Top 10 Best FC Barcelona Players of All Time

FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 and has since become one of the most popular football clubs in the world. In the team’s history, there have been hundreds of phenomenal players. Barcelona has a history of being champions, and that legacy attracts players from all over the world. Here are the top ten best Barcelona players of all time.

Who Are the Best FC Barcelona Soccer Players of All Time?

1. Lionel Messi
2. Johan Cruyff
3. Ronaldinho
4. Andres Iniesta
5. Xavi Hernandez
6. Carles Puyol
7. Pep Guardiola
8. Samuel Eto'o
9. Hristo Stoichkov
10. Diego Maradona

1. Lionel Messi

• Ten-time La Liga Champion
• Three-time FIFA Club World Cup Champion
• Three-time UEFA Champions League Champion
• Five-time Golden Ball Winner
• Nine-time Golden Boots Winner
• 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year

Lionel Messi is not only one of the best players in FC Barcelona history, but he is also one of the best players in the history of the game. He rose to notoriety while playing for Barcelona and accrued historic statistics while playing for the club. Messi played for Barcelona for 17 years, from 2004-2021, and had 778 appearances and scored 672 goals for the club within this time.

Despite his scoring ability being his legacy, he recorded an astounding 269 assists and earned Barcelona 35 titles which include 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copa del Rey titles, and 4 Champions League titles. Impressively, Messi scored more than 50 goals in a single season multiple times. During the 2011-2012 season, he broke Gerd Muller’s record for most goals scored in a single season with 73 goals that year. Messi played a total of 63,529 minutes with Barcelona, and his gameplay earned him the Ballon d’Or award seven times. Messi is considered one of, if not the best, forward in the team’s history.

2. Johan Cruyff

• La Liga Champion (1974)
• Copa del Rey Champion (1978)
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1979)

Johan Cruyff is credited with altering the playing style of FC Barcelona as a whole. His first year with Barcelona saw the team win their first La Liga title in 14 years in 1974. Subsequently, he was named the La Liga’s best player. In his six-year career with the team, he made 143 appearances, scored 48 goals, and helped the team win three titles. After the team’s La Liga win, during which Cruyff played as a forward, he came back to play as a center midfielder. Cruyff is credited with popularizing a strategy called “Total Football.” 

Cruyff was extremely dedicated to Barcelona and came back to manage the team. He managed 421 games, 267 of which were wins, and won 11 trophies for the team. Cruyff’s impact on Barcelona’s team began when he was a player and extended all the way through his managing time, making him one of the most influential players in the club’s history.

3. Ronaldinho

• Two-time La Liga Champion
• Two-time Supercopa de España Champion 
• 2006 UEFA Champions League title

Ronaldinho is considered one of the best midfielders to ever wear a Barcelona uniform. He played for them from 2003-2008, and in that time, he made 207 appearances, scored 94 goals, and made 71 assists. Ronaldinho earned 10 trophies during his time with Barcelona, which include two La Liga titles, one UEFA Champions League title, and two FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He was a key player in helping FCB win their first Champions League title in 2006 (their first in 14 years) due to his fantastic goals in the quarterfinals against AC Milan.

Ronaldinho is remembered for more than just his dribbling skills and goal scoring ability. He is also remembered for an infectious personality that always made his teammates and fans smile. Ronaldinho is also credited for making the assist for Messi’s first goal in 2005. He will forever be remembered as reviving the team in the early 2000s and is credited with the team’s rapidly growing popularity.

4. Andres Iniesta

• Nine-time La Liga Champion
• Four-time UEFA Champions League Champion
• Three-time FIFA Club World Cup Champion

Andres Iniesta is another one of Barcelona’s top midfielders. Born in a small village, Iniesta began playing soccer when he was eight and played his first Barcelona game in 2002. Iniesta showed his loyalty to Barcelona by playing for them for 16 seasons. His statistics speak for themself: 674 appearances, 57 goals scored, and 139 assists. Iniesta also earned a whopping 32 trophies during his FCB career, including nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and two UEFA Super Cup titles.

Iniesta was an important part of Barcelona’s lineup during their most successful seasons, 2009 and 2011, where Barcelona had a treble-winning campaign. In 2012, Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award and the World Soccer Player of the Year award. Iniesta’s legacy still stands strong at Camp Nou, where he is remembered for his passing range and his ability to open up shots for his teammates. 

5. Xavi Hernandez

• Eight-time La Liga Champion
• Four-time UEFA Champions League Champion
• Two-time FIFA Club World Cup Champion 

Xavi played for Barcelona for 17 seasons from 1998-2015 as one of their top midfielders. During his career with Barca, he made 767 appearances, scored 85 goals, and made 181 assists. His career also saw him win 25 trophies, including eight La Liga titles, four UEFA titles, and three Copa del Rey titles.

Hernandez was a large part of Barcelona’s “tiki-taka” playing style, which relied heavily on his passing abilities. Aside from his team awards, he also won several individual accolades, including the UEFA Best Player in Europe award and the World Soccer Player of the Year award in 2010. Hernandez helped Barcelona earn their first treble in 2009. His last season with FC Barcelona saw them win another treble. Hernandez accepted the position of Barcelona’s manager in 2021.

6. Carles Puyol

• Six-time La Liga Champion
• Three-time UEFA Champions League Champion
• Two-time FIFA Club World Cup Champion

Barcelona produced great defenders alongside great midfielders, and there is no one greater defender than Carles Puyol. He played for Barcelona for 15 seasons from 1999-2014. He made 593 appearances, scored 18 goals, and won 21 trophies. His team accolades include six La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League titles. Puyol also won several individual awards, including UEFA Team of the Year award five times and the FIFA FIFPro World XI award six times. 

Puyol was named Barcelona’s captain in 2004, and he stayed team captain until his retirement in 2014. He was known for being able to cut off attacks before they could become dangerous and anticipating any moves his opponent could potentially make. Puyol still has a strong legacy as one of the most revered captains in the team’s history.

7. Pep Guardiola

• Six-time La Liga Champion
• Copa del Rey Champion (1997)
• Two-time European/UEFA Super Cup

If there is anyone who bleeds blue and garnet, it’s Pep Guardiola. He began his Barcelona career in 1988 at age 13. He would be moved up to the first team in 1990, and from there, he quickly became a legend on the pitch. Guardiola primarily played defensive midfield and accrued 479 total appearances, 11 goals, and 16 trophies. His team accolades include six La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

Under the coaching of Johan Cruyff, Guardiola and Barcelona thrived. Guardiola was a captain during the last few years of the Dream Team. He won several individual awards, including the UEFA Champions League Best Midfielder award and the FIFA World Cup Dream Team. Guardiola was an extremely successful player, but he also earned many notable awards as a manager. He went on to be the most successful manager in FCB history.

8. Samuel Eto'o

• Three-time La Liga Champion
• Copa del Rey (2009)
• Two-time UEFA Champions League Champion

Samuel Eto’o played for Barcelona for five years and is easily one of the best strikers in the team’s history. He was one of the top scorers during his career and played a large role in earning Barcelona several titles. He made 199 total appearances, scored 130 goals, and won eight trophies during his career. These trophies include three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. His individual awards include being a four-time African Footballer of the Year award winner and two-time UEFA Champions League Top Scorer. 

Eto’o was known to form partnerships with his teammates, and when he was partnered with Thierry Henry and Messi, Barcelona was unstoppable. During the team’s 2009 treble campaign, they scored 100 goals between the three of them. Eto’o has a lasting legacy at Barcelona which includes helping the team reach the dominant position that it resides in.

9. Hristo Stoichkov

• Five-time La Liga Champion
• Two-time Copa del Rey Champion
• UEFA Champions League Champion (1992)

Hristo Stoichkov was a Bulgarian soccer player that played with Barcelona for five total seasons (1990-1995 and 1996-1998). Stoichkov was known for his incredibly powerful left foot and scoring ability. As a forward, he made 175 total appearances, scored 92 goals, and won nine trophies with the team. These titles include five La Liga titles, one European Cup, and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. 

Stoichkov was known as a remarkable player because he dominated no matter which forward position he played. He was a comfortable striker and could play both wings equally well. Under Johan Cruyoff’s coaching, Stoichkov formed a deadly partnership with Romário, and he became one of the most respected forwards in the world. In terms of individual awards, Stoichkov won several, including the Ballon d'Or in 1994 and the European Golden Boot twice.

10. Diego Maradona

• Copa del Rey Champion (1983)
• Copa de Liga Champion (1983)
• Spanish Super Cup (1984)

Diego Maradona was most definitely not at his prime when playing for FC Barcelona. He only played for them for two years, and despite only being half the player he would go on to be, he still managed to shine with Barcelona. During his two-year career with the team, he had 58 total appearances and scored 38 career goals. His first year was cut short by several injuries and a bout of hepatitis, but even then, he scored 11 goals in 19 appearances that season. 

He was the ideal candidate to help FCB garner some trophies, but his second season was also cut short by an ankle injury. Maradona’s most memorable games were against Real Madrid. The first was for the Copa del Rey title in 1983, where he helped the team win 2-1. Maradona and the team would go on to beat Madrid again for the Copa de Liga title, where Maradona scored a goal that even had Madrid fans cheering for him. Maradona is widely regarded to have been the best player in the history of the game.

Honorable Mentions

• Dani Alves
• Sergio Busquets
• Thierry Henry
• Ronald Koeman
• Gary Lineker
• Javier Mascherano
• Neymar
• Gerard Piqué
• Cesar Rodriguez
• Victor Valdes

FAQ