1 V.Valdés
Víctor Valdés joined Barca as a youngster on 1st July 1992, from Peña Cinco Copas.In September of the same year he moved with his family to Tenerife and didn't rejoin the club until three years later.After quickly proving his worth with the youth teams and Barca B, the club coaches decided that the 2002-2003 season was to be Valdés time to form part of the first team squad. At first, he alternated appearances with Roberto Bonano but finished the season as regular first choice under Radomir Antic.He consolidated his place as in the starting line-up in the 2003-04 season. He played most of Barca's matches that season and put in some excellent performances, helping the team to finish as runners-up.In the 2005-06 season Valdés was one of the key players in Barça's double of the League and the Champions League. Especially memorable are the crucial saves he made in the final in Paris as Barça won its second ever Champions League.In the 2006-07 season Valdés remained a fixture in the Barça goal and played in all 38 League games. In the 2007-08 campaign he only stood down in the last three games to give José Manuel Pinto a chance to make his first team debut. All this time Valdés has been improving and is now one of the players who has played most games between the sticks for the club.In the 2008/09 season, his regularity won him his second Zamora trophy. He played every league game bar the last three when the title was already decided. He performed brilliantly in the Rome final and became the first Barça keeper to be crowned champion of Europe twice. His excellent performances have earned him a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2014.In the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons he won his third and fourth Zamora trophies. The fourth came with his best record ever and the second best in league history (0.50 goals conceded per game). The legendary Antoni Ramallets is the only Barça keeper to have won the trophy more times (5). Valdés is the only Barça goalkeeper to have played in three Champions League finals, and he won them all.His consistently strong performances at club level earned him one of the three goalkeepers' jerseys in the Spanish squad for the 2010 World Cup, although he didn't play a single minute of Spain's victorious campaign.
2 Alves
Dani Alves is one of the strongest, most intense right-sided players in the world, and covers an extraordinary amount of ground. He came to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2008, aged 25 years, after six seasons with Sevilla.Born on May 6, 1983 in Juazeiro (the Brazilian state of Bahia), Daniel Alves started out playing at youth level for the biggest club in the region, Esporte Clube Bahia. He progressed through the ranks, and was just 18 when he played his first top flight match, when the club was being managed by former Barça man Evaristo de Macedo.Bahia won 3-0 against Paraná that day, and Alves impressed from the outset. He was brought down for a penalty and also supplied an assist, leading the home fans to start chanting “Ah, ah, ah, Daniel titular”. Alves’ first professional title was the Bahia Championship in 2001 followed by the Northeast Cup in 2001 and 2002. This led to a call-up for the Brazilian Under 20 team in January 2003. Sevilla had their eye on him, and brought him to Europe on loan. Pleased with his performances, the Andalusian outfit soon acquired permanent rights to the player. In late 2003, Alves was in the World Under 20 Cup winning team. It was played in the UAE, and Brazil beat Spain (with Andrés Iniesta in the side) 1-0 in the final. Alves was named best full back of the competition. In that 2003/04 season, he played 29 games as right back for Sevilla as the club qualified for Europe. As time went by, Alves consolidated his role as both a defender and part of the attack in the Sevilla team that in 2005/06 won the UEFA Cup. The Brazilian was named best player in that competition, and a few months later, won the Super Cup as his side beat FC Barcelona in Monaco.In 2006/07 the Brazilian formed a solid part of the Sevilla team that went on to also retain the UEFA Cup, and collect the Copa del Rey as well. A year before joining Barça, Alves won the Spanish Super Cup by beating Madrid and also gained his first Champions League experience. Sevilla went out in the second round to Turkish club Fenerbahçe. In that 2007/08 season, Alves played 33 league games and was the second most used player in the squad after Navas. Now considered one of the best full backs in the world, Alves came to Barça in the summer of 2008. In his first season, he was involved in the incredible treble winning campaign. He missed very few games, but one of those was the Champions League final in Rome. Despite being a defender, he scored five goals in his 54 appearances. Despite injury problems he was the first choice right back in his second season, winning his second consecutive league title among other honours. He scored 3 goals in 29 matches. Alves is also an important member of the full international Brazil team. In the summer of 2007 he was in the Copa America winning side, and two years later lifted the Confederations Cup in South Africa.
3. Pique
Gerard Piqué returned to FC Barcelona, the club where he started as a boy, in the summer of 2008, after three seasons with Manchester United and one with Real Zaragoza.Gerard Piqué was born on 2 February 1987 and since that day he has been a club member of FC Barcelona. Since he was very young he has been involved with the club and when he was 10 years old he joined the youngest boys' team at the club (Alevín B).From then on he passed through the various under-age levels, picking up titles along the way and winning plaudits in all age categories (Alevín A, Infantil B and A, Cadete B and A and Juvenil B and A). When playing at Cadete B level Tito Vilanova was his manager, and he will meet up with Vilanova once again on his return to the first team. In all this time of development and learning, Gerard Piqué showed a great ability to adapt to different positions on the field and gained a reputation for goal scoring, despite his defensive position.At the end of the 2003/04 season, Gerard Piqué took a break from his life as an azulgrana and left for Manchester United. He made his debut for the English side on 26 October, only three weeks after arriving, in a Carling Cup match against Crewe Alexandra. He was also with Alex Ferguson's team for the 2005/06 season before being loaned out to Real Zaragoza for the 2006/07 season.In his only season with the Aragon side, Piqué played quite a lot as a defensive midfielder in front of the back four. The catalan played 22 league games, eighteen of which he started, and scored to goals. During this time he played alongside Gabriel Milito, who he will also meet up with again on his return to Barça.Season 2007/08 saw Piqué return to Manchester United and he was able to celebrate the double of Premiership and Champions League. He had a memorable season in the Champions League, especially in the initial league phase, scoring two goals.In his first season with the club, Piqué showed why he had been signed. He became a first choice centre back and also scored three goals, one in each competition, totalling 45 appearances. He came to be known as Piquénbauer, in reference to his ability to work the ball forward from the back and joining with attacking moves. His goal in the 6-2 win at the Bernabéu was a prime example of this.In his second year he consolidated his reputation as one of the best central defenders in the world. He formed a regular partnership with Puyol and won his second league title with the Club.In the third year, Piqué became a more important part of the centre of defence due to injuries to Milito and Puyol and Abidal's illness. He played his largest number of official games in 2010/11, with 51 appearances.With regard to his international experience, Piqué is a regular for the U-21 side, as he was with the younger under-age teams. He played in the 2007 U-20s World Cup in Canada, the 2006 U-19s European Championships in Poland (which Spain won) and the 2004 U-17s European Championships in France (which Spain finished as runners-up). On Friday 11, 2009 he made his international debut against England, and made his first official appearance in the Confederations Cup in South Africa, 2009.A permanent feature of Spain's World Cup winning defence, playing every minute of every match. He was also a key element in Spain's creative football.
4 Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas joins the FC Barcelona first team in the summer of 2011, from Arsenal, and becomes the second signing for the 2011/12 season. He's presented as a new Barça player on August 15th, 2011. Cesc Fabregas came through the youth ranks of FC Barcelona, from 10 to 16 years of age, when he signed for Arsenal. There he became the youngest player to make his debut, and the youngest goalscorer, in the history of the 'Gunners'. His rapid progression made him a vital player for Arsene Wenger, who played him in more than 30 games in the Premier League since the 2004/05 season. In 2008, only 21 years old and already considered a world star, Cesc was given the captain's armband for Arsenal. In eight seasons at the English club, Cesc played a total of 303 games and scored 57 goals, a really high figure for a midfielder. In addition, he made so many goal assists for the team during these years. Apart from the odd injury, the worst thing for Cesc is the lack of titles he's won with Arsenal. A 2004 Community Shield and the FA Cup in 2005 are all that he's won. In Europe, Arsenal's best season was 2005/06, when they reached the final of the Champions League, losing 2-1 against FC Barcelona with Cesc in their line-up. On August 15th he signed a contract that ties him to FC Barcelona for the next five seasons. His buyout clause is 200 million Euros. Cesc Fabregas made his Spanish International debut aged 18, and with the national side won the European Championships in 2008 and the World Cup in 2010. He gave the pass for Iniesta's goal in the Final to win the World Cup for Spain.
5 Puyol
Carles Puyol began his footballing career in the local team of the small town where he was born, La Pobla de Segur. His talent soon attracted wider attention and, at the age of 17, he was signed up for the Barca academy at La Masía.
He rapidly became a fixture in Barca B and then progressed to make his debut with the first team on 2nd October 1999 against Valladolid at the orders of Louis Van Gaal. His appearances became more and more frequent until he made the right back position his own. Thanks to his determination to improve and a tremendous work rate, Carles Puyol adapted to the position of central defender.In the 2003-2004 season, having been chosen as third captain, he played a vital role in the team's sensational run of form that led to the runners-up place in the league. Puyol made 27 appearances in the league and seven in the UEFA Cup.However, Carles Puyol had to wait until the 2004-05 season to win his first medal with Barca. He was, by then, captain of the first team and an essential part of Frank Rijkaard's league championship winning side. At the end of the season, he finally saw his dream come true of lifting the league trophy in the Nou Camp.During the 2005-06 season, he played as well as he had the previous year. The Barça captain had the honour of being presented with the league title trophy before the game against Espanyol, before lifting the UEFA Champions League in Paris after the monumental victory against Arsenal in the Saint-Denis Stadium. Puyol only missed five matches all season and none through injury. On three occasions he was rested by coach Frank Rijkaard and was then suspended for the other two games which he did not play in. He also scored one goal as he headed home during the 5-0 victory against Real Sociedad on October 30, 2005. At the end of the following season in 2006/07 (in which he played in 35 of 38 League games), Carles Puyol suffered the worst injury of his career when the League was already over. He damaged ligaments in his knee in a friendly played in Pretoria on 20 June 2007 and this kept him out until 29 September. Despite missing the first months of the competition, the club captain finally played in 30 League games in the 2007/08 campaign. In the treble winning season 2008/09, Carles Puyol was once again Barça's most versatile defender. Guardiola used him as a right back in the Champions League final, a left back in the Copa del Rey final and also as centre back in most games. A great utility player, he also showed he can score goals, such as his header in the historic 6-2 win at the Bernabéu. In Rome he made history by becoming the first Barça captain to lift the Champions league trophy twice.In the 2009-10 season he won his fourth league title. The captain is incredibly consistent and is one of the defenders most used by Pep Guardiola in the heart of defence.Puyol was less fortunate in 2010/11, where despite winning his fifth league and third Champions League, he only played 27 matches (his fewest appearances since 2000/01). Towards the end of the season, he underwent arthroscopy on his left knee to extract loose cartilage from his femur.Carles Puyol is also a fixture in the Spanish national side, with which he played in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups and in the European Championships in 2004 and 2008. In the latter he was key figure as Spain won the title in Vienna.In the summer of 2010 he won the only club or international medal that was missing from his collection. One of the cornerstones of the team, he played in all seven matches and scored the only goal of the semi-final against Germany – a header similar to his goal in the historic 2-6 victory in the Bernabeu.
He rapidly became a fixture in Barca B and then progressed to make his debut with the first team on 2nd October 1999 against Valladolid at the orders of Louis Van Gaal. His appearances became more and more frequent until he made the right back position his own. Thanks to his determination to improve and a tremendous work rate, Carles Puyol adapted to the position of central defender.In the 2003-2004 season, having been chosen as third captain, he played a vital role in the team's sensational run of form that led to the runners-up place in the league. Puyol made 27 appearances in the league and seven in the UEFA Cup.However, Carles Puyol had to wait until the 2004-05 season to win his first medal with Barca. He was, by then, captain of the first team and an essential part of Frank Rijkaard's league championship winning side. At the end of the season, he finally saw his dream come true of lifting the league trophy in the Nou Camp.During the 2005-06 season, he played as well as he had the previous year. The Barça captain had the honour of being presented with the league title trophy before the game against Espanyol, before lifting the UEFA Champions League in Paris after the monumental victory against Arsenal in the Saint-Denis Stadium. Puyol only missed five matches all season and none through injury. On three occasions he was rested by coach Frank Rijkaard and was then suspended for the other two games which he did not play in. He also scored one goal as he headed home during the 5-0 victory against Real Sociedad on October 30, 2005. At the end of the following season in 2006/07 (in which he played in 35 of 38 League games), Carles Puyol suffered the worst injury of his career when the League was already over. He damaged ligaments in his knee in a friendly played in Pretoria on 20 June 2007 and this kept him out until 29 September. Despite missing the first months of the competition, the club captain finally played in 30 League games in the 2007/08 campaign. In the treble winning season 2008/09, Carles Puyol was once again Barça's most versatile defender. Guardiola used him as a right back in the Champions League final, a left back in the Copa del Rey final and also as centre back in most games. A great utility player, he also showed he can score goals, such as his header in the historic 6-2 win at the Bernabéu. In Rome he made history by becoming the first Barça captain to lift the Champions league trophy twice.In the 2009-10 season he won his fourth league title. The captain is incredibly consistent and is one of the defenders most used by Pep Guardiola in the heart of defence.Puyol was less fortunate in 2010/11, where despite winning his fifth league and third Champions League, he only played 27 matches (his fewest appearances since 2000/01). Towards the end of the season, he underwent arthroscopy on his left knee to extract loose cartilage from his femur.Carles Puyol is also a fixture in the Spanish national side, with which he played in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups and in the European Championships in 2004 and 2008. In the latter he was key figure as Spain won the title in Vienna.In the summer of 2010 he won the only club or international medal that was missing from his collection. One of the cornerstones of the team, he played in all seven matches and scored the only goal of the semi-final against Germany – a header similar to his goal in the historic 2-6 victory in the Bernabeu.
6 Xavi
Xavi has spent all his footballing life at the Nou Camp, having joined Barcelona when he was only 11 years old. The progress he made was always very quick and in season 97-98 he moved up from youth team to Barca B.In Barça B, he became the brains of Jordi Gonzalvo's team which won promotion to the second division.Xavi's dream of making his official debut with the first team squad became true when he played in the Spanish Super Cup against Majorca in the summer of 1998. He was in the starting line up and scored: a better debut he could not have asked for. Xavi also played an important role in the league-winning season of 1998-99 with Van Gaal as manager, most notably with an important goal in the Nuevo Zorrilla, which turned round the team's fortunes.Season 1999-2000 was a good one for Xavi as due to the injury to Guardiola he was the first choice number 4 for a large part of the season. After the legendry captain left for Italian football he became the playmaker of the team and has continued to demonstrate the full range of his talents in this position.With Van Gaal, Rexach, Antic, Rijkaard and Guardiola in charge of the team, Xavi has always been a key member of the team - a fact made clear by the 300 official games he completed whilst still only 25 years old.With Rijkaard, Xavi has shown that he can not only play at the heart of midfield, but is also more than able to cover any position in the center of the team, an ability reflected in the fact that he was the most used player in the League winning 2004-05 season, playing 36 games in all.Xavi will never forget 2 December 2005. While training at La Masía, the midfielder tore the ligaments in his left knee. His recovery was swifter than expected and within five months he was playing again. On 29 April 2006 against Cadiz, Xavi once again "felt like a footballer ". He was back in time to celebrate the League and Champions League titles with his team-mates.In the last two seasons with Frank Rijkaard in the dugout, Xavi was one of the players most used by the Dutch manager. Plus in the 2007-08 season he set a personal best of 7 League goals, almost doubling his previous highest of four in the 2001-02 and 2003-04 seasons.In Guardiola's first year, Xavi Hernández extended his goalscoring record. He beat his personal best, getting 10 in 54 games. Along with Iniesta, he formed part of the central playmaking duo that contributed so much to the treble winning season. Xavi led the side that won the 2009-10 league title with an historic 99 points.During the 2010/11 season, the midfielder recorded a new record which he continues to stretch as the Club's leading appearance maker. On January 2nd 2011, Xavi equalled Migueli's record of 549 appearances when he played in the 2-1 win over Llevant at the Stadium. On winning the league in 2010/11, Xavi equalled the record of six league titles for Barça previously shared by Ramallets and Guardiola.In addition Xavi Hernández has also been a fixture in Spain's national side. He played in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups and in the 2004 and 2008 European Championships, and in the latter was chosen as best player as Spain picked up the title.His World Cup winner's medal in 2010 completes a truly astounding list of honours. Xavi was the undisputed playmaker par excellence and the best passer of the competition.
7 Villa
David Villa, 28, moved to FC Barcelona on 21st May 2010, just five days after the team won the second consecutive league title of the Guardiola era.David Villa Sanchez made his first division debut with Zaragoza but really made his name with Valencia. However, his roots are in the mining region of Asturias in northern Spain where his father was a miner. He joined the youth teams of local club Sporting Gijon and soon made his way up the ranks to the first team.He's the 11th Asturias –born player to defend the Barca colours – previous famous compatriots in recent years being Quini, in the 80's and former Barca captain Luis Enrique. Both of them recommended Barca to Villa.David Villa's career has been characterized by his unerring ability to score plenty of goals. In his seven seasons in the first division before joining Barca he never scored less than 15 a season.He joins Barca in his prime – he's 28 – and is a proven striker. He spent two years with Zaragoza (2003-05) and five with Valencia (2005-10), scoring 140 goals in 239 matches.Despite his individual talent, he has collected relatively little silverware – two Cup medals and a Spanish Super Cup. So he joins Barca with plenty of hunger for honours.His honours were dramatically extended after just one year at Barça. In 2010/11, playing on the left side of attack under Josep Guardiola, Villa won the Spanish Supercup, the league and the Champions League. He ended the season with a cracking goal in the Wembley final against Manchester United.Villa is also a key part of the international team and, after the South African World Cup, has scored more World Cup goals than any other Spanish players. He played a huge role in Spain's victory. His five goals made him Spain's top scorer and – together with Müller (Germany), Snejder (Holland) and Forlán (Uruguay) – also the tournament's top scorer.
8 Iniesta
Andrés Iniesta joined Barca as a twelve-year-old in 1996 after scouts had spotted him at the Brunette Tournament playing for Albacete.From the start he progressed rapidly through the club's various youth teams and was promoted to the Barca B team for the 2000-01 season, where he almost immediately became the team's main playmaker under coach Josep Maria Gonzalvo.Andrés' dream of making the first team finally came true in October 2002 when he was picked to play in the Champions League game against Bruges in Belgium. Van Gaal's Barca won that evening and Andrés made an excellent impression.Now an recognised squad member, Iniesta has established a place for himself through hard work allied to his undoubted natural skills. In the shadow of some of the team's bigger names, Andres became a key piece of the League winning 2004-5 team, winding up as Rijkaard's most used player, figuring in 35 of the 38 league games. Iniesta also played 8 Champions League matches, scoring twice.But he really established himself as a first team player in the 2005-06 season. Playing in central midfield in place of Xavi, who was sidelined for a long time with injury, Iniesta became one of the key players in the Barça side that won the League and the Champions League. He played in 33 League fixtures and 11 in the Champions League.Personal biography Andrés Iniesta joined Barca as a twelve-year-old in 1996 after scouts had spotted him at the Brunette Tournament playing for Albacete.From the start he progressed rapidly through the club's various youth teams and was promoted to the Barca B team for the 2000-01 season, where he almost immediately became the team's main playmaker under coach Josep Maria Gonzalvo.Personal biography Andrés Iniesta joined Barca as a twelve-year-old in 1996 after scouts had spotted him at the Brunette Tournament playing for Albacete.From the start he progressed rapidly through the club's various youth teams and was promoted to the Barca B team for the 2000-01 season, where he almost immediately became the team's main playmaker under coach Josep Maria Gonzalvo.Iniesta continued to develop in the 2006-07 season and was one of the players most used by Frank Rijkaard in that campaign. He played in 37 out of 38 League games scoring 6 goals, his best return to date. In the 2007-08 season, and by now in the number 8 shirt, the midfielder continued to be an ever present in the side until the last few games when he picked up a knee injury.In the 2008/09 season, Iniesta had an even better season than ever. Playing in a central or wide role he delighted the whole world with his amazing dribbling skills. He grew into one of the essential components of the Barça engine, and took the team to the Champions League final with an injury time goal at Stamford Bridge. Injury affected his contribution in the 2009-10 season when he was already one of the leading players in the team. He played 29 matches in the league, 9 in the Champions League and 3 in the Cup. In the 2010/11 season, Iniesta was back to his best and in an injury free season he helped the team to another Liga and another Champions League. He played 50 matches, his second highest total as an FCB player.Plus Andrés Iniesta is one of the key players in the Spanish national side, playing in the 2006 and 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008, when he was one of the players most used by Luis Aragonés as Spain lifted the trophy.Without a doubt Iniesta will never forget 11th July 2010 and his winning goal in the dying minutes of extra time in the World Cup final against Holland. Despite his youth, Iniesta has now won every title the game offers.
9 Alexis
Alexis Sánchez became a Barça player on July 21, 2011 after the Catalans and Udinese agreed terms for his transfer. The Chilean joins the club at the age of 22 years, and is the first new arrival of 2011/2012.Born on December 19, 1988 in the city of Tocopilla (Chile) Alexis Sánchez's career started at the age of 15 when he signed for local outfit Cobreloa. He made his professional debut aged just 16 years on February 12, 2005. In his first year he made 38 appearances and scored 3 goals. In July 2006, Cobreloa sold Alexis to Udinese, who immediately loaned him out to one of the top sides in Chile, Colo-Colo. He played 48 games there and scored nine goals. In the 2007-08 season, Udinese loaned him again, this time to River Plate in Argentina. He was only at the 'millionaires' for a season, but impressed considerably in his 31 appearances.So, in the 2008/09 season, Udinese decided to add him to their squad at the tender age of 19. It took him a few months to adapt to life in Europe, but the Italians soon realised that they had made the right choice. He played 43 league, cup and European games and scored 3 goals. The 2009/2010 season was even better, in which he was given more chances, playing 36 games and scoring six goals.It was in the 2010/2011 season that he really exploded. He was amazing in the Calcio and was named player of the year in Serie A. He played a total of 33 games, 31 in the league, and scored more goals than ever in a season, twelve. He also supplied a host of assists and attracted the interest of some of the biggest clubs in the world. Eventually, following a long negotiation process, he signed for Barça.
10 Messi
Leo Messi, with two Ballon d'Or awards to his name (2009 and 2010), is the best player in the world. This modest Argentinian has speed, dribbling and shooting skills. But despite so many individual virtues, he is also a remarkable team player.This Argentinian striker's footballing career started in 1995 at Newell's Old Boys, where he played until the year 2000. At the age of 13, Lionel Messi crossed the Atlantic to try his luck in Barcelona, and joined the Under 14s.Messi made spectacular progress at each of the different age levels, climbing through the ranks of the different youth teams and then Barça C, followed by Barça B and the first team in record time.In the 2003-2004 season, when he was still only 16, Messi made his first team debut in a friendly with Porto that marked the opening of the new Dragao stadium. The following championship-winning season, Messi made his first appearance in an official match on October 16, 2004, in Barcelona's derby win against Espanyol at the Olympic Stadium (0-1).With several first team players seriously injured, the services of several reserve team players were called upon, and Messi became a regular feature of Barça squads. On May 1, 2005, he became the youngest player ever to score a league goal for FC Barcelona - against Albacete when Messi was only 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old. That record would eventually be beaten by Bojan.At the Under 20 World Cup in Holland, Messi not only won the title with Argentina, but was also the leading goalscorer and was voted best player in the tournament. Aged 18 years, he had become one of the hottest properties in the world game. Shortly after, he made his first full international appearance in a friendly against Hungary.His breakthrough as a player came in the 2005-06 season, starting with an amazing performance in the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Juventus. He was also outstanding at the Santiago Bernabéu, in Barcelona's unforgettable 3-0 win, and also at Stamford Bridge, in the Champions League match against Chelsea. Injury kept him sidelined for much of the latter stage of the season. Messi played a total of 17 league games, 6 in the Champions League and 2 in the Copa del Rey. Messi scored eight goals.The following season Messi moved up a gear and astounded the world with goals such as the one he scored against Getafe in the King's Cup. In the 2006/07 season, and even though the team didn't win any titles, the Argentine was second in the FIFA World Player awards and third in the Golden Ball. He continued to develop in the 2007/08 campaign, when he scored 16 goals and gave 10 assists in the 40 games he played in. In 2008, Leo Messi was runner up in the FIFA WORLD PLAYER AWARD for the second season in a row.In the 2008/09 season, and now without Ronaldinho alongside him, Messi continued to be the main star of the Barça line up. He managed to stay injury free all season, and played 51 games, scoring 38 goals. The Argentinian was also fundamental in the two finals, scoring Barça's second goals in both. El año 2009 ganó el FIFA World Player y Balón de Oro.How far can Leo Messi go? He was the league's top scorer in the 2009-10 season and equalled Ronaldo's historic total of 34 goals (96-97). He scored the goal against Estudiantes de La Plata that gave Barça the Club's first World Club Cup.But without settling for that, the Argentinian went even further in the 2010/11 season, scoring no fewer than 53 official goals, a Spanish record only bettered by Cristiano Ronaldo (that very same season). Messi, like in Rome, played a vital role in the Champions League final at Wembley were scored a scorcher from outside the area to put his team ahead.The season 2011/12 is when Messi moves past César Rodríguez's record of 232 goals to become the Club's all time top goalscorer. He achieves this on the 20th of March 2012 in a 5-3 victory over Granada in which he scores a brilliant hat-trick.Messi also consolidated his place in the national side, now having played at two World Cups (2006 and 2010) and two Copa America (2007 and 2011) for Argentina. In 2008 he also went to the Olympic Games in Beijing, where his country won gold.
11 Thiago
Born in Bari, Italy, Thiago joined Barça as a 14 year-old in 2005 and since then he hasn't stopped growing as a player as he worked his way through the various youth teams.Thiago has had a wide range of experience over his 20 years, since his father - Mazinho- was a profession himself and he lived in Brazil, Italy and Spain itself. When the family decided to move back to Galicia to live, Thiago began playing for Ureca de Vigo, where he soon caught the eye of a number of clubs, with Barça getting in first and signing him in 2005.After a few seasons progressing through the Cadet and Youth teams, Thiago was promoted to the B team in the 2008-09 season, when he played 25 games and 18 more the year after.He made his official first team debut in the game against Mallorca on May 17th 2009, when he was still only 18, and showed that despite his young age, he was capable of playing for both the B and first teams, coming on after 74 minutes for Eidur Gudjohnsen. He scored his first goal the following season –on February 20th against Racing Santander at the Camp Nou in the team's 4-0 win. His only other game for the first team that year was in the Cup.In the 2010-11 season, Thiago began to play a more important role in Guardiola's team –featuring in 17 games, 12 in the league(six as a starter) where he scored twice, in Almeria and Donosti, three in the Spanish Cup, where he scored at the Camp Nou against Ceuta and a Champions League and Spanish Super Cup appearance. He also continued to play for Luis Enrique's B team, making 11 appearances as the team finished third in the second division.For the 2011-12 season, Thiago has been made a full first team squad member, after signing a contract renewal in June 2011 which will keep him at the Club until 2015
13 Pinto
José Manuel Pinto joined Barça on 18 January 2008 from Celta, the club he had played for during the previous ten seasons. He came on loan but FC Barcelona signed him permanently at the end of the 2007/08 season.Born in Puerto de Santa Maria (Cádiz) on November 8, 1975, Pinto start his professional career in Andalucia. After spending three seasons with Real Betis's B side, he moved up to the first team and made his debut for the club during the 1997/98 campaign. A year later he agreed to move to Celta Vigo, where would spend the next decade before leaving to go to Camp Nou.After being replaced by Toni Prats at Betis, Pinto opted to join Celta and it was there that he found stability and was awarded the captain's armband. He went on to play 126 games in la Primera, 56 matches in la Segunda A as well as appearing in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup regularly with the club. As well as helping the side to qualify for the Champions League in 2003/04, Pinto won the Zamora Trophy as the best keeper in the league in 2005/06.That year, Pinto conceded just 28 goals in 37 league matches (an average of 0.75 per game) and helped guide the team to sixth place in the top flight and into the UEFA Cup. The season before had seen Víctor Valdés win the Zamora.When playing for Celta in the Second Division, FC Barcelona bought him in the January transfer window as cover for Albert Jorquera, sidelined with a long-term knee injury. He came on loan but FC Barcelona signed him permanently at the end of the 2007/08 season, during which he made his League debut away at Deportivo and then played in two more matches.In the 2008/09 season, Guardiola made Pinto his first choice stopper in the cup. The Andalusian played every game in the competition and performed especially well in the semi final, saving a penalty from Mallorca's Martí, which could have complicated Barcelona's qualification. He also played the last games of the league campaign, thus ensuring Valdés won the Zamora Trophy.From 2009/10 to 2010/11 he played a total of 21 games, especially in the latter, when first choice keeper Valdés was out for some time though injury.
14 Mascherano
Javier Mascherano was presented as an FC Barcelona player on August 30, 2010 after the authoritative midfielder completed his move from Liverpool.'El Jefecito', as the Argentinian is affectionately known, is a player who has earned the respect of all wherever he has played. He made his professional bow under Manuel Pellegrini at River Plate after having played for Argentina in a game against Uruguay.After impressing with River for two seasons Mascherano moved to Corinthians in Brazil and won the league title. That form alerted European clubs and he was on the move once again when West Ham United secured his services. The London club bought him and his Corinthians team-mate Carlos Tévez for a combined fee of $35 million.In January 2007 he was on the move once again as he headed to the north west of England to join Liverpool, but missed out on the Champions League encounter with FC Barcelona that spring. At Anfield he formed a lethal midfield trio alongside Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso. During his three-and-a-half years at the club Liverpool reached the Champions League final but failed to win any silverware.On August 30, 2010 Mascherano signed a four-year contract with FC Barcelona. Signed to compete for a place in the centre of midfield following the departure of Touré Yaya to Manchester CityMascherano is the only Argentinian player to have won two gold medals at the Olympic Games. After securing his first at the games in Athens in 2004 he then helped his country to further success in Beijing in 2008, where he played with Lionel Messi. The two Blaugrana players also appeared together for Argentina at the World Cup Finals in South Africa 2010.
15 Keita
Seydou Keita became FC Barcelona's first signing of the 2007/2008 season. The Mali international arrived from Seville to strengthen the centre of the Barça midfield.Born in Bamako (Mali) on 16th January 1980, Seydou Keita comes from a footballing family. His uncle, Kalif Keita, is considered to be one of the best players in the history of Mali, winning the African Golden Ball in 1970, while his cousin Mahmadou Sissoko is also a well known footballer.Keita started his career with Centro Kalif Keita of the Mali First Division (a training club for promising youngsters set up by his uncle) where he was spotted by Olympique Marseille. At 17 years old he followed in his uncle's footsteps and signed for the French club.Seydou Keita spent three years in the Marseille reserves before making his first team debut against Troies on 19th September 1999 in place of former Barça star Cristophe Dugarry. He also played his first games in the Champions League. A few months earlier, in April, Keita had been voted best player in the under-20s World Cup in Nigeria, ahead of players of the quality of Ronaldinho and Lampard. Mali were eliminated in the semi-finals by a Spain side led by Xavi and finished in 3rd place.At the end of the season, Marseille coach Abel Braga decided to loan him out to Second Division Lorient to gain more experience. Keita played all 38 league matches and helped the team win promotion to Ligue 1. In the 2001/02 season, Keita spent time away with the Mali squad for the African Cup of Nations in Nigeria and Lorient went back down to the Second Division. The midfielder finished in 4th place with Mali, played in 21 league matches and helped Lorient win the French Cup 2002 and reach the final of the League Cup.Lens, who had finished second in Ligue 1 and wanted to strengthen the team ahead of the Champions League, managed to obtain his services on loan for the 2002/03 season. He played a total of 38 matches in all competitions and scored 3 goals. His performances persuaded Lens to sign him and he spent the next 4 seasons at the club. His excellent performances led to his being voted second best player in Ligue 1 2006/07, behind Florent Malouda.Now an established star, Keita moved to Sevilla in the summer of 2007, having spent 8 years in France. He played 31 of the Andalus club's 38 league matches, 29 of them in the starting line-up. He scored 4 goals and demonstrated his ability to shoot from distance.After a year with Sevilla, he became Josep Guardiola's first signing in the summer of 2008. After an initial period of adjustment to the fast one-touch style of play in the Barça midfield, Keita started to become more important in the coach's line-ups. He played 46 matches and scored 6 goals, some of them quite spectacular, such as the goal against Bayern Munich (1-1) in the Allianz Arena. The Mali international proved to be a reliable addition to the Barça midfield.Completely adapted to the Barça style of play, Seydou Keita became a fixture in the Barça midfield in the 2009-10 season. After a spectacular start to the season, including a hat trick against Zaragoza, Keita kept his place in the team and even figured as a left winger. The same happened in 2010/11, where although he started fewer games, Keita became the regular twelfth man in Guardiola's plans. Nobody appeared in as many games, 56, as the Malian in 2010/11.He is a regular for Mali and is one of the stars of the national team. He played in the African Cup in 2002, 2004 and 2008.
16 Busquets
Born in Sabadell, he joined the Barça youth system in the summer of 2005 from Jabac. That season, playing for the Juvenil A side, he won three major trophies in a team that also included the likes of Bojan, Giovani, Jeffren and Marc Crosas.In the 2006-07 season, Sergi Busquets continued with Juvenil A and was one of the core players in the side coached by Àlex Garcia. In his third year at the level, and despite still being a midfielder, Sergio scored 7 goals in 26 games.The following season, Busquets moved up to Barça B under Pep Guardiola. It was not until the twelfth match that Sergio started a game, but he immediately impressed, and was picked 23 more times that season. He scored twice and made a major contribution to the promotion to Division 2B.He got to play with the first team in the Copa Catalunya matches of 2007-08 and 2008-09, and then Sergio made his League debut on September 13, 2008 against Racing (1-1). He came on from the start and stayed out the full 90 minutes. Busquets would get more and more chances as the season drew on, and was very much involved in the famous treble win. He started the Cup final and the Champions League final, thus ending an incredible twelve months in which he progressed from the third division to being a European champion!In the 2009-10 season, he established his name as one of the most talented central midfielders on the international scene. Despite stiff competition from Touré Yaya, he played in 33 matches in the league, 10 in the Champions League and 4 in the Cup. In the 2010/11 season, he consolidated his position in midfield as the team won the Spanish Supercup, the league and the Champions League. Aged just 22 years, Busquets already has a enviable number of honours.His fine form for Barça has won him international recognition. He played his first game for Spain on April 1, 2009, at the Ali Sami Yen, against Turkey (1-2). He also travelled to the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa.Vicente del Bosque put his faith in him and made Busquets his first choice central midfielder in the Spanish team that won the 2010 World Cup.Sergi Busquets is the son of Carles Busquets, who played in goal for FC Barcelona in the 1990s.
17 Pedro
This winger, born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, joined the Barça youth structure in August 2004 to play for the Juvenil A side after previously representing CD San Isidro.After three years in the reserve teams, Pedro got his first taste of the first team during the 2007/08 season. Both these games were at the Camp Nou, against Murcia in game 19 and Valladolid in game 29. But he still spent most of the season with Barça B, helping them to promotion to Division 2B. He scored six goals in 36 outings.Guardiola, now manager of the first team, kept a close eye on his former charge. In fact, Pedro was one of the players he made the most use of in the 2008/09 preseason. As the season progressed, Pedro started playing a role in all three competitions, and even enjoyed some pitch time in the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals. In total, he appeared in 14 games in the 2008/09 season, but didn't score any goals.On August 20, 2009 Pedro signed a contract as a first team player after being one of the highest scorers in the preseason matches. In 2009, Pedro Rodríguez scored in the Spanish League and Cup, the Champions League , both the European and Spanish Super Cups and the World Club Cup – the first player in the world to achieve this. Without a doubt the grand revelation of the 2009-10 season. He scored 10 goals in the league of the 99 points.In 2010/11 he stayed as strong, making 53 appearances, one more than 2009/10, and scored 22 goals, one fewer than the previous year, one of which was the opener at Wembley. In the 2010/11 season he scored in six consecutive games, something only Escolà, Quini and Stoichkov had done before him. His extraordinary performances at club level took him to the Spanish squad for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa. He made the starting line-up in the semi-final and final and became a key figure in Spain's eventual victory.
20 Afellay
Afellay signed for FC Barcelona on December 24, 2010, five weeks after the club agreed a deal with PSV Eindhoven for him to move to Camp Nou. The Dutch international was the first winter signing of Pep Guardiola's reign in charge of the first-team.Aged 24, Afellay was born on April 2, 1986 in Utrecht, Netherlands, with Moroccan heritage and spent his formative years in the game at USV Elinswijk. On February 4, 2004 he made his first-team debut for PSV in a cup game against NAC. Ten days afterwards he played in his first league encounter aged just 17 as the Eindhoven club met Twente.During the 2004/05 season Afellay made seven first-team appearances, but it was in the following campaign, 2005/06, that he consolidated his place in the squad and the team. Since then he has played a minimum of 23 games per year in the league with his best term coming in 2008/09 when he netted 13 goals. In Holland he has won all the major domestic honours with four league titles, the Dutch Cup and the Supercup to his name.With experience in the Champions League and the Europea League too, Afellay joined FC Barcelona after penning a contract and undergoing a medical five weeks after the two clubs agreed a deal. His contract at PSV was due to run out in June, 2011.In his first half season with Barcelona he scored 2 goals and played in 28 games, often onm the wing but sometimes in a more central role, and was an important part of the league and Champions League double winning side.The wide player, who can also play on the middle, formed part of the Holland squad at the European Championships in 2008 and the World Cup Finals in 2010, although without playing a major role in either.
21 Adriano
Adriano joined Barca on July 17th 2010 at the age of 25, after playing for six seasons at Seville. The Brazilian is Barca's second summer signing of 2010 following the capture of David Villa in June.Adriano Correia Claro (26 October1984, Curitiba) signed a four year contract, with the option of a further season and a 90 million Euro buy out clause, on July 17th 2010. After playing futsal as a youngster he was signed by Seville from Brazilian outfit Coritiba, where he debuted at the age of 18, and played for the Andaluz club for six seasons from 2004 to 2010.The Brazilian won an impressive number of medals with Seville, picking up at least one title in four of his six seasons at the club. The last one being the Spanish Cup won at the Nou Camp at the end of the 2010 season against Atletico Madrid. He played a total of 157 games for Seville and scored 11 league goals.In his first season at Barça, Adriano made 31 appearances and was the first choice on the left until injury kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season.Adriano was also a part of the 2003 Brazilian under 20 World Cup winning team and won the Copa America with the full national side in 2004.
22 Abidal
Eric Abidal joined Barça in the 2007/08 season to replace Dutch international Giovanni van Bronckhorst. This was his first taste of domestic football away from France.Born in Lyon (11-9-1979) in the heart of an immigrant family, Abidal started his footballing career with Lyon-la-Duchère in the French CFA 2 Division, where he played as a left sided midfielder. In the summer of 2000, he signed a professional deal with Monaco, making his debut in Ligue 1 on 16th September 2000 against Toulouse. In his first season he alternated appearances with the reserves and the first team, with whom he appeared in 8 league matches and once in the Champions League. In the 2001/02 season, Abidal made a further 14 appearances in the Monaco defence, either at full back or using his strength as a centre back.At the end of the season, Abidal asked to go out on loan to get some more first team football. He moved to Lille, managed by the man who gave him his Ligue 1 debut with Monaco, Claude Puel. He spent 2 seasons there and gained a reputation as one of the best defenders in the country.In the summer of 2004, he returned to his hometown when he was signed by the league champions of the previous three seasons, Olympique Lyon. He earned a place in the starting line-up from the very beginning and made his international debut for 'Les Bleus' on August 18th 2004 against Bosnia.Abidal helped Lyon win three league titles and three more Super Cups, forming part of a team that enthralled the whole of Europe with their great football. In the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he played six of France's seven games and won a runners-up medal, after which he had a great season with Lyon for the third consecutive year, with 31 starts in Ligue 1. He also figured in seven Champions League matches in the starting line-up and played 10 times for France in the 2006-07 season.Eric Abidal joined FC Barcelona in the summer of 2007. The Frenchman played 30 League games, 10 in the Champions League and 6 in the Cup, sharing left-back duties with Sylvinho, although on more than one occasion Frank Rijkaard used him as a central defender. At the end of the season he played for France in Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.In the 2008/09 season he won the treble with Barça, but it was also a year of misfortune for Abidal. First he was injured against Espanyol and missed eight weeks of football, and on his return he was sent off in the semi finals of both the Champions League and Spanish Cup and so was suspended for both finals in Rome and Valencia. He played 31 games in all three competitions.In the 2009-10 season he reached a peak of form, made some great goal assists but was once again plagued by injury. He played 17 games in the league and 8 in the Champions League.The 2010/11 season was the hardest of all for Éric Abidal, when he was found to have a liver tumour in March. But showing an amazing fighting spirit, he would be back playing just six weeks later, in the 1-1 draw with Madrid in the Champions League semi final second leg. Abidal started the Wembley final on the left after missing the Rome final though suspension, and captain Puyol left it to him to lift the trophy after they had beaten Manchester United 3-1. That game in London was also his 150th for the club.
23 Cuenca
Signed by Barça when still playing at U14 level, Isaac Cuenca has worked hard to get to the top. As an U16, he left the club, only to return three years later to play for the first U18 team. Last season he made his Division 2B debut on loan at Sabadell, and was one of the main reasons for that club’s promotion. He returned to Barça in the summer of 2010 to play for the reserves, but Pep Guardiola had been keeping a very close eye on his progress and regularly invited him to train with the first team. He joined them on the preseason tour, and Isaac Cuenca finally made his first team debut for Barça on October 20, 2011, when he came on for David Villa against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.He was the surprise package of the season. Showing much tactical discipline, Cuenca was played on the wing and didn’t disappoint. He was soon being admired for his accurate crosses and goalscoring instinct. In only his second league outing, against Mallorca, he scored his first official goal for the club.Cuenca soon adapted to the first team dynamic, and started playing a more prominent role both in training and matches, and on January 31, 2011, his renewed contract included a first team registration.
24 Fontas
Andreu Fontàs joined the first team squad on March 16th 2011 at the age of 21, taking the place of Éric Abidal, who had to undergo surgery after a tumour was detected in his liver.Before that, Andreu Fontàs (14-11-1989, Banyoles) had already made his debut with the first team, coming on for Gerard Piqué for the last few minutes of the 3-0 win over Sporting at the Nou Camp on August 31st 2009. Fontàs joined the first team squad in mid March 2011 after he’d featured in five first team games, in La Liga, the Spanish Cup and the Champions League, where he scored his first goal for the team against Rubin Kazan in the 2-0 win at the Nou Camp. Fontàs joined the Club’s youth set up in the summer of 2007 from Girona, a club he played for in 2007 after leaving his home town club Banyoles, where he had played since 1996. He was part of the Youth A squad for a year and then moved up to Barça B where he played for two and a half seasons, during which the team won promotion to the second division under Luis Enrique. He was promoted to the first team following Éric Abidal’s absence with a tumour in mid March, and played his role in winning the Liga and Champions League.