Of course we had to start the list off with Barcelona legend, Ronaldinho. Prior to Lionel Messi’s legendary status at Barcelona, Ronaldinho was regarded as one of the most talented players to ever be produced by them. In fact, he was considered the driving force behind Barcelona’s success in the early 2000s. Ronaldinho played as either a winger or attacking midfielder and was a magician with the ball, mesmerizing fans and players with his dazzling dribbles and unpredictable passes. He played for Barcelona for 5 seasons, and within that time he won two La Liga titles (2005 and 2006), the 2006 UEFA Champions League, and two Spanish Super Cups (2005 and 2006). Ronaldinho also won the 2005 Ballon d'Or and was named FIFA World Player in 2004 and 2005. He was also named to the UEFA Team of the Year for three consecutive years. During his record-breaking years at FC Barcelona, Ronaldinho earned the admiration of players and fans around the world. He even helped the great Lionel Messi score his very first goal with Barcelona in 2005 – and the rest is history!

Andrés Iniesta

Another player worth mentioning is one of the most complete Spanish midfielders that has ever played soccer, Andrés Iniesta. Andrés formed one of the most famous midfield duos in soccer history, alongside Xavi! He spent 5 years at La Masia, the youth camp for Barcelona’s young players, before playing for a 16-year career in the Barcelona first team. His passing range and talent for always being two steps ahead of defenders made Andrés one of the most creative midfielders – and arguably the best – in the world. Andrés was known to scarcely lose the ball and could be counted on to find goalscoring opportunities for his team. He’s perhaps best known for his assist for Neymar in the 2015 Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain. His other remarkable achievements with Barcelona include winning 9 La Liga titles, 4 Champions Leagues, 6 Copas del Rey, 7 Spanish Super Cups, 3 European Super Cups, and 3 World Club Cups.

Xavi

Next up on our list of the most legendary players of Barcelona is Xavi. After forming a partnership with our previous shoutout, Andres Iniesta, Spanish international Xavi became one of the best midfielders in the world. He spent his entire soccer career at Barcelona, making 767 appearances, winning 85 goals and contributing 184 assists. It’s no wonder why he was often referred to as ‘the heartbeat’ of the team by his fellow teammates and managers. Xavi had vision, technique, and passing accuracy that ensured he rarely got caught in possession and never seemed to make the wrong move on the pitch. He was a key member of the team that won the 1998–99 La Liga championship, along with 8 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, and 6 Supercopa Espana titles. Xavi was the first player in Barcelona's history to play in 150 European and FIFA Club World Cup matches combined!

Johan Cruyff

Another legend in Barcelona history is Johan Cruyff, who was one of the most influential players and managers of all time. He spent 5 seasons with Barcelona as a player and another 8 seasons as a manager. Johan Cruyff is often considered the player who defined modern football (or soccer as we Canadians call it) at Barcelona, helping them to their first La Liga in almost 15 years. It’s no surprise that Cruyff went on to become a fan favourite among the team, with his inspiring vision, revolutionary ideas, and amazing skill-level that surpassed anyone else from that era. The Dutchman offered a level of unpredictability during matches and his goal-scoring ability allowed him to play as both a striker and attacking midfielder. Johan scored 60 goals in 180 appearances and laid the groundwork for the tiki-taka style of play that FC Barcelona would later embrace as part of their identity. Throughout his playing and coaching career, he led Barcelona to four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991–1994, as well as 3 European trophies, including the UEFA Champions League. He also won the 1989 European Cup Winners' Cup final, the 1992 European Cup final, and the Ballon d'Or 3 times.

Lionel Messi

Finally, no list of Barcelona’s most legendary players would be complete without the one and only Lionel Messi. Often considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi’s outstanding career began at the young age of 16 and led to him becoming the team’s all-time leading goal scorer at 24 years old. As a soccer player, Lionel Messi is regarded as one of the most gifted in the world – and rightfully so. His skill, vision and ability to score from essentially any position on the field made him a force to be reckoned with. Throughout his career with Barcelona, he scored a whopping 672 goals in 778 appearances. He also helped Barcelona win many titles, including 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copa del Reys, 4 UEFA Champions League titles, 7 Supercopa de Españas, 3 UEFA Super Cups, and 3 FIFA Club World Cups. Individually, Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or 3 times, the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, and the Golden Ball 2 times. His departure in 2021 marked the end of an era for Barcelona, but his legacy is fortified as one of the greatest players in the club’s history!

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