Barcelona's Best Squad of Last 20 Years Based on Shirt Numbers
Barcelona's squad is filled with incredible talent, year after year, and one of the intriguing aspects of replacing one big name with another is always to see which player inherits the squad number of a departing legend.
The Catalan club's No. 10 shirt, for example, was worn by the likes of Jari Litmanen, Rivaldo, Juan Roman Riquelme and Ronaldinho even before Lionel Messi ever got his hands on it. It's quite the stellar list—but what if you could only pick one of them for your side?
We've delved into the history books and picked a matchday squad purely using one player per squad number, as worn by each player at Barca over the last 20 years.
It's a tremendous side, of course, but picking some names inevitably meant other fantastic talents were left out as they shared the same shirt across different eras, so read on to find out who made the cut.
Goalkeeper: No. 25, Victor Valdes
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In goal it was a toss-up between the current incumbent, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and the long-term custodian Victor Valdes.
Ultimately, while Ter Stegen is the better all-round goalkeeper, with greater technique and shot-stopping ability, he cannot be picked as an all-time starter while still in his first full season as No. 1, simply on the balance of what those who preceded him have won.
Valdes wore the No. 25 shirt upon graduating to the first-team scene before taking over the goalkeeper's rightful jersey of No. 1, and he went on to win six league titles and three Champions League titles with the club. He's our pick, but revisit this in a few years' time and a certain German might have usurped him.
Right-Back: No. 20, Dani Alves
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While there was never much doubt about who would be right-back in our team, there was certainly the question to be answered of which number he'd wear.
After Albert Ferrer, Barca had trouble filling the right-back slot for a while—bar Juliano Belletti, briefly—until Dani Alves arrived from Sevilla in 2008. During the course of his eight-year stay in Catalonia, he wore No. 2, No. 6, No. 20 and No. 22, changing for a variety of reasons each time including taking on his friend Eric Abidal's shirt, 22, after the French defender left Barcelona.
We've gone for him in the No. 20 jersey, his first one at the club, as it began to showcase the Brazilian's threat in the offensive third and the power and energy that would be his hallmarks for years to come.
Centre-Back: No. 5, Carles Puyol
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Carles Puyol is one of the finest defenders in Barcelona history, never mind just in the last 20 years.
Aggressive, strong and a great leader, despite a relatively small frame, he was him a standout player in the Barca shirt from when he was promoted from La Masia to the first-team scene until his retirement, never playing for another club.
He also won a full 100 caps for Spain, winning the European Championship and FIFA World Cup along the way.
Puyol was a captain whether he wore the armband or not, directing and dictating his team-mates and ensuring the winning mentality ran right through the team.
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Centre-Back: No. 4, Rafa Marquez
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Alongside Puyol, we go for one of his partners: Rafa Marquez.
The Mexican is perhaps one of the game's underappreciated stars, accepted as a good player around the world but still perhaps not quite given his due credit for just what a standout he has been—not just at Barca but on the international scene and for his other clubs.
Equally at home in defence or holding midfield, Marquez was aerially dominant, excellent in possession and a strong personality on the pitch.
Marquez is still going strong at 38 years of age, captain of Atlas and Mexico with over 130 caps to his name.
Left-Back: No. 12, Sergi Barjuan
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On to the left side of defence, there's plenty to choose from, but we're going for a long-serving player from the turn of the century: Sergi Barjuan.
The Spanish full-back played for nine years at Barca, a first pick for each until the Dutch revolution of Louis van Gaal in the early 2000s forced him elsewhere. Sergi won three league titles and the Cup Winners' Cup at Barcelona, while also winning over 50 caps as the first choice for the national team.
A short, stocky presence on the left who always wore the No. 12 jersey, he was a tenacious tackler, was quick to get forward and had a tremendous cross on him, with a good deal more overall consistency than current left-back Jordi Alba.
Central Midfield: No. 6, Xavi Hernandez
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Into midfield and a double pivot that will surprise few, starting with the legend of Xavi.
The Spaniard defined a generation with his on-the-ball ability, his control of matches and impeccable technique—all at a size not typically associated with dominant midfielders.
Xavi was one of the greatest-ever central players, in Barcelona, Spain or indeed world football, and La Liga is the poorer for his absence as he finishes his career in Qatar.
The No. 6 shirt was his, and he won eight league titles and four Champions Leagues wearing it, as well as 133 caps for Spain, the World Cup and two European Championships.
Central Midfield: No. 24, Andres Iniesta
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Where lies Xavi, must too be Andres Iniesta.
Most famous for wearing the No. 8 shirt as he continues to do now—he and Xavi swapped Nos. 6 and 8 at international level—Iniesta broke into the Barcelona team as a youngster, and his first senior shirt, those from 1 to 25 in La Liga, was 24.
All the roving, scheming brilliance for which Iniesta is well-known was initially on show in that shirt, with his quick footwork in the dribble, his eye-catching through passes and his ability to maintain possession in tight areas all highlights in those early days.
Iniesta has now played over 600 games for Barcelona and over 100 times for Spain.
Right Attacking Midfield: No. 19, Lionel Messi
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Into the front four, and what a quartet it is.
Messi runs the No. 10 shirt nowadays at the Camp Nou, but his breakthrough season came in No. 30 and, once promoted to the seniors, he switched to 19.
From the right flank, he displayed all that incredible on-the-ball genius that has made him the world's best player on five separate occasions, while his famous goal against Getafe came while wearing the No. 19 shirt at 19 years of age.
Messi wore the No. 19 in both the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons before switching to the No. 10.
Left Attacking Midfield: No. 10, Ronaldinho
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The reason Messi didn't immediately get No. 10 was Ronaldinho.
An incredible talent, one of the best in the world to watch when on top form, Ronaldinho was a joyous, creative addition to the Barcelona attack, and his years at the Camp Nou were the best of his career without doubt—though there might always be a lingering feeling it could have gone on a while longer.
Nevertheless, the signing from Paris Saint-Germain more than merited the No. 10 shirt, worn by such great talents before (and since!) him, and he lifted Barcelona to great performances and huge success.
Never mind the Camp Nou, Ronaldinho had the Santiago Bernabeu on its feet applauding his game.
Support Forward: No. 8, Hristo Stoichkov
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One of the best in the game at his peak, Hristo Stoichkov is our choice to link midfield to attack through the middle—wearer of the No. 8 shirt in his second spell at the club from '96 to '98.
The Bulgarian played as striker, from the left wing or just behind the main forward for Barca and was immense in all three roles, combining a Luis Suarez-esque aggression with amazing footwork and a rocket of a shot.
His left foot was capable of finding a team-mate on the run from 40 yards, bending a set piece into the top corner or unleashing one of his trademark thunderbolt strikes, and his mix of creativity and goalscoring makes him an excellent choice to play between the South Americans on either side of him...and another ahead as the striker.
Stoichkov was undoubtedly a better performer in his first spell at the club, from 1990/91 to 1994/95, but he was still effective in his second stint and in total netted around 120 goals for Barca as well as winning the Ballon d'Or.
Striker: No. 9, Ronaldo
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Who else? Sure, there's competition for the No. 9 shirt—Patrick Kluivert, Samuel Eto'o, Sonny Anderson and Alexis Sanchez to name a few, current starter Suarez another—but Ronaldo's single devastating season at the Camp Nou was incredible.
Some 47 goals in 49 games, the peak of his fitness and consistency and with all the world in awe of his capabilities—this was raw, unleashed power met with technique, control and composure, the absolute perfect storm for a striker.
It should have lasted longer, and of course, Ronaldo went on to play for far longer for Real Madrid, but even a single year at Barca was so astonishing that he cannot be left out.
He helped the team win the Copa del Rey and the Cup Winners' Cup that season, 1996/97, and our first eligible No. 9 for this team is our rightful pick.
Subs
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There's still room for a lot of talent on the bench, though, and we're looking at a standard one goalkeeper, two defenders, two midfielders and two attackers to complete our matchday squad.
GK: No. 1, Marc-Andre ter Stegen. As mentioned, Ter Stegen is a superior all-round No. 1 to Valdes; he just needs the longevity and consistency to reach his true potential and become a Barcelona great.
DF: No. 3, Gerard Pique. Already a great; already a part of history. A complete defender, Pique is an icon of the club and still has plenty of years and trophies left in him.
DF: No. 22, Eric Abidal. Our cover at left-back as well as in the centre. The French defender lifted the Champions League trophy after recovering from a liver tumour to resume his career.
MF: No. 16, Sergio Busquets. The current No. 5 and one of the world's best holding midfielders. He could easily be in the side, in fairness, but he provides us depth and solidity on the bench.
MF: No. 18, Guillermo Amor. A Barcelona legend, a creative central midfielder who could play more advanced roles if required. A full decade of service ended in 1998.
WF: No. 11, Neymar. A straight fight here: Rivaldo or Neymar? We've gone for the latter, as he looks on the verge of reaching heights even Rivaldo didn't manage. Neymar is shouldering more responsibility for Barca, and he'll justifiably be crowned the best player in the world soon enough.
FW: No. 7, David Villa. The final decision: Thierry Henry or David Villa? It's so close to call—both played left of the front three while being natural centre-forwards, both had three years, both won two Ligas and one Champions League and their scoring records were 48 in 119 for the Spaniard, 49 in 121 for the Frenchman! We've gone for Villa nonetheless as perhaps a more predatory goalscorer if needed off the bench.
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