Picking Barcelona's Mount Rushmore
Barcelona are one of the most historic and successful clubs in world football, not to mention one of the most popular ones in the modern era.
It naturally means they've had an incredible list of heroes, icons and legends, from star players to those individuals who transcend mere on-pitch roles, doing work behind the scenes to keep the club at the top. But which embody the club most of all, throughout its history?
The famous cliff-face memorial at Mount Rushmore showcases four American presidents from history who helped shape the nation; which greats—whether from the current era or throughout all time—would make the cut for a representation of having shaped FC Barcelona?
Honourable mentions
There are so many to chose from that we could line up about three or four versions of the monument and still have some missed out who fans would argue could be included on Mount Barca. Here are four who just missed out.
Paulinho Alcantara was the greatest goalscorer in club history for a full half-century, after netting more than a goal a game on average: 369 in 357 matches. Later he served on the board of directors.
Ronaldinho was one of the most flamboyant and exciting players the club has seen, but he also helped spark regeneration to send Barca back to the top of European football. Twice a World Footballer of the Year while at the Camp Nou.
Xavi Hernandez came through the youth academy to become the midfielder who defined a generation, imprinting his utter control and technique not just on matches, but on teams around the world who tried to copy his, and the team's, approach. A winner of everything.
Finally, Charly Rexach is our fourth honourable mention, a winger of over 650 games for Barca before then joining the coaching staff at youth level, assistant to the Dream Team in the early 90s, and then first-team manager himself. He was also a scout at one point, spotting a particularly notable youngster who will feature later on.
Johan Cruyff
Onto the four faces, and the first has to be the man who has shaped the club in his own image...and it has kept Barcelona successful long after his departure.
The Dutch genius Johan Cruyff starred at the Camp Nou as a player in the 1970s, perhaps the greatest player in world football at that time. He was a true star in every sense: the best on the field, an attacker, an outspoken individual at times and utterly inclined to impose his own views and approach on any situation—which often led to goals, for himself or others.
As good as he was as a player, however, it's for his later career that he means most to the Camp Nou: returning as manager in the late 80s, he built a team that conquered Europe with a style, and importantly, the youth teams followed suit.
With a methodology and a system in place from academy through to first team, the transitions were made easier for players and the top youngsters began to break through with more regularity, a legacy that saw La Masia heralded as a school of thought to follow for clubs around the world.
Cruyff was remembered by the club thereafter, and his death in 2016 saw the stadium pay homage in his memory.
If Cruyff was the greatest teacher, Pep Guardiola was the best pupil. He was a member of Cruyff's dream team that won the European Cup, anchoring the base of midfield with his unique style, much more creator than destroyer, though of course capable of both.
Guardiola's passing ability, metronomic and infallible, was a precursor to Xavi's own, with Pep the head coach during perhaps Barca's most successful period.
That came later: first Guardiola won six league titles while still on the pitch, as well as two European titles: the European Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup. He played nearly 500 times for the Blaugrana, was captain and orchestrator, before briefly departing for Italy.
After retiring, he coached Barca's B team, before being appointed first-team head coach a year later. One year after that, Barcelona had won everything.
The Copa del Rey, La Liga and Champions League titles all arrived at the first time of asking, before the UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Supercopa and FIFA Club World Cup were all duly won as well, marking a phenomenal start to life as an elite coach for Guardiola.
He went on to win three league titles and another Champions League before leaving, as well as building the foundations of a team that has largely lasted until the last couple of years, when regeneration has had to take place.
The links continue: The aforenamed Rexach was the man who brought Lionel Messi to Barcelona, and after graduating through La Masia and earning promotion to the first team under Frank Rijkaard, Messi came to world-class status under Guardiola.
There is nothing new left to reveal on Messi; for some, he is the greatest player who has ever lived, even before he has completed his career. In an age of information where football has more exposure than ever, that makes him one of the most recognisable figures on the planet, and he's a face of Barcelona the club.
Messi is already the top scorer in Barcelona history, and on the wider football stage, he is the only player thus far to have won five Ballon d'Or awards. There is little left to conquer for Messi, having won everything at club level, multiple times, but his dedication and quality is such that he keeps on doing it anyway.
There have been so many games when he, and he alone, pulls out something to ensure his side pick up a result when needed, and scoring over 500 goals thus far only highlights the frequency with which he manages to help out his team.
One of the genuine greats, forever to be associated with Barcelona and a player who is identified with all the success of the club over the past decade, during which he has so far won 17 major trophies even without counting the litany of Super Cups and such.
Joan Gamper
Our fourth and final choice for the Mount is Joan Gamper, a legendary figure in Barcelona folklore as the original founder of the club.
Gamper is remembered for being club president, but he played for a handful of years after forming the club—the official Barcelona website notes him as scoring an improbable 120 goals in just 51 official matches! On his playing career, the site further notes:
"His level was superior to that of most others at the time and left many people marvelling at his skills. He was a forward player and scored a tally of goals unthinkable in modern times."
Swiss-born Gamper was a board member and became president in 1908, saving the club from non-existence and helping the growth in many ways: finding their own stadium, signing players such as Paulinho Alcantara (mentioned above) and raising the club membership of supporters.
He now has a pre-season cup named after him that Barca compete for, and his legacy endures long after his death in 1930.
Barcelona might be a different club now compared to when it was established, but it would be nothing at all if not for Gamper's enthusiasm and determination to make it an early success.
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