The best Barcelona players ever are some of the greats of the game. Barcelona are more than a club, according to the motto – and this half-century of legends have written their names into Camp Nou folklore.
“Barcelona had history and culture, the coast, the weather, all wrapped around a wonderful football club that was the spiritual headquarters of a nation,” Sir Bobby Robson said of the side he managed in the 1996/97 season.
Robson was right. Catalonia's unique blend of art and passion has come to be represented at Camp Nou, and their legacy is more than just hyperbole: this is not just a football team but an institution, so picking their 50 greatest stars ever is some task…
How the best Barcelona players ever were chosen by our football experts at FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo's footballing experts compiled their original list of the greatest players to have ever played for Barcelona based on several factors.
Just as with our list of the best Real Madrid players of all time, we considered sheer brilliance and technical ability, taking into account just how good they were at their peak – no matter how long that peak was. But longevity and legacy played a huge factor: and for a club as big as Barça is, we had to consider their influence and importance to the club itself.
We wanted to balance this list between the old and new, and give players a fair crack at getting onto this list regardless of whether they were blessed to be a member of a Golden Generation or not – and we consulted Barcelona fans and experts for their input. Some of those who ended up making the list are among the greatest players of all time.
Barcelona is a club with an identity stronger than most – and we wanted every player on this half-century count to reflect it in some way. This is what we ended up with. Do you agree? Let us know @FourFourTwo.
50. Txiki Begiristain
Now more commonly known for his work at Manchester City, it has been forgotten just how good Txiki Begiristain was during his playing days. Arriving from Real Sociedad in 1988, the forward scored on his debut against Espanyol - the first of 63 goals for the Catalan club. In his 233 appearances at the club, Begiristain lifted four successive La Liga titles and a European Cup in one of many golden eras for the Spanish giants.
49. Abelardo
He signed for 275 million pesetas – mere thousands, in new money – and Abelardo became an unlikely backbone in two league titles and two European trophies. His positional supremacy was unbelievable, seeing out the Cruyff years at the back before he was hampered with injuries. he left in 2002 for Alaves.
48. Bernd Schuster
Bernd Shuster was a key figure of the Barcelona sides of the 1980s, featuring 170 times for the club across his eight-year stay in Catalonia. The West German midfielder had a keen eye for goal, netting 63 times, and averaging roughly a goal every three games. Schuster helped the club to the 1985 La Liga title as well as four Copa Del Rey titles and a European Cup final before departing to Real Madrid in 1988, tainting his memory in the eyes of many fans.
47. Lilian Thuram
One of the most intelligent and celebrated defenders of a lifetime, Lilian Thuram didn't even play 60 games for Barcelona. His displays were imperious at the back for the club, however, injecting a touch of class that he brought over from Serie A.
46. Deco
The Portuguese technician arrived with plenty of excitement and expectation having guided Porto to the 2004 Champions League title. The midfielder was named the club’s player of the season during their La Liga and Champions League double-winning campaign in 2005/06, as well as being crowned UEFA’s midfielder of the year. Despite spending just four years at the club, Deco cemented his place in the club’s hall of fame thanks to one of the best individual campaigns the club has ever seen and now works for the club as Sporting Director.
45. Gary Lineker
England hero Gary Lineker arrived at Barcelona in 1986 having just lifted the World Cup Golden Boot in Mexico. He enjoyed a fantastic debut season in Spain, netting 21 goals in 42 appearances as he delivered on the lofty promise of his exploits in England. Lineker made over 100 appearances in his three years at the club, although found himself shifted further away from his natural centre-forward position before eventually departing for Tottenham Hotspur in 1989.
44. Sergi Roberto
A loyal servant throughout his career, Sergi Roberto’s time at Barcelona will undoubtedly be remembered for one historic moment. 4-0 down after the first leg, Barcelona had pulled the Champions League round of 16 tie against PSG back to 5-5 on aggregate heading deep into injury time before Roberto’s stretching effort secured the most dramatic comeback in European history. An understated figure in a team of superstars, Roberto has racked up 245 appearances for the club and will undoubtedly go down as a hero.
43. Javier Mascherano
Javier Mascherano arrived from Liverpool with a reputation as a battling midfielder equipped with fantastic technical ability as the club looked to phase out an aging core of their squad under Pep Guardiola. By the time he departed in 2018, Mascherano had firmly cemented his place as a club hero, gradually moving backwards before establishing himself as one of the greatest centre-backs in the world while playing a key role in five La Liga titles and two Champions League successes.
42. Sergi Barjuan
The Spanish-born left-back came through the ranks at Barcelona during his youth career, playing for both the C and B teams before eventually making his senior debut in 1993 and locking down a starting spot for the best part of a decade. Barjuan made 267 appearances across his nine years at the club, lifting three league titles and the Copa Del Rey twice before seeing out the remainder of his career at Atletico Madrid.
41. Eric Abidal
Even Maxwell arriving from Inter Milan couldn't force Eric Abidal out of the Barca team under Guardiola. The Frenchman was a player you could set your watch by and was adored by fans and teammates alike: perhaps best surmised when Carles Puyol let him lift the Champions League trophy at Wembley in 2011, following a liver tumour and transplant. A fitting gesture for a fantastic servant.
40. Rafael Marquez
One of the longest-serving international footballers of all time, Barcelona got the best of Rafael Marquez, who started out as a centre-back before being moved into midfield and back again. Marquez was the last Frank Rijkaard signing to stay at the club into the Guardiola years, winning four LaLiga titles and two Champions League trophies in his time in Catalonia.
39. Patrick Kluivert
Champions League winner with a goal in the final at age 18, the sky was the limit for Patrick Kluivert when he arrived from AC Milan in 1998. The Dutchman was an immediate hit, forming a strong relationship with Rivaldo to fire the club to the 1999 league title. Perhaps unfortunate to play for the club in a rare dry spell trophy-wise, Kluivert consistently showed his quality at Camp Nou, netting 124 goals in 249 appearances before departing for Newcastle in 2004.
38. Pedro
Immensely talented and undoubtedly underrated, Pedro made up a crucial part of one of the greatest eras in Barcelona’s history. Comfortable across the frontline, Pedro paired immense technical ability with an insatiable work ethic to perfectly complement his superstar teammates.
The Spaniard lifted five La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues in 204 appearances before departing for Chelsea in 2015, never truly receiving the adoration his performances and impact deserved.
37. Paulino Alcantara
Born in the Philippines, Paulino Alcantara is the youngest player to either play or score for the Catalan outfit – even younger than Lamine Yamal. With 369 goals in 357 matches – a record that stood for almost a century, it's fair to call him the Messi of his day: every youngster through La Masia has had to match up to his excellence.
36. Hristo Stoichkov
He may have spent two months on the sideline during his first season for stamping on a ref's foot, but Hristo Stoichkov more than made up for lost time. The Bulgarian became the jewel of the Dream Team, helping Barca to four LaLiga titles and being the most fearsome forward in the first European Cup triumph. In 1994, he won the Ballon d'Or and World Cup Golden Boot.
35. Neymar
Neymar was already a global superstar before arriving in 2013, having sent shockwaves around the world with his performances for Santos. Despite a difficult adjustment period, it quickly became apparent that the hype was real as Neymar quickly became one of the most exciting players on earth.
One-third of the famous MSN trio, Neymar grew to become the best player in the world behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, cementing his legacy with a goal in the 2015 Champions League final, as well as his involvement in the famous ‘La Remontada’ game against PSG in 2017.
34. David Villa
David Villa was already one of the most feared strikers on earth by the time he swapped Valencia for Barcelona in 2010. He immediately delivered on the promise shown earlier in his career as a classy finisher with blistering pace capable of tearing apart the best defences on earth.
He rounded off a fantastic debut campaign with a goal in the 2011 Champions League final victory over Manchester United, netting 33 goals across his three years at the club before departing for Atletico Madrid.
33. Victor Valdes
Having risen through the youth ranks, Victor Valdes nailed down the number one spot at Barcelona and kept a firm hold on it until his exit 12 years later. The Spaniard was a stalwart between the sticks and survived the complete overhaul brought about by Pep Guardiola’s appointment in 2007.
Credited as one of the early ‘ball-playing goalkeepers’ Valdes helped revolutionise how goalkeepers were utilised while collecting one of the most impressive trophy hauls in history before departing for Manchester United in the final stages of his remarkable career.
32. Sandor Kocsis
Sandor Kocsis may have achieved more in his native Hungary with Honved but his arrival at Barcelona in 1958 was the introduction of a superstar. He scored on his debut, won back-to-back LaLiga titles during Real Madrid's Hollywood era and was desperately unlucky not to win the European Cup in 1961. After retiring, Kocsis opened a restaurant in the city.
31. Thierry Henry
Having conquered England, Thierry Henry arrived at Barcelona in 2007 looking to bolster a star-studded squad aiming to dominate Europe over the coming seasons. Deployed from the left wing, Henry struggled to replicate the goalscoring prowess at Arsenal in the early stages of his career. Having established a strong relationship with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o, Henry played a key role in the club’s historic 2009 sextuple-winning season.
30. Jose Mari Bakero
Jose Bakero acted as a pillar of the famous Barcelona ‘Dream Team’ which dazzled on the European stage across the 1980s and 90s alongside a talented squad of Basque players. The midfielder had a keen eye for goal, netting 72 times in 260 appearances, helping the club to four league titles and the 1992 European Cup.
Bakero was praised for his playmaking abilities during the peak of his career, as well as his surprising aerial prowess despite his short physical stature.
29. Pep Guardiola
Champions League winner as both a player and a manager, there are few with a better reputation among the Barcelona faithful than Pep Guardiola. A technically blessed holding midfielder, Guardiola worked his way through the ranks at La Masia before becoming a mainstay in the senior side for over a decade.
Guardiola’s playing days are largely credited for perfecting the role which would see fellow compatriots Sergio Busquets and Rodri thrive in later years, while his impact on the club will stretch for generations to come.
28. Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe Hagi could score goals that even Gheorghe Hagi couldn't score. The Romanian is the greatest player ever from his nation and dazzled Catalans with silky touch and incredible power in his shots. In just two seasons at the Camp Nou, he lit up the turf with his genius.
27. Carles Rexach
Carles Rexach spent 44 years at Barcelona. Breaking through in the mid-1960s, he was there for the Cruyff years, scoring important goals and finishing off his Dutch teammate's idyllic balls. A one-club man, he bled the Blaugrana colours and is one of the most important figures in the institution's history, on and off the field.
26. Evaristo de Macedo
Evaristo de Macedo scored five goals in a 9-0 win over Colombia, which earned him his move to Barcelona. In an iconic front three with Laszlo Kubala and Luis Suarez, he became the first hat-trick scorer at the Camp Nou and scored the winning goal to stop Real Madrid winning their sixth European Cup. Rivaldo is the only Brazilian to have scored more goals – and even so, Evaristo's goals may well be a little more celebrated.
