Barcelona boasts a rich history, filled with top-notch players and unforgettable victories that solidify them among successful football clubs in the world.
Their unique style of play and their success can be attributed to several factors, including their exceptional academy, devoted fan base, and innovative approach to the game.
However, the greatest contribution to Barcelona's renowned success comes from its outstanding roster of superstars.
With so many legendary figures donning the Blaugrana colors, below are the ten best Barcelona players ever that make the Spanish club exceptional:
The Argentine superstar is not only Barcelona's all-time great, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of our time.
Messi first made a name for himself under the guidance of Frank Rijkaard and later, more importantly, under Pep Guardiola, after bursting onto the scene as a young player from La Masia in 2005.
The statistics of his career are truly astonishing with 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barcelona, along with 228 assists.
During his era with Barca, he won 10 domestic titles, four Champions Leagues, seven Ballon d'Ors, six European Golden Shoes, and has scored eight hat-tricks in Europe.
No matter what he does in the future, Messi will always be remembered as one of the greatest of all time. The Argentine international is the only player to have won the Ballon d'Or eight times and the FIFA World Cup.
Jorge Valdano once said, "If football was a science, Xavi would have discovered the formula."
There may never be a footballer with quite such a combination of intelligence, delicacy, and awareness.
The former player and now Barcelona coach is the very model of everything the club aspires to.
Xavi had a highly successful career with Barcelona, winning numerous titles including 8 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, 3 Copa del Rey titles, and 3 FIFA Club World Cup titles.
He was also named the UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Year twice and holds the record for most appearances for Barcelona with 767 games played.
He was a key player in Barcelona's historic treble-winning season in 2008-09 where the team won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League.
He also holds the record for most appearances for Barcelona with 767 games played.
Iniesta joined Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, at the age of 12 and made his first-team debut in 2002.
Throughout his 16-year career with the Catalan club, Iniesta achieved numerous successes and became one of the most beloved players by the fans and in Barcelona's history.
During his stint with Barcelona, Iniesta won numerous titles including 9 La Liga titles, 6 Copa del Rey titles, and 4 UEFA Champions League titles.
He was an integral part of the team that won the historic treble in the 2008-2009 season, capturing the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League titles.
His directness, dribbling, touch, and movement have become legendary, with mentor Pep Guardiola assessing that "his mastery of the relationship between space and time," is second to none.
Cruyff's impact on Barcelona was immense, both as a player and a manager.
Meanwhile, his contributions to coaching are also highly regarded, but it is important not to overlook his genius as a player.
During his time as a player, he helped Barca win their first La Liga title in 14 years in 1991.
Upon retiring as a player, Cruyff took on the role of manager at Barcelona in 1988.
He transformed the team's playing style and tactics, implementing the "Total Football" concept that he had made famous at Ajax.
During his managerial tenure, he helped Barcelona achieve success, securing four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994, and winning the UEFA Champions League in 1992, marking the club's first European Cup victory.
Puyol enters this list as Barcelona's best defender in the club's history.
Puyol spent the majority of his career with FC Barcelona, joining the youth academy in 1995 and making his first team debut in 1999.
During his time with Barcelona, Puyol won numerous trophies, including six La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions League titles, and two Copa del Rey titles.
He also captained the team for several years, leading them to unprecedented success.
Puyol was known for his tenacious defending and aerial ability, as well as his bravery and commitment to the team.
The all-time defender was a beloved figure among Barcelona fans and was considered one of the best defenders of his generation.
Sergio Busquets enrolled in Barcelona's La Masia youth academy in 2005 and later debuted on the first team in 2008.
Since then, he has been a crucial player for the Spanish club.
Busquets is renowned for his calm ball handling, strategic passing, and unique way of disrupting opponents' attacks.
During his tenure with Barcelona, Busquets won numerous trophies, including La Liga and Copa del Rey as well as a UEFA Champions League.
The Brazilian legendary footballer rose to great prominence as one of the best playmakers in the world during his time in Catalonia.
Ronaldinho led Barcelona to their first Champions League trophy in 14 years in Paris in 2006.
He continues to be just as beloved now as he was back then as his flair and creativity on the field were always a joy to watch.
Pique's greatness at Barcelona can be attributed to his outstanding defensive skills, leadership on the field, and his loyalty to the club.
Despite offers from other top clubs, he has chosen to remain at Barcelona and has expressed his commitment to the team and its success.
Shakira's estranged lover helped Barca to win seven La Liga titles, with another three UCL triumphs coming in 2008/9, 2010/11, and 2014/15.
Pique also regularly lifted the Copa del Rey trophy. He was on the winning side seven times; the most recent being in 2020/21.
He also won three UEFA Super Cups and Club World Cups including six Spanish Super Cups.
Luis Suarez made the move from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2014, where he had a successful six-year stint before joining Atletico Madrid in 2020.
He earned numerous accolades and became one of the club's top strikers during his time in Spain.
Some of his notable achievements include winning four La Liga titles, four Copa del Rey titles, and the UEFA Champions League in the 2014-2015 season.
In addition, he was a crucial part of the "MSN" attacking trio alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar, which caused havoc for opposing defenses and contributed to Barcelona's numerous victories.
Suarez's time at Barcelona was highly successful, and he is remembered as one of the club's greatest strikers in recent history.
In total, he scored over 198 goals in 283 appearances for Barcelona, making him the club's third-highest scorer of all time behind Lionel Messi and Cesar Rodriguez.
Alves joined Barcelona in 2008 and swiftly became one of the top right-backs in the world.
He is known as the longest-serving non-Spanish player in Barcelona's history after spending nine years with the club.
His contributions were pivotal to Barcelona's success, as he helped the team secure numerous major titles.
In his first season with the club, he won the treble, and in the following season, he secured the Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Over the years that followed, he also contributed to the club winning two more Supercopa de España titles, five La Liga titles, and two UEFA Champions League titles.
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Their unique style of play and their success can be attributed to several factors, including their exceptional academy, devoted fan base, and innovative approach to the game.
However, the greatest contribution to Barcelona's renowned success comes from its outstanding roster of superstars.
With so many legendary figures donning the Blaugrana colors, below are the ten best Barcelona players ever that make the Spanish club exceptional:
1. Lionel Messi
The Argentine superstar is not only Barcelona's all-time great, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of our time.
Messi first made a name for himself under the guidance of Frank Rijkaard and later, more importantly, under Pep Guardiola, after bursting onto the scene as a young player from La Masia in 2005.
The statistics of his career are truly astonishing with 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barcelona, along with 228 assists.
During his era with Barca, he won 10 domestic titles, four Champions Leagues, seven Ballon d'Ors, six European Golden Shoes, and has scored eight hat-tricks in Europe.
No matter what he does in the future, Messi will always be remembered as one of the greatest of all time. The Argentine international is the only player to have won the Ballon d'Or eight times and the FIFA World Cup.
2. Xavi
Jorge Valdano once said, "If football was a science, Xavi would have discovered the formula."
There may never be a footballer with quite such a combination of intelligence, delicacy, and awareness.
The former player and now Barcelona coach is the very model of everything the club aspires to.
Xavi had a highly successful career with Barcelona, winning numerous titles including 8 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, 3 Copa del Rey titles, and 3 FIFA Club World Cup titles.
He was also named the UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Year twice and holds the record for most appearances for Barcelona with 767 games played.
He was a key player in Barcelona's historic treble-winning season in 2008-09 where the team won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League.
He also holds the record for most appearances for Barcelona with 767 games played.
3. Andrés Iniesta
Iniesta joined Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, at the age of 12 and made his first-team debut in 2002.
Throughout his 16-year career with the Catalan club, Iniesta achieved numerous successes and became one of the most beloved players by the fans and in Barcelona's history.
During his stint with Barcelona, Iniesta won numerous titles including 9 La Liga titles, 6 Copa del Rey titles, and 4 UEFA Champions League titles.
He was an integral part of the team that won the historic treble in the 2008-2009 season, capturing the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League titles.
His directness, dribbling, touch, and movement have become legendary, with mentor Pep Guardiola assessing that "his mastery of the relationship between space and time," is second to none.
4. Johan Cruyff
Cruyff's impact on Barcelona was immense, both as a player and a manager.
Meanwhile, his contributions to coaching are also highly regarded, but it is important not to overlook his genius as a player.
During his time as a player, he helped Barca win their first La Liga title in 14 years in 1991.
Upon retiring as a player, Cruyff took on the role of manager at Barcelona in 1988.
He transformed the team's playing style and tactics, implementing the "Total Football" concept that he had made famous at Ajax.
During his managerial tenure, he helped Barcelona achieve success, securing four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994, and winning the UEFA Champions League in 1992, marking the club's first European Cup victory.
5. Carles Puyol
Puyol enters this list as Barcelona's best defender in the club's history.
Puyol spent the majority of his career with FC Barcelona, joining the youth academy in 1995 and making his first team debut in 1999.
During his time with Barcelona, Puyol won numerous trophies, including six La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions League titles, and two Copa del Rey titles.
He also captained the team for several years, leading them to unprecedented success.
Puyol was known for his tenacious defending and aerial ability, as well as his bravery and commitment to the team.
The all-time defender was a beloved figure among Barcelona fans and was considered one of the best defenders of his generation.
6. Sergio Busquets
Sergio Busquets enrolled in Barcelona's La Masia youth academy in 2005 and later debuted on the first team in 2008.
Since then, he has been a crucial player for the Spanish club.
Busquets is renowned for his calm ball handling, strategic passing, and unique way of disrupting opponents' attacks.
During his tenure with Barcelona, Busquets won numerous trophies, including La Liga and Copa del Rey as well as a UEFA Champions League.
7. Ronaldinho
The Brazilian legendary footballer rose to great prominence as one of the best playmakers in the world during his time in Catalonia.
Ronaldinho led Barcelona to their first Champions League trophy in 14 years in Paris in 2006.
He continues to be just as beloved now as he was back then as his flair and creativity on the field were always a joy to watch.
8. Gerard Pique
Pique's greatness at Barcelona can be attributed to his outstanding defensive skills, leadership on the field, and his loyalty to the club.
Despite offers from other top clubs, he has chosen to remain at Barcelona and has expressed his commitment to the team and its success.
Shakira's estranged lover helped Barca to win seven La Liga titles, with another three UCL triumphs coming in 2008/9, 2010/11, and 2014/15.
Pique also regularly lifted the Copa del Rey trophy. He was on the winning side seven times; the most recent being in 2020/21.
He also won three UEFA Super Cups and Club World Cups including six Spanish Super Cups.
9. Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez made the move from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2014, where he had a successful six-year stint before joining Atletico Madrid in 2020.
He earned numerous accolades and became one of the club's top strikers during his time in Spain.
Some of his notable achievements include winning four La Liga titles, four Copa del Rey titles, and the UEFA Champions League in the 2014-2015 season.
In addition, he was a crucial part of the "MSN" attacking trio alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar, which caused havoc for opposing defenses and contributed to Barcelona's numerous victories.
Suarez's time at Barcelona was highly successful, and he is remembered as one of the club's greatest strikers in recent history.
In total, he scored over 198 goals in 283 appearances for Barcelona, making him the club's third-highest scorer of all time behind Lionel Messi and Cesar Rodriguez.
10. Dani Alvez
Alves joined Barcelona in 2008 and swiftly became one of the top right-backs in the world.
He is known as the longest-serving non-Spanish player in Barcelona's history after spending nine years with the club.
His contributions were pivotal to Barcelona's success, as he helped the team secure numerous major titles.
In his first season with the club, he won the treble, and in the following season, he secured the Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Over the years that followed, he also contributed to the club winning two more Supercopa de España titles, five La Liga titles, and two UEFA Champions League titles.
What's your take on this list? Please, share your thoughts with us in the opinion box below: