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La Liga club FC Barcelona have had the privilege of being home to some of the greatest players the world has ever seen. The 26-time La Liga champions are laden with glory and have traditionally had a good hold of the transfer market.
Barcelona’s youth system, La Masia, is also arguably the best in the world, producing one gem after the other for years. Their exceptional mix of young academy graduates and high-profile transfers has given us some iconic lineups. And today, we are going to take a look at the stars of the show.
The list-of-five we are focusing on today is not necessarily about the greatest Barcelona legends who were most successful at the club. It is about the best players in history who called Barcelona home at one time or the other. Keeping this clear distinction in mind, let us check out
The 5 greatest players to take to the field for Barcelona
Honorable mention: Andres Iniesta
#5 Xavi (1998-2015)
It is not easy to rank the five greatest players to play for Barcelona, especially because it is unfair to so many legends of the club. Still, even on such a cruel list, we could not help but include one of the brightest graduates of La Masia, Xavi.
Xavi was not an early bloomer by any means, but he had always shown touches of greatness. His intricate passes, organisational skills, and vision were extraordinary, but it was his footballing brain that established him as one of the best midfielders in history.
Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, Xavi managed to unlock his full potential, and was the cornerstone of the team that conquered everything in 2009. He was also an integral part of the treble-winning side of 2015, after which he decided to call it a day at Camp Nou. Xavi, who made 767 appearances for Barcelona and won 8 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions League trophies, is a hot favorite to return to Camp Nou in the future; this time as first-team coach.
#4 Ronaldinho (2003-2008)
In the early 2000’s, Barcelona were having a hard time establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with in Europe. They struggled to stand up to Real Madrid and were all but irrelevant in the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldinho came in as a knight in shining armor for the Catalan club in 2003. He brought hope, joy, and optimism with his insane bag of tricks. He could dribble better than anyone, could shoot from anywhere, and was unstoppable in one-on-one situations, which came in handy both in Europe and Spain.
Banking on Ronaldinho, Barcelona took the fight to Real Madrid and eventually won the 2005-06 La Liga title. He also helped the team bag their first UEFA Champions League title in 14 years in the same campaign. The Brazilian was also a mentor to Lionel Messi, who went on to shatter all records for the Blaugrana.
After amassing two La Liga trophies, two Super Cups and the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League, Ronaldinho left Barcelona for AC Milan in 2008.
#3 Johan Cruyff (1973-1978)
Barcelona has always been a club of legends, of great philosophers. These men wrote their own books, gave Barcelona the chance to lead the world, and eventually left without overstaying their welcome. Johan Cruyff was one such philosopher, and Barcelona fans were lucky to have front-row seats when the Dutchman decided to rewrite history.
Cruyff came to Barcelona after winning three successive European Cups with Ajax and two Ballons d’Or between 1970 and 1973. He was, without a doubt, the best player in the world and Barcelona had to pay 6 million guilders, which was a world record at the time, to get him to Catalunya. The maestro of Total Football wasted no time settling in and, right away, helped Barcelona to their first La Liga title in 14 years in the 1973-74 campaign.
Cruyff was virtually the manager on the pitch during his first-spell at Barcelona — a clear premonition of the future. He eventually returned to Catalunya as a manager in 1988 and helped the club to 4 La Liga titles and a European Cup over his 8-year-spell.
#2 Diego Maradona (1982-1984)
Diego Armando Maradona is widely revered as the greatest player to ever play the game. He was a brilliant dribbler, possessed unmatched footballing intelligence, and had the quality to change the outcome of a tie in a matter of seconds. Granted, his spell at Barcelona was not as iconic, but the greatness of the player cannot be overlooked.
Barcelona paid £5 million to get Maradona from Boca Juniors in 1982, which was a record at the time. The Argentine rewarded his recruiters by winning the Copa del Rey the same season, beating Real Madrid in the final. The following year, he became the first Barcelona player to be applauded by Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium following his goal against the All Whites.
Injuries, off-field controversies and temperament issues cut Maradona’s time short at Barcelona. In 1984, he signed for Serie A side Napoli and helped them to their most glorious phase in Italy.
#1 Lionel Messi (2004-2021)
Barcelona have had many legendary players gracing the field for them, but none of them have been as influential, or as great as La Masia graduate Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, who joined the club’s youth system in 2000, left the club as the most prolific player in La Liga, registering 474 goals and 217 assists in only 520 appearances.
Lionel Messi is a man of many virtues. He is the greatest dribbler of his generation, can score with either foot, has the ability to penetrate any defense with his passes, and is an exemplary leader. His heroics for Barcelona — 10 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions Leagues amongst other honours — led to 6 Ballon d’Or wins, eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally of five.
Messi, who signed for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in August 2021, did not get the farewell he deserved at Barcelona. However, the player whose heart still beats for Barcelona, is certain to come back to the club — either in a technical role or as an honorary ambassador some time in the future.
