Top 11 Greatest Barcelona Players in Football History
These are Barça's best. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best players to have worn the iconic blue and garnet stripes of Spain’s Barcelona football club.
Transcript
00:00 and we get answers to the ultimate question.
00:03 Who's the best player of all time?
00:05 The one in this scene.
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo,
00:08 and today we're counting down our picks for the best players to have worn the iconic blue and garnet stripes of Spain's Barcelona football club.
00:15 We'll only be looking at footballers who notably left their mark in Barca.
00:20 He combined vision, touch, and invention with steely determination,
00:23 inspiring Barcelona to title after title.
00:28 Number 11. Ronaldo
00:30 The original Ronaldo only lasted one season in the Catalonian capital.
00:34 However, it was a heck of a year.
00:37 Coming to Barcelona from the Netherlands PSV in 1996,
00:40 the Brazilian striker played 49 games in all competitions and scored a stunning 47 goals.
00:56 Ronaldo even secured the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1997 against Paris Saint-Germain with his penalty.
01:02 "Ronaldo converts, one of the best players in the world right now."
01:08 In La Liga, R9 slotted in 34 goals,
01:11 assuring himself the Pichichi Trophy as top goalscorer,
01:14 with Alfonso Perez in a distant second with 25.
01:18 The accolades don't end there,
01:20 as Ronaldo went on to capture the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1997.
01:24 After falling out with Barcelona, Ronaldo moved on in 1997.
01:29 But his brief stint still goes down in the club's folklore.
01:33 Number 10. Michael Laudrup
01:35 While Danish legend Michael Laudrup was one of the few stars to cross the El Clasico line by leaving Barca for Real Madrid,
01:42 his work for the club could not be overstated.
01:45 As a member of Johan Cruyff's aptly named "dream team,"
01:49 the playmaker was a vital component in turning Barcelona into the powerhouse it is today
01:53 when he signed from Italy's Juventus in 1989.
01:57 "But I think we played some very good football,
02:00 and I think most of all we demonstrated that even without getting the 10 best players in the world,
02:11 you can have the best team."
02:12 Laudrup's deft skills and vision were key factors in getting Barca four La Liga titles in a row
02:18 from the 1990-91 season to 1993-94.
02:21 It's no wonder Laudrup was voted Spain's best foreign player in 1999 of the previous 25 years.
02:28 "What I remember most of all are my teammates.
02:33 We had such a great relationship, and even today, we're talking 15 years later,
02:40 when we meet, we just talk to each other like we were together yesterday,
02:44 and I mean that shows the specialty of that relationship that we had."
02:50 9. Carles Puyol
02:52 Club loyalty is a rare commodity in football.
02:55 Many players sign for several teams throughout their careers,
02:58 but not Carlos Puyol, who essentially lived and breathed Barcelona.
03:03 The iconic, long, curly-haired centre-back joined the Barca organization in 1996 as a youth player
03:09 before bursting into the first team in 1999.
03:12 After being made captain in 2004,
03:14 Puyol soon developed a reputation as one of the club's greatest leaders and defenders.
03:19 Noted for his ability to read the game and lead by example,
03:22 he helped Barca secure a wide array of titles before injuries resulted in him calling it a career in 2014.
03:29 8. Ronald Koeman
03:32 Having played as a defender and midfielder throughout his career,
03:35 Ronald Koeman has a goal-scoring record that many forwards would be proud of.
03:40 After joining Barca in 1989 from PSV,
03:43 Koeman became a pivotal member of the converted Dream Team.
03:46 9. Ronald Koeman
03:50 He stood out for his leadership and for his powerful shot.
03:52 In addition to winning many titles with the club,
03:56 the Netherlands legend scored 88 goals in 264 Barcelona appearances,
04:02 several of which were stunning free kicks.
04:04 10. Ronald Koeman
04:09 His most memorable came during the 1992 European Cup final against Italy's Sampdoria.
04:15 Deep into extra time with the score 0-0,
04:17 Koeman fired a rocket free kick, securing Barca's first ever Champions League win.
04:22 7. Hristo Stoichkov
04:30 Another member of the Dream Team era after joining Barcelona from CSKA Sofia in 1990,
04:36 Hristo Stoichkov quickly established himself as one of the best and fiercest players in the world
04:41 after his ban for stamping on a referee's foot.
04:44 After his first season, Barca won their first of four La Liga titles in a row.
04:49 The Bulgarian's partnership with Romario has gone down in folklore,
04:53 and his prolific work for club and country secured him the 1994 Ballon d'Or,
04:58 becoming the first Bulgarian to win the coveted prize.
05:01 With 255 appearances for the Catalonia side,
05:05 Stoichkov scored 117 times over two stints with the club until 1998.
05:11 6. Diego Maradona
05:13 When people discuss the best player to ever walk onto a football pitch,
05:17 Argentina's Diego Maradona is always mentioned.
05:21 The playmaker was a nightmare for defenders with his incredible balance and turn of pace.
05:25 Maradona joined Barcelona from Boca Juniors for a then world record £5 million fee in 1982.
05:32 He became the first Barcelona player to be applauded by Real Madrid fans
05:36 after his starring performance in El Clásico.
05:38 Over two seasons, Maradona scored 38 times in 58 appearances for Barca.
05:44 And while his Catalonian days may be overshadowed by the infamous fight
05:48 with Athletic Bilbao players in the 1984 Copa del Rey final,
05:52 his talents at Camp Nou have put him in the history books.
05:55 "I've just never seen anyone have just such a beautiful affection with a football."
05:59 5. Johan Cruyff
06:01 Another player considered one of the greatest of all time,
06:04 Johan Cruyff made his name at Ajax before joining Barcelona in 1973
06:09 for a then world record fee of £922,000.
06:13 The inventor of the beloved Cruyff turn had already won one Ballon d'Or before moving to Spain.
06:19 While in Barca's colours, he won the famous award two more times in 1973 and 1974.
06:25 During his five-year stint with the club,
06:27 the Dutch forward scored 60 goals in 180 appearances,
06:31 earning two major trophies for the team.
06:34 Cruyff would return to the team as their manager in 1988,
06:37 and he deployed his total football approach that won the club 11 major trophies in 8 years
06:43 and laid the foundations for making Barcelona one of the most iconic teams in the world.
06:49 "Thank you, Johan."
06:50 "Thank you, Johan."
06:50 "Thank you, Johan."
06:51 "Thank you, Johan."
06:52 "Thank you, Johan."
06:52 "For making us what we are today. Thanks, Johan."
06:57 4. Andres Iniesta
07:00 "I've been here for 21 years.
07:04 I've lived the best moments of my life."
07:10 Beyond scoring the winning goal in Spain's World Cup win in 2010,
07:13 Andres Iniesta was the midfield general of Barcelona alongside teammate Xavi.
07:18 Iniesta was noted for his ability to turn any game in Barca's favour in an instant.
07:23 On top of his incredible control and footballing intelligence,
07:26 Iniesta's composure on the ball brought a much-needed calmness to the side.
07:30 After moving through the youth sides and making his first team debut in 2002,
07:34 Iniesta soon became ever-present in a dominating Barcelona side.
07:38 His performances in 2010 alone made him a runner-up for the Ballon d'Or,
07:42 and he was even placed in third for the award in 2012.
07:46 By the time he left in 2018,
07:48 Iniesta had made 674 appearances with 57 goals and 136 assists.
07:56 3. Ronaldinho
07:58 With quick feet, incredible skills matched with long hair,
08:02 and an ever-present smile on his face,
08:04 Ronaldinho took the world by storm after signing for Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain in 2003.
08:09 "It was a joy to watch him.
08:12 He was one of the guys that made the public come to the stadium.
08:16 It looked like he was always happy and content on the pitch,
08:20 and the only thing he wanted to do was play his game."
08:24 After all, in his La Liga debut against Sevilla,
08:27 he hammered in an outrageous goal after demonstrating a dribbling masterclass.
08:31 In his five years at the club,
08:39 the Brazilian midfielder secured five major trophies,
08:42 making 207 appearances, scoring 94 goals and 70 assists.
08:48 He also won the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005,
08:52 and took home the 2005 Ballon d'Or.
08:56 2. Xavi
08:57 After making his first team debut in 1998,
09:01 Xavi became a vital cog in the Barça machine with his astonishing vision
09:04 and uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time.
09:08 On top of being a key figure in Spain's international domination,
09:12 after departing the club in 2015,
09:14 he had won 32 trophies with Barcelona with 767 appearances, 85 goals and 185 assists.
09:23 Xavi's performances earned him three consecutive third-place finishes
09:26 in the Ballon d'Or from 2009 to 2011.
09:30 In 2020, he was included in the Ballon d'Or Dream First Team.
09:34 After representing Barcelona his entire life,
09:37 Xavi Hernández departed the club for pastures new.
09:41 He left behind a legacy and the respect and admiration of everyone in Spanish football.
09:46 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
09:50 1. Samuel Etuo
09:52 The Cameroonian international became one of Spain's greatest African players
09:56 due to his legendary goal-scoring in Barça colours.
09:58 [Music]
10:04 2. Luis Suárez
10:05 As part of Barcelona's iconic MSN, Suárez was a nightmare for defenders.
10:10 [Music]
10:23 3. Romário
10:24 Only in Barça for two seasons,
10:26 Romário's magical goal-scoring led to him winning the 1994 FIFA World Player of the Year.
10:32 And when we signed him, he put on an absolute show of what football is about.
10:36 He scored goals, he was like a cartoon player.
10:41 He was very different to everyone.
10:45 I repeat, I think that inside the area, he's the best player that I've ever seen.
10:49 4. Sergio Busquets
10:51 The unsung hero who played exceptionally well alongside legends including Xavi, Iniesta and Messi.
10:57 [Music]
11:04 5. Luis Suárez
11:06 The original Luis Suárez was the first Barcelona and Spain-born male player to win the Ballon d'Or in 1960.
11:12 [Music]
11:16 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
11:19 and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
11:22 You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
11:26 If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
11:30 1. Lionel Messi
11:34 Playing like Messi, come to one in, I don't know, 100 years probably.
11:38 Was anyone else going to be at the top?
11:40 After all, there aren't many records that Lionel Messi hasn't broken for Barcelona.
11:45 For starters, he's made the most appearances for the club with 778 from 2004 to 2021
11:51 and has taken home 35 trophies.
11:54 He's also the club's top goal scorer with an astonishing 672 goals.
11:59 Having joined Barcelona aged 13 and started training with the first team while still barely a teenager,
12:06 Messi now holds their records for the most games, goals, assists, wins and titles.
12:11 With his magical feet, unparalleled balance and leading by example,
12:16 the Argentinian forward is also the record winner of the Ballon d'Or.
12:20 To date, he's come first seven times to rival Cristiano Ronaldo's five.
12:24 Messi's 2012 calendar year alone is legendary, as he fired in 91 goals for Barca and Argentina,
12:31 smashing Geert Muller's then-record of 85 in 1972.
12:35 "Messi! Goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal!"
12:43 It's a career that likely won't ever be topped.
12:46 "There have been legends of the game before him and others will doubtless follow.
12:50 But for now, quite simply, has there ever been anyone better?"
12:54 Who's your favorite player to don a Barcelona jersey? Let us know in the comments.
12:58 "What I did and lived in this city, which I have no doubt that after being away for a few years, we will..."
13:07 Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
13:11 and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
13:15 [Music]