The greatest XI in the history of Barcelona
Like many of the best teams in the world, it is almost impossible to have only 1 team as the biggest XI. Barcelona have arguably had the largest rotation of superstars to have played for the club. You have a who’s who in football to have left for the club. I could easily go for 3 teams for this great club, but I have settled for 2 teams.
goalkeeper
Like most attacking teams, they haven’t had the best goalkeepers to keep a goal for them, so I’ve gone with Andoni Zubizaretta. He is the player with the most appearances in Spain with 126 appearances and he was a very good goalkeeper.
Right side
I have opted for Albert Ferrer, who was part of the first “dream team”. He was a very good defender as well as being excellent on offense.
left full back
I have opted for another member of the so-called dream team, Sergi Barjuan. He was very identical in game to Ferrer as they were both quick, great on the ball and he could defend very competently.
central defenders
I have gone for Miguel Nadal and Carlos Puyol. Both excellent players and although Nadal was known as “the beast”, he was very good with the ball. Puyol always gives his all in every game I’ve seen him play.
Midfield
I have opted for a 4-man midfield made up of 4 all-time greats in the game in Michael Laudrup, Johan Cruyff, Luiz Suarez and Laslo Kubala. Michael Laudrup was a wizard on the ball and perhaps didn’t get the world renown his talent deserved, partly because he was Danish. Cruyff is a living legend and his reputation precedes him. Suarez is arguably the greatest talent ever to come out of Spain, while Kubala was voted Barcelona’s greatest ever player.
Forward
I have gone for Diego Maradona and Romario. I have read too many times that Maradona was unsuccessful at Barcelona, but that is comparing him to himself and not to any other player’s standards. I have seen games he was involved in at Barcelona and at times he was impressive. Romario was just a born goalscorer.
team 2
goalkeeper
I have opted for Francisco Platko, the Hungarian, who, I must admit, I have never seen play but it is said that he is very good and I did not have many options.
defenders
This time I have opted for 3 defenders and they are José Ramón Alesanco, who was captain of the club for a long period of time and was a very good defender and leader, Ronald Koeman, okay, he was not a very good defender in terms of actual defense. . and maybe he would just hit a turtle in a 100 meter sprint, but he could pass the ball like no other and had a shot to die for. He also scored 1 of the most memorable goals in the club’s history, when he netted the winner at Wembley against Sampdoria as Barcelona won their first European Cup. The third defender is Migueli, who played for Barcelona from 1973 to 1989.
Midfield
I have opted for a 5-man midfield that comprises another variety of wonderful footballers. The first is Luis Figo, who I think played his best football at Barcelona and was absolutely fantastic. While his partner Rivaldo got all the applause, Figo. I felt that he was the best player. The second midfielder was a mainstay of Cruyff’s dream team and that was Pep Guardiola, who was one of the best playmakers I’ve ever seen. Injuries put a damper on what should have been a superlative career. Ronaldinho is my third midfielder, as he is really majestic and surely, even at this stage of his career, he is already an all-time great. Next up is his fellow Brazilian, Rivaldo, who will always be fondly remembered at the Camp Nou for scoring perhaps the biggest hat-trick in history, against Valencia, which allowed Barcelona to qualify for the Champions League, in the last day of that day. 2000/2001 season. Last but not least, I have chosen the volatile but brilliant Bulgarian attacking midfielder/forward, Hristo Stoichkov. Stoichkov had an apparently love-hate relationship with Romario, equally brilliant and equally volatile. One minute they’re hugging each other for setting up the other for another brilliant goal and the next minute they’re berating each other because they feel like the other didn’t pass the ball to them.
strikers
I have chosen the absolutely brilliant Brazilians Ronaldo and Sandor Koscis.
I know I said I would only pick 2 teams, but too many players that I like haven’t been picked because too many greats played for Barcelona, so I managed to get a third team in.
Goalkeeper
For Goalkeeper I have chosen Antoni Ramalletts who played for Barcelona in the 40s to 60s and won the best goalkeeper award for 5 consecutive seasons in the 50s
defenders
I have opted for Abelardo Fernández, a very capable defender who always gave his best, Juan Asensi who was also a very good defender for both Barcelona and Spain and Eric Gensana.
Midfield
I have opted for Bernd Schuster, the current coach, who was a brilliant midfielder and should have played many more games for West Germany, if it wasn’t for his bad relationship with the West German FA. Luis Enrique, one of my favorite players with his style of action and many goals to boot. For a midfielder, he scored a fair amount of goals. Allan Simonsen, the brilliant Dane, who was European Footballer of the Year in 1977. Johan Neeskens, the current assistant manager, who was a wonderful midfielder.
strikers
I have opted for a 3-point attack and they are Paulino Alcántara who, although I have never seen him play, scored 357 goals in 357 games, that is impressive. Josep Samiter, who scored 326 goals for Barcelona, and Hans Krankl, narrowly beating Samuel Etoo and Patrick Kluivert.
Some of the players I haven’t mentioned include the current generation of players like Rafa Marquez, Thuram, Xavi, Deco, Messi, Zambrotta and great and good players from the past like Hagi, Prosinescki, Laurent Blanc, Gica Popescu, Carles Rexach, Jari Littmanen, both De Boers, Cocu, Laarsson, Mark Hughes, Lineker, Beguiristain, Goikoietxea, Edgar Davids, Riqueleme and Sorin among others.