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Barcelona are one of the most successful club teams in the world. Their success can be attributed to their highly reputable academy and generally smart investments in transfer windows.
Considering Barcelona's pedigree, it is unsurprising to see why some of the best players in the game like Thierry Henry, Pep Guardiola, Carles Puyol, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and a few others have played for the club.
While generations of talents have come through the La Liga club, there are an exceptional few who have stood out in terms of their contributions and impact. On that note, here is a look at the top five Barcelona players in La Liga history.
#5 Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta almost spent his entire career playing for Barcelona and was the club's captain for three seasons. Iniesta, who played at Barcelona for more than two decades across levels, is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.
Although Iniesta started out as a defensive midfielder, the Spaniard has played in many attacking positions, including left-wing, attacking midfield and right-wing. However, he spent most of his Barcelona career playing as a central midfielder, where he was most effective, making 445 appearances in that position.
Overall, the 37-year-old made 674 appearances for the Blaugrana, scoring 57 goals and providing 139 assists. His excellent ball control and passing abilities were otherworldly.
Since leaving Barcelona in 2018, Iniesta has been playing for Vissel Kobe in Japan.
#4 Johan Cruyff
A three-time Ballon d'Or winner, the late Johan Cruyff is regarded as one of the best players and managers of all time.
Between 1973 and 1978, Cruyff played for Barcelona. In his first season at the club, he helped Barcelona win their first La Liga trophy in 14 years. Fast, creative and possessing an excellent vision, the Dutch international was almost unstoppable.
Although Cruyff did not go on to win more La Liga titles as a player, he managed to clinch the Copa del Rey in 1978.
Cruyff, who expired five years ago, has left behind a lasting legacy. <ost of the old Barcelona faithful still remember the Dutchman's fabulous heeled finish against Atletico Madrid.
#3 Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is one of the best players to have played for Barcelona since arriving at the club in 2003 following a disappointing stint with Paris Saint-Germain.
When the Brazilian arrived, the Blaugrana were struggling to win trophies, but things soon changed for the better. Renowned for his dribbling and passing skills, Ronaldinho impressed the Blaugrana faithful and kickstarted a successful era for the club.
Lionel Messi spoke highly of Ronaldiho's influence at Barcelona, saying:
“Ronaldinho was responsible for the change in Barca. It was a bad time, and the change that came about with his arrival was amazing. In the first year, he didn’t win anything but people fell in love with him. Then the trophies started coming. and he made all those people happy. Barca should always be grateful for everything he did.”
During his five years at Camp Nou, Ronaldinho won two La Liga titles, one UEFA Champions League (UCL) trophy and two Spanish Super Cups. He also won the Ballon d'Or award while playing for Barcelona.
#2 Diego Maradona
The late Diego Maradona spent just two seasons at Barcelona, but in 58 games, he scored 38 goals.
The Argentine arrived at Barcelona on a then world-record fee of £5 million, marking the first time Maradona played in Europe. During his career with Barcelona, the playmaker won three trophies - the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup and the Spanish League Cup.
Despite Maradona's short career with the Blaugrana, he is fondly remembered for his aggressiveness, dribbling skills, pace and knack for scoring. He was also the first Barcelona player to receive a standing ovation from Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Maradona's reputation soared when he played for Napoli, but he will definitely be one of the greatest players to have donned the No. 10 shirt at Barcelona.
#1 Lionel Messi
With six Ballon d'Or awards, ten La Liga trophies and countless other titles, Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the best player in Barcelona's history.
The La Masia academy graduate rose from the ranks to make his senior debut, scoring his first senior goal for Barcelona in 2005. While many of his teammates, like Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique, left for stints outside Spain, Messi decided to stay put at Barcelona.
In the 2004-05 season, the Argentine won his first La Liga title, and the next season, Messi won his first Champions League trophy. Former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola once praised Messi, saying:
"He's very strong, the strongest. Beyond his quality, it's his mentality and his head. He has that competitive mentality that only four or five players in history have; they have something different. We all knew that Messi was the best, but then there were six or seven others who were strong and others who didn't play because the others were so strong."
The winger has also been named La Liga Player of the Year on nine occasions and the UEFA Best Player in Europe three times.
Messi has been linked with moves away from the club in the last two transfer windows. But it seems likely that he will extend his stay at the club.
