Barcelona’s Greatest XI and Subs

Having looked at Real Madrid’s greatest side, I also look at Barcelona’s.

This was also hard, I even had 12 players in the starting line-up before I dropped Ronaldinho to the bench and removed Diego Maradona (he did after all cause a massive punch in the Copa del Rey final).

GK — Andoni Zubizarreta

1986–1994

410 appearances/0 goals.

Other clubs — Alaves, Athletic Bilbao, Valencia.

Honours — La Liga 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994. Copa del Rey 1988, 1990. Supercopa de Espana 1991, 1992. European Cup 1992. UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1989. UEFA Super Cup 1992.

A genuine legend for both Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona, Zubizarreta was first choice between the sticks for eight years. He was no.1 during the resurgence under Cruyff. A strong, commanding goalkeeper capable of making world class saves.

CB — Carles Puyol

1999–2014

593 appearances/18 goals.

Other clubs — None.

Honours — La Liga 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. Copa del Rey 2009, 2012. Supercopa de Espana 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. Champions League 2006, 2009, 2011. UEFA Super Cup 2009, 2011. FIFA Club World Cup 2009, 2011.

Barcelona’s former captain, Puyol was a mainstay in both Rijkaard and Guardiola’s all conquering sides. A fine leader, who led from the front with an excellent reading of the game. He may have lacked pace, but his desire and commitment made up for it. Also source of an odd rumour that Barca were swapping him for Steven Taylor in 2010, ok.

CB- Migueli

1973–1988

548 appearances/27 goals.

Other clubs — Cadiz.

Honours — La Liga 1974, 1985. Copa del Rey 1978, 1981, 1983, 1988. Supercopa de Espana 1983. Copa de la Liga 1983, 1986. UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1979, 1982.

I couldn’t source an image of Migueli, but the defender was nicknamed Tarzan, a big brute of a defender, he was a regular for over 15 years before retiring. Migueli played with a broken collarbone in the 1979 Cup Winners’ Cup Win and also spent a month in prison, having made his Cadiz debut whilst on military service, he hadn’t obtained the permits required to leave.

CB- Giovanni van Bronckhorst

2003–2007

153 appearances/7 goals.

Other clubs — Feyenoord, RKC Waalwijk (loan), Rangers, Arsenal, Feyenoord.

Honours — La Liga 2005, 2006. Supercopa de Espana 2005, 2006. Champions League 2006.

Gio is being played somewhat out of position, but he was a fine LB and sometimes DM, contributing solidly to Rijkaard’s new look team. Van Bronckhorst — who currently manages Feyenoord was an excellent reader of the game.

CM- Xavi

1998–2015

767 appearances/85 goals.

Other clubs- Al-Sadd.

Honours- La Liga 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015. Copa del Rey 2009, 2012, 2015. Supercopa de Espana 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. Champions League 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015. UEFA Super Cup 2009, 2011. FIFA Club World Cup 2009, 2011.

Barcelona’s highest ever appearance maker. Xavi won the Champions League in his last game, having been convinced by Luis Enrique to stay an extra year before joining Al-Sadd in Qatar. Xavi is perhaps the greatest no.8 in world football, with excellent vision, running and passing. Xavi saw passes and read the game better than anyone else. He clocked what was going on a couple of seasons before the match was played.

CM- Michael Laudrup

1989–1994

167 appearances/40 goals.

Other clubs- KB, Borndby, Lazio, Juventus, Real Madrid, Vissel Kobe, Ajax.

Honours — Copa del Rey 1990. La Liga 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994. Supercopa de Espana 1991, 1992. European Cup 1992. UEFA Super Cup 1992.

Despite making the cross over to Real Madrid, Laudrup remains a popular figure at both of Spain’s titans. A skillful attacking player, who was often a cut above the other players on the pitch, Laudrup was very nearly made Barcelona manager in 2008.

RW- Andres Iniesta

2002-present

630 appearances/55 goals.

Other clubs — None.

Honours- La Liga 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016. Copa del Rey 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017. Supercopa de Espana 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016. Champions League 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015. UEFA Super Cup 2009, 2011, 2015. FIFA Club World Cup 2009, 2011, 2015.

Current captain and second highest appearance maker before Xavi. Iniesta is another fine creative force, and no-one can help but love them in. In 2015, he absolutely destroyed Real in a 4–0 away win for the Catalans.

AM- Laszlo Kubala

1951–1961

186 appearances/131 goals.

Other clubs- Ganz, Ferencvaros, Slovan Bratislava, Vasas, Pro Patria, Hungaria, Espanyol, Zurich, Toronto Falcons.

Honours — La Liga 1952, 1953, 1959, 1960. Copa del Generalisimo 1951, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1959. Inter-Cities Fairs’ Cup 1958, 1960. Copa Latina 1952. Copa Eva Duarte 1952, 1953.

Voted Barcelona’s greatest ever player in 2013. Kubala was immense. He could do anything on the pitch, score, create, tackle. He had a swagger about him. His on the field duel with Di Stefano was a precursor to Messi/Ronaldo today. A fantastic free-kick taker with excellent dribbling ability, Kubala will always be remembered as a great. He passed away in May 2002, aged 74.

LW- Johan Cruyff

1973–1978

139 appearances/47 goals.

Other clubs — Ajax, Los Angeles Aztecs, Washington Diplomats, Levante, Ajax, Feyenoord.

Honours- La Liga 1974. Copa del Rey 1978.

Cruyff, one of the greatest names in world football. He was an unbelievably skillful player, one of a kind, who changed the way football was played. During his stint his manager, he installed the club’s philosophy that has borne so many fruits by his successors. He passed away in 2016, aged 68.

ST- Paulino Alcántara

1912–1916, 1918–1827

357 appearances/369 goals.

Other clubs- Bohemian Sporting Club.

Honours- Pyrenees Cup 1912, 1913. Copa del Rey 1913, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926. Campionat de Catalunya 1913, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927.

The Filipino-born forward was for over 80 years Barcelona’s top goalscorer. Moving to Spain aged three, Paulino made his debut at just 15 years, 4 months and 18 days old against Catala in the Campionat de Catalunya. He scored a hat-trick in a 9–0 victory. This was way back in February 1912. Four years later, his parents returned to the Philippines, were the youngster studied medicine and played for Bohemian Sporting Club, winning two league championships before returning to Catalonia. He retired in 1927, aged just 31 to become a doctor. He would fight as a fascist volunteer during the Civil War, later becoming a chief of Franco’s party. He died in 1964, aged 67.

ST- Lionel Messi

2004-present

583 appearances/507 goals.

Other clubs — None.

Honours- La Liga 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016. Copa del Rey 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017. Supercopa de Espana 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016. Champions League 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015. UEFA Super Cup 2009, 2011, 2015. FIFA Club World Cup 2009, 2011, 2015.

You’d be correct in the belief that it would take something special to break Paulino’s record. That was Lionel Messi, since making his debut in 2004, aged 17, Messi has always been a leading light for Barcelona, particularity since 2008. He has scored more than 50 goals in all seasons since then and at the age of 30, looks the Argentine looks like he’s got several years left in him still.

SUB- Ricardo Zamora

1919–1922

XX appearances/1 goal.

Other clubs — Espanyol, Real Madrid, Espanyol.

Honours — Copa del Rey 1920, 1922. Catalan Championship 1920, 1921, 1922.

Ricardo Zamora is the only goalkeeper to have scored for the club, netting in a 2–1 Catalan Championship win over Internacional in December 1921. The award for most clean sheets in La Liga is called the Zamora Trophy. Nicknamed El Divinio, Zamora wore a cloth cap and turtle neck jumper on the field. Zamora smoked three packs of cigarettes a day and tried to smuggle home Havana Cigars after the 1920 Olympic Games. Known for fine saves and physical goalkeeping, Zamora was one who made the controversial switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid. Zamora was used as nationalist propaganda during the Spanish civil war after reports he was killed by the Republicans, who later arrested him. He later played benefit games for the Nationalists. He died in 1978, aged 77.

SUB- Gerard Pique

2008-present

397 appearances/35 goals.

Other clubs- Manchester United, Deportivo La Coruna (loan).

Honours — La Liga 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016. Copa del Rey 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017. Supercopa de Espana 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016. Champions League 2009, 2011, 2015. UEFA Super Cup 2009, 2011, 2015. FIFA World Club Cup 2009, 2011, 2015.

Pique may often split opinion but there’s no denying his class. A fine, quick defender. Pique may have struggled last year but has on the whole taken the mantle left by Carles Puyol very well.

SUB- Josep Samitier

1919–1932

454 appearances/326 goals.

Other clubs — Real Madrid, Nice.

Honours- La Liga 1929. Copa del Rey 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928. Catalan Championship 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932.

Barcelona’s original icon. Samitier had kickabouts with a young Salvador Dali as a boy. He was the highest played player in Spain and contributed to Barcelona’s first iconic team. In 1932, despite at that point being the greatest player in the side’s history he joined Real Madrid after a dispute with management, contributing well in a brief stint in the capital, Samitier joined Nice at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, though he was arrested by a group of anarchists first. He later returned to Barcelona as coach between 1944–1947. Samitier would befriend General Franco and tried to engineer Kubala’s transfer to Real but was successful in arranging Di Stefano’s last minute decision to join Real over Barca. Despite two defections to Real, Samitier was given a hero’s farewell when he passed away in 1972, aged 70.

SUB- Deco

2004–2008

161 appearances/22 goals.

Other clubs — Corinthians, Alverca (loan), Salgueiros, Porto, Chelsea, Fluminese.

Honours- La Liga 2005, 2006. Supercopa de Espana 2005, 2006. Champions League 2006.

A member of Rijkaard’s 2004–06 team, Deco kept the team ticking, forming a fantastic partnership with Xavi. Deco was versatile and could play any midfield role, proving Deco is more than just an Art style.

SUB- Ronaldinho

2003–2008

207 appearances/94 goals.

Other clubs — Gremio, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Flamengo, Atletico Miniero, Queretaro, Fluminese.

Homours- La Liga 2005, 2006. Supercopa de Espana 2005, 2006. Champions League 2006.

Every iconic team needs a superstar. Ronaldinho bought the flair and style to the Camp Nou, and was without a doubt for a time the best player in the world. Ronaldinho was another Barcelona player given a standing ovation at the Bernabeu, ripping apart Real Madrid in 0–3 win in 2005–06.

SUB- Ronaldo

1996–1997

49 appearances/47 goals.

Other clubs- Cruzeiro, PSV Eindhoven, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Corinthians.

Honours- Copa del Rey 1997. UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1997. Supercopa de Espana 1996.

He was only there for a season, but what a season it was. Ronaldo was at his physical peak during his season at Barcelona and his goal at Santiago de Compostela exhibits that perfectly, showing power, pace, composure, skill. Ronaldo would go on to cement a claim as the world’s best striker — and if it hadn’t been for physical problems, he may have just become the best player the world has ever seen. Messi and CR7 were good at 21, but they weren’t out and out the best player in the world, like R9 was. He was so instinctive, so raw, football, like it should be played.

SUB- Hristo Stoichov

1990–1995, 1996–1998

254 appearances/118 goals.

Other clubs — Hebros, CSKA Sofia, Parma, CSKA Sofia, Al-Nassr, Kashiwa Reysol, Chicago Fire, DC United.

Honours- La Liga 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998. Supercopa de Espana 1992, 1994, 1996. European Cup 1992. UEFA Super Cup 1992, 1997. Copa del Rey 1997. UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1997.

The powerful Bulgarian forward was another member of the Dream Team. Two spells at the club, with a season at Parma in between, Stoichov formed a fantastic partnership with Romario, that blew away teams. He could play any role up top on the wing or as a second striker. Stoichov had explosive acceleration and dribbling, though was sometimes accused of lacking work-rate.