GOAL counts down the finest footballers to have lined out for the Catalan club since 2000 – based on talent, trophies, longevity and impact
Few clubs have experienced as many glorious highs and devastating lows as Barcelona since the turn of the century. The Catalans have enjoyed an era of unprecedented success, with four of their five European Cup wins coming between 2006 and 2015 thanks primarily to a group of exceptional academy graduates led by the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi.
However, the Argentine's departure in 2021 came during one of the darkest periods in the club's history, with Messi's exit made a necessity because of gross mismanagement and reckless spending that left the Blaugrana on the verge of bankruptcy.
So, to say the past 25 years have been eventful would be a colossal understatement, particularly as Barca have always managed to put outstanding talents on the field no matter what was going on off it – as underlined by the strength of the current squad.
But who are the best players to have played for the Catalans since 2000? GOAL counts down its top 25 below and, as always, we'd encourage you let us know your thoughts – and gripes – in the comments section!
Getty25Eric Abidal
One of the most inspirational figures in Barcelona's history, Eric Abidal played all 90 minutes of the 2011 Champions League final just three months after undergoing surgery to remove a tumour in his liver. In a touching gesture, captain Carles Puyol allowed the Frenchman to be the first to lift the trophy at Wembley, with Abidal admitting, "It was an incredible moment."
Abidal, who was a versatile, intelligent and imposing defender, was subsequently forced to undergo a liver transplant, but showed even more of the remarkable resolve he had demonstrated previously by returning to the field shortly before the expiration of his Barca contract in 2013. "Abidal has been with us for six years and he is a very special person," then-president Sandro Rosell said. "He has won our hearts."
AdvertisementGetty24Ivan Rakitic
Ivan Rakitic was treated shamefully during his final year at Barcelona, who tried desperately to force him out of the club. "I'm not a sack of potatoes who you can do anything with,” he fumed in April 2020. The Blaugrana's desire to remove him from the wage bill was understandable, given their financial situation and the arrival of Frenkie de Jong, but Rakitic deserved far better treatment and much more respect.
The all-action midfielder featured in at least 50 games for five of his six seasons at Camp Nou and was a key member of Luis Enrique's treble-winning team, even scoring the opener in the Champions League final win over Juventus. Jose Mourinho had a point, then, when labelled him "one of the most underrated players in the world" in 2019.
Getty Images23Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski is only approaching the midway point of his third year at Barcelona and it's fair to say that he was nowhere near his very best during the 2023-24 campaign. The striker still netted 26 times during his 'off' season, though, and he now has 79 goals in just 113 games.
Lewandowski still has some way to go to become a true Barca legend, but he's already got one Pichichi award for firing the Catalans to the Spanish title in 2022-23, and he's now perfectly placed to repeat the feat, after scoring 15 goals in 14 Liga games to start the current campaign.
"It's amazing to have such a period where you're always scoring," Blaugrana boss Hansi Flick said, "but, for me, he's the best there is in front of goal."
Getty22Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Kluivert helped Barcelona win La Liga in his first season after joining from AC Milan in the summer of 1998, but a painful period of underachievement followed for the Catalan club – despite the best efforts of the Dutch striker.
As a player schooled in the Ajax academy, Kluivert was a technically excellent centre-forward who was also blessed with height and strength, which he used to both score goals, and create them. The Netherlands international also formed a productive partnership with Rivaldo during his time at Camp Nou and hit 81 goals between the start of the 2000-01 season and his departure four years later.