Barcelona's team of the decade 

Juventus v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Final
Juventus v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Final

With 24 major honours won from 2010 to date, Barcelona have unarguably been one of the most successful sides on the continent and the club solidified its stake in being among the elite football clubs in the world.

There were many standout moments in this decade, with the most memorable being when Luis Enrique guided the Blaugrana to her second continental treble in 2015 but the failure to get their hands on Europe's top prize since then has left a sour taste in their mouths.

For Barcelona to have achieved as much success as they did, they needed their marquee players to step up to the plate and while a lot of them did just that, some were more important to the overall triumphs than others.

With the decade slowly coming to an end, we shall be taking a look at the best 11 players who distinguished themselves in the colours of Barcelona in the years between 2010 and 2019.

Goalkeeper

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (2014 - Present)

Slavia Praha v FC Barcelona: Group F - UEFA Champions League
Slavia Praha v FC Barcelona: Group F - UEFA Champions League

Marc-Andre ter Stegen began his career in the German league with Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach and after four seasons with the North-Rhine Westphalia side, he was signed by Barcelona for €12 million as one of the replacements for the departing Victor Valdes.

The German international was initially rotated with Claudio Bravo for the starting spot, but in the last four seasons, he has become established in the role and is now the bonafide number one for Barcelona.

Ter Stegen is in many ways the quintessential definition of a modern-day goalkeeper, possessing all the attributes that are in high demand today including being good with the ball at his feet and excellent in his distribution.

In addition to these, the 27-year-old is still adept in his functions as a 'traditional goalkeeper' and there are not too many goalies who are better at shot-stopping, reflex saves or handling than him.

With Barcelona, ter Stegen acts as their first line of attack and last line of defence and in his time at Camp Nou, he has made a total of 206 appearances in all competitions, winning 13 trophies.

Also check out:La Liga La Liga fixtures La liga table 2019-20

Defenders

Left-Back: Jordi Alba (2012 - Present)

FC Barcelona v Valencia CF - La Liga
FC Barcelona v Valencia CF - La Liga

Jordi Alba spent seven years of his football developmental stage with the Barcelona youth teams, before embarking on further spells with sides like Cornelia and Gimanastic Tarragona.

It was at Valencia that he fully became established and after three seasons with the Los Che first team, Alba returned 'home' to Barcelona in 2012.

Since then, he has played his way into being considered one of the finest left-backs of his generation, while playing a starring role in the successes enjoyed by the Catalans in his spell with the club.

So far, Alba has made 309 appearances for Barcelona in all competition, scoring 16 goals, while his on-field partnership with Lionel Messi on the left flank is priceless and an essential component of Barcelona's attacking play.

Left-Center-Back: Javier Mascherano (2010-2018)

International Champions Cup 2016 - Leicester City v Barcelona
International Champions Cup 2016 - Leicester City v Barcelona

When Pep Guardiola decided to sign Javier Mascherano from Liverpool for the sum of £17.25 million in the summer of 2010, many openly questioned the manager's decision.

For starters, he had a certain Sergio Busquets who was gaining traction in the holding midfield role, while the fact that he had just let Yaya Toure leave for Manchester City made the decision even more baffling.

However, being the master tactician that he is, Guardiola employed a masterstroke by deploying Javier Mascherano in the centre of defence to act as a cover for the increasingly injury-prone Carles Puyol.

Despite playing out of position, the former Argentine international took to his new role like a fish to water, so much so that the legendary Puyol's absence was not felt as much.

Mascherano effortlessly switched between his defending duties at club level and his midfield role for his country and eight years after arriving, he departed Camp Nou as a bonafide legend, with the club giving him a send forth befitting those made a genuine mark on the club.

The former West Ham man made a total of 334 appearances in all competitions with just the one goal, although he had a burgeoning medal collection, with 18 major trophies won in the colours of Barcelona.

Right Center-Back: Gerard Pique (2008 - Present)

FC Barcelona v Slavia Praha: Group F - UEFA Champions League
FC Barcelona v Slavia Praha: Group F - UEFA Champions League

Gerard Pique is a member of the famed La Masia Class of '87 (alongside Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas), but like the latter, he found glory with Barcelona by way of a transitional period away from the club.

After starring with Manchester United in the Premier League, Gerard Pique returned to Barcelona in 2008 and immediately established himself in the first team, playing an integral role in what is undeniably the greatest season in the history of club football.

Since then, he has grown to not only be a leader on the field but off it as well and he has been one of the most vocal proponents of Catalunyan succession which has further endeared him to fans of the club.

Pique is currently the 7th-highest on the list of all-time appearance makers for Barcelona with 513 appearances in all competitions, while he has also shown his attacking prowess with 47 goals scored.

Right-Back: Dani Alves (2008-2016)

FC Barcelona v Real CD Espanyol - La Liga
FC Barcelona v Real CD Espanyol - La Liga

Dani Alves was the first signing in the Pep Guardiola era, arriving from Sevilla a few weeks after the Catalan was appointed and in many ways, he was one of the most impactful signings in the history of the club.

The Brazilian skipper combined attacking impetus with effortless defending and has been the standard-bearer for all right-backs in the last 15 years.

To date, Alves is the most decorated player in the history of European football and for many years, he was the player who had assisted the most goals for Lionel Messi before he was overtaken by Luis Suarez in 2018.

Indeed, proof how much impact Alves had in Barcelona's colours lies in the fact that despite having left the club over three seasons ago, the club are yet to effectively replace him on the right flank of defence.

Midfielders

Defensive midfield: Sergio Busquets (2008 - Present)

FC Barcelona v RC Celta de Vigo - La Liga
FC Barcelona v RC Celta de Vigo - La Liga

Pep Guardiola contributed a lot to Barcelona's history, but one of the most telling was his decision to place a lot of faith in an unheralded Sergio Busquets at the expense of the more established Yaya Toure.

Although often unsung, Busquets is an indispensable member of the Barcelona team and it can be argued that after Lionel Messi, he is the next most important player to the successful implementation of their tactical play.

The 31-year-old has made 550 appearances for Barcelona (4th highest in the club's history) - with 484 coming from 2010 onwards - while his trophy cabinet is stocked with medals from virtually every competition at both club and international level.

Central midfield: Xavi Hernandez (1998-2015)

Juventus v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Final
Juventus v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Final

Like Dani Alves, Xavi Hernandez has not been effectively replaced despite leaving the club in 2015, with numerous players being heralded as the 'next Xavi' only to falter in light of the immense shoes they are asked to fill.

However, unlike the Brazilian, Xavi began his career with Barcelona and got his football education at the famed La Masia, joining in 1991 and progressing through the ranks till he was appointed skipper of the first team.

Xavi had always been imbued with the tenets of Barcelona's possession play, but it was the appointment of Pep Guardiola that saw him blossom to become one of the best midfielders in history.

He was the fulcrum of the 'tiki-taka' philosophy that tore opposition to shreds during the height of Barcelona's powers and without his pristine passing precision and ability to find spaces, it is unarguable that the Catalans would not have been as successful as they were.

Xavi remains Barcelona's highest appearance maker with 767 appearances in all competitions and he departed most fittingly; by captaining the club to the treble in 2015.

The Catalan is taking is currently taking his first steps in management as coach of Qatari side Al-Saad and it would not be far-fetched to suggest that he could one day return to the club that gave him so much.

Attacking Midfield: Andres Iniesta (2002-2018)

Barcelona v Real Sociedad - La Liga
Barcelona v Real Sociedad - La Liga

When Pep Guardiola first saw Andres Iniesta play, he remarked that the little magician "would retire us all'', which was saying something, considering the quality of Guardiola and those around him in the first team.

As it happened, those words proved to be prophetic, with Iniesta going on to prove his mettle as one of the best midfielders to ever grace a football field.

What the World Cup winner could do with a ball at his feet was unbelievable and the fact that he did them so effortlessly only added to the growth of his legend.

Though lacking in excessive pace, shooting power, or physical attributes, Iniesta more than made up for these with his abilities and technique and he possessed the uncanny attribute of opening up the whole field for his teammates with just a swivel of his waist.

The Albacete native was one of the most universally loved players and in November 2015 became only the third Barcelona player to be applauded at the Santiago Bernabeu in the El Clasico.

When he departed Barcelona in 2018, a part of the club's soul was lost and so shaken by the departure was he that he was the last person to leave the Camp Nou at 2 am after the carnival-like farewell he was given.

Forwards

Left-wing Forward: Neymar (2013-2017)

International Champions Cup 2017 - Real Madrid v FC Barcelona
International Champions Cup 2017 - Real Madrid v FC Barcelona

When Neymar guided Santos to their first Copa Libertadores in over five decades in 2011, it was understandable that the Pele comparisons begun in earnest.

Major European clubs had their eyes turned over the Atlantic for the latest in a long line of Brazilian wonder kids and Barcelona won the race to sign the highly coveted youngster in the summer of 2013.

Though he had a lukewarm debut season which ended trophyless, Neymar soon established himself as an indispensable member of the first team, with his friendship both on and off the field with Lionel Messi firing the club to numerous trophies.

The Brazilian international had his most dominant performance in the 2014/2015 season, where he scored a total of 39 goals (including 10 in the Champions League) to help Barcelona to a treble.

Neymar scored 105 goals in 186 appearances for Barcelona before departing Camp Nou for PSG in a world-record move in the summer of 2017, but after just two years, he has started clamouring for a return 'home'.

Center-Forward: Luis Suarez (2014 - Present)

FC Barcelona v Real Valladolid CF - La Liga
FC Barcelona v Real Valladolid CF - La Liga

Barcelona signed Luis Suarez in the summer of 2014 for a club-record fee, but a four-month ban imposed on the Uruguayan for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup delayed his debut for the Catalans.

When he did make his debut, things began slowly for Suarez as he showed signs of match rustiness, while his deployment on the right side of attack to accommodate Messi in the middle also hampered his play.

However, a tactical switch by Luis Enrique midway through the season unleashed prime Suarez and there has been no stopping the former Liverpool man since then.

So far, the 32-year-old has made 260 appearances and counting for Barcelona, scoring 185 goals, with his best returns coming in his second season where he scored 59 goals in all competitions to thump both Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi to the European Golden Shoe.

Right-wing Forward: Lionel Messi (2004 - Present)

FC Barcelona v RC Celta de Vigo - La Liga
FC Barcelona v RC Celta de Vigo - La Liga

Fans of Barcelona would forever bless the day the club decided to offer a 13-year-old Lionel Messi a contract with the club and bear the medical costs for the treatment of his growth deficiency.

Three years later, the Rosario native made his first-team bow and the rest, as they say, is history.

Apart from Johan Cruyff, Messi is arguably the singular most important man in the history of Barcelona and he is currently the club's record goalscorer, record assist provider, most successful, and greatest player ever.

In the decade under review, Messi has made 504 appearances (698 in total) for the Catalans, scoring 510 goals (612 in total), while 24 of his 34 major trophies have come from 2010 onwards.

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Edited by Zaid Khan