The Greatest FC Barcelona XI of All Time

FC Barcelona is widely considered to be one of the best clubs in the world and, to many, the greatest, and I agree with that. I have supported FC Barcelona for the longest time and have been doing so through all the ups and downs. In this article, I will combine the skill and talents of the best Barcelona players of all time to create what I feel is the greatest Barcelona XI.

1) Victor Valdés

The Spanish goalkeeper was an important asset to the club and his country. He made 539 appearances for Barcelona and won 21 trophies with the club. At the time, he was arguably the league's greatest and most competitive keeper.

2) Carles Puyol

Carles Puyol was arguably Barcelona's best leader, and he set a professional tone. He still is the club's longest-serving captain. With over 650 appearances and 19 major trophies, his career was one of the most distinguished as a defender.

3) Ronald Koeman

Before "The Dutchman" endured a painful tenure as manager of FC Barcelona, he was an incredible defender for the club. In the 1992 European Cup Final at Wembley, he scored the deciding goal to win the European Cup for Barcelona. In addition, he won 10 major trophies with the club.

4) Gerard Pique

We cannot help but notice Pique’s immense contribution to the club and how he has served as a wall in the defensive line of play. He has made over 600 appearances and achieved over 30 honors, making him one of the most decorated players of the beautiful game.

5) Pep Guardiola

Pep’s name is well renowned after having a successful few years as manager of Manchester City. During his playing career, he was not the most athletic and was quite slow as well. However, his incredible football intelligence made him the tactical leader for the team for almost a decade.

6) Xavi

The current manager of FC Barcelona was a wonder to watch as he dominated the midfield with his magic and was the heart of every counter-attack and attack for a long time. In 2012-13 alone, he successfully made 2,652 passes out of 2,799 attempted ones (95 percent accuracy rate). Those are some impressive odds.

7) Andres Iniesta

Iniesta and Xavi complemented each other incredibly well in the midfield. Xavi was a complete player with excellent finishing ability, skill, technique, football intelligence, and much more. He played everywhere in the midfield, clocked around 670 appearances, and won almost everything with the club.

8) Johan Cryuff

When Cryuff joined FC Barcelona, the club had not won the league in 19 years. However, that drought ended in his first season, and he received the Ballon d'Or for his performance. He brought so much success to the club and was very influential during his time with the club.

9) Ronaldinho

The Brazilian needs no introduction as his brilliant footwork and skills do all the needed talking. The Ballon d'Or winner still remains one of the few players to this date to receive a standing ovation at the rival club's stadium, Santiago Bernabéu.

10) Ladislao Kubala

Kubala was one of the earliest Barcelona legends. Kubala played for the club between 1950-61, scoring 240 goals in 380 appearances. He also won four championships. What a player he was.

11) Lionel Messi

It is fair to say that Lionel Messi has contributed immensely to making Barcelona what it is today. Arguably the greatest player of all time, Messi scored over 650 goals and recorded 288 assists en route to winning seven Ballon d'Or with the club.