Top 10 greatest players of all time: FC Barcelona

In this article, we present to you our top 10 picks for the greatest all-time players of FC Barcelona.

Few clubs on earth can boast a similar level of quality alumni as Barça, who throughout their 125-year history have seen some of the best players of all time don their famous blue-and-red shirts. 

Given the fact that some of the very best players to ever kick a football have played for the Blaugrana over the years, narrowing down their greatest players to a list of ten is always going to be a tough ask. 

We have decided to come up with a list of the ten best Barça players ever, and to do so, we’ve taken a very specific set of criteria into account, which are as follows:

• Impact
• Longevity
• Statistics
• Trophies

#10 César Rodríguez

César Rodríguez isn’t a name that will jump out at many of the current football fans, but he’s someone who forged a very impressive legacy at Barça in the 20th century.

Playing close to 300 games for the Catalan giants, Rodríguez scored 226 goals along the way and was one of the first real explosive goalscorers in the club’s history. Over the course of 16 years, he won 13 trophies and was one of the key components in dragging Barça from the bottom of the ladder to the very top.

With his remarkable return and the impact he had, Rodríguez more than earned his spot among the best Barcelona players of all time.

#9 Sergio Busquets

Had he spent 18 years at any other club, Sergio Busquets would be in the conversation for being their greatest-ever midfielder. It’s just unfortunate that he shared the pitch with some of the sport’s all-time greats during his time at Camp Nou. 

Busquets redefined the role of a deep-lying play-maker, focusing on his incredible vision and intellect when reading play rather than the physical nature that had often been depended on in the position previously. He had a knack for picking out the perfect pass almost every time. Coupled with his strong defensive prowess, and his knack for picking up loose balls and intercepting opposition passes regularly, he was a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the park.

#8 Pep Guardiola

The fact that Pep Guardiola has become this behemoth of a manager, it can be easy to forget how good a player he actually was as well. The 11 years he spent at Barça as a player saw him become one of their most important players as he orchestrated the middle of the pitch, playing close to 400 games for the club and playing a key role in multiple title-winning campaigns, especially the 1992 European Cup. 

Guardiola’s return to the club as a manager saw his Barça legacy grow even more. These days, that’s how he’s most fondly remembered. Under his stewardship, the club turned into one of the most dominant to ever play football between 2008 and 2012, but his playing career was also mightily impressive.

Also read: Top 10 Greatest Footballers of All-Time: Juventus FC

#7 Ronald Koeman

Although his time as their men’s first team’s manager may not have been all too successful, Koeman’s tenure playing for Barça was nothing short of superb. A sweeper with unbelievable vision and incredible shooting from distance, Koeman is still regarded as one of the greatest goalscoring defenders of all time.

With 88 goals in 264 appearances, it’s easy to see why. Koeman’s free kicks were a thing of beauty, and the Dutchman was always one of the first names on the playing XI during his six years in Catalonia. He added style to Johan Cruyff’s team after signing from PSV and is quite simply one of the most underrated all-round footballers to ever play the game. 

#6 Samuel Eto’o

Simply put, Samuel Eto’o is the greatest African footballer of all time. The former Cameroon international saw success almost everywhere he went, but it was his time at Barça where he peaked.

Eto’o flourished as a pivotal figure in a very impressive team that won three LaLiga titles during his five years in Spain. He also won two Champions League trophies during this brief spell at Camp Nou, though what people often tend to forget is that he put Barca on his back long before Guardiola arrived, guiding them to the 2006 Champions League final and being the consistent spark of brilliance through their darker periods.

Eto’o played a vital role by scoring 130 goals in almost 200 appearances. He was explosive, and no defender could handle him during his prime. He wasn’t just fast but strong too, and his ability to finish with both feet made him effective, making him a true generational talent. 

#5 Ronaldinho

For anyone watching football in the early 2000s, there was no better entertainer than the lanky, smiling Brazilian with a ponytail. Ronaldinho was, without a doubt, the most entertaining player on the football pitch when he was on it. The manner in which he would dance around defenders with his wide array of skills was quite the sight to behold.

For a period during the 2000s, Ronaldinho was untouchable, and his time at Barça was where he truly staked his claims as an all-time great. In 207 appearances, he had over 150 goal contributions and was a major force behind the success Barça experienced during the noughites.

Ronaldinho’s career might not have the legs that a lot of the other names on this list did, but when he was at his best, he was simply unstoppable.

#4 Johan Cruyff

Football fans, pundits, and experts have been obsessing over his Dream Team, the iconic diamond midfield, and coaching so much that they often forget how much of a genius Cruyff was on the pitch in his playing days.

His flair on the ball and how he kept coming up with innovative ways to beat defenders was something that hadn’t been seen before. Sure, his peak was during his time at AFC Ajax, and his footballing prowess did not really match those heights at Barça, but he was still very impressive during his five years in Spain.

Cruyff played 180 times for the Blaugrana and scored 60 goals. Although he’s more fondly remembered for his time as a their manager, the Dutchman was simply fantastic in both departments.

#3 Andrés Iniesta

One of the greatest midfielders of all time. Andrés Iniesta spent over 20 years in the Barça set-up, and the quality football he produced during his time in the first team was extraordinary. A graduate of La Masia, Iniesta initially started off as a defensive midfielder, but it quickly became apparent that he possessed some serious flair on the ball, and his ability to find space anywhere on the pitch, paired with his ball control, saw him spend more time driving forward.

Iniesta was responsible for uncountable legendary moments at Camp Nou, and the partnership he formed with Xavi in the middle of the park is still regarded as one of the greatest midfield duo in the history of football.

#2 Xavi Hernández

In terms of the greatest midfielders ever, this man is pretty much at the top of the conversation. Xavi Hernández spent almost a quarter of a century at Barça, and during that time he revolutionised what a central midfielder could do with a football.

Giving the ball to Xavi was basically a cheat code: he would unlock any defence with a feint, a shoulder drop, and the most perfectly measured pass. His partnership with Iniesta in the midfield of the pitch played a vital role in Barça forming one of the most dominant sides of all time under Pep Guardiola.

There may never again come a player like Xavi with his intelligence, delicacy, and awareness, and after 767 matches as a player and a three-year stint as their men’s team manager, Xavi remains undoubtedly one of the greatest figures in Barça history.

#1 Lionel Messi

Not just the greatest Barça player of all time, but possibly the greatest footballer ever, Lionel Messi is unlike anyone else. The level at which he was playing football during his time in Spain will never be matched. 

The numbers of Messi career have to be seen to be believed. 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barça, 228 assists on top of that, ten domestic titles, four Champions Leagues, seven Ballons d’Or, six European Golden Shoes, and eight hat-tricks in Europe (a record shared with Cristiano Ronaldo). The Argentine broke records during his tenure at Camp Nou almost every other week, and there’s no doubt whatsoever about his place at the top of this list. It’s unlikely there will ever be another player quite like him.