out performances have come against the highest levels of competition.
For a person of his stature he scored the winning goal against Manchester United in the Champions league final from a header.
While the contributions of the other players on this list can not be belittled, Messi stands alone at the apex and remains the msot important player in Barcelona's history.
