(Photo : LLUIS GENE/AFP through Getty Images) Barcelona’s Argentinian ahead Lionel Messi (C), flanked with Barcelona’s midfielder Xavi Hernandez (R) and Barcelona’s midfielder Andres Iniesta (L), poses with the 2010 Ballon d’Or trophy (Golden Ball) for one of the best European footballer of the 12 months previous to the Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) soccer match FC Barcelona vs Real Betis on January 12, 2011 on the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.
Throughout the years, a lot of soccer legends have worn the long-lasting Barcelona striped shirt, gracing the Camp Nou pitch with their spectacular abilities and performances.
With that being stated, who’re the 5 biggest gamers in FC Barcelona’s historical past?
5. Ronaldinho
Acclaimed as one of many biggest entertainers within the sport’s historical past, Ronaldinho loved the height years of his storied profession with Barcelona from 2003 to 2008, claiming the 2005 Ballon d’Or.
The Brazilian icon was lauded for his extraordinary technical talents, inventive model, and dribbling finesse, along with his exceptional accuracy in free kicks.
During his 207 appearances for the membership, he scored 94 targets, main the membership to 2 La Liga titles, two Supercopa de España trophies, and the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League.
4. Andres Iniesta
A product of Barcelona’s youth academy La Masia, Iniesta joined the membership as a 12-year-old in 1996, making his first workforce debut in 2002 and enjoying for the membership all the way in which till 2018.
Iniesta earned reward for his distinctive steadiness, ball management, and agility in tight areas, paired together with his ability, composure, and finesse on the ball.
The Spaniard performed a significant function in Barcelona’s midfield alongside accomplice Xavi, contributing considerably to the membership’s success throughout their dominant interval from the late 2000s to the 2010s. He scored the successful purpose for Spain within the 2010 FIFA World Cup remaining towards Netherlands.
Iniesta secured the runner-up place for the 2010 Ballon d’Or, following Xavi, with Lionel Messi clinching the highest spot. This occasion marked the primary occasion in historical past the place the highest three finalists within the Ballon d’Or all originated from the identical youth academy.
3. Xavi
Currently serving as Barcelona’s supervisor, Xavi is taken into account by some as the best Spanish participant of all time.
Xavi entered La Masia in 1991, breaking by the primary workforce in 1998. He grew to become famend for his distinctive passing potential, imaginative and prescient on the sector, ball retention abilities, and clever positioning.
His partnership with Andres Iniesta in midfield was the cornerstone not solely of Barcelona’s success throughout their prime years but additionally of the Spanish nationwide workforce, which triumphed within the Euro 2008, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2012.
As a supervisor, Xavi spearheaded the membership’s resurgence after a difficult interval, securing the 2022-23 La Liga title and the 2022-23 Supercopa de Espana.
2. Johan Cruyff
The legendary Dutch is extensively thought to be one of many biggest figures general in Barcelona’s historical past, each as a participant and supervisor.
Cruyff joined Barcelona because the phrase’s finest participant in 1973, transferring from Dutch membership Ajax for a then world file switch charge of $2 million. He led the membership to their first league title in 14 years in 1974, and the Copa Del Rey in 1978.
In his function as a supervisor, Cruyff had an unlimited impression, imprinting his model of play not solely on the senior workforce but additionally on La Masia, the membership’s famend youth academy.
Cruyff led the workforce to their first European Cup victory in 1992, marking a historic second within the membership’s historical past.
His tactical philosophy laid the muse for La Masia, which, in flip, nurtured generational abilities like Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Pep Guardiola.
1. Lionel Messi
Widely thought-about as the best soccer participant in historical past, Messi joined Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, on the age of 13 in 2000, due to the membership’s promise to cowl the prices of treating his progress hormone deficiency.
This funding proved to be immensely fruitful, because the Argentine went on to make historical past over the course of his profession. He grew to become the centerpiece of Barcelona’s historic dynasty from the late 2000s up till the 2010s, throughout which the membership achieved unprecedented heights and displayed distinctive soccer.
Messi shattered quite a few Barcelona information, together with the membership’s all-time main goalscorer and help supplier, amassing an unparalleled complete of 672 targets and 303 assists.
However, Messi unexpectedly parted methods with Barcelona in 2021 on account of monetary constraints that prevented the membership from renewing his contract.
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