Greatest Barcelona XI from the last decade

With the decade coming to an end, here is a look back at the most important XI that defined FC Barcelona in the 10 years. rn[recentposts thiscategory="no" /]rnrnBarcelona in the last ten years have enjoyed some of the most successful seasons in the club's 120-year-old history. Especially under club legend Pep Guardiola, who led the squad for four successful seasons with the Blaugrana philosophy. The club has been blessed with some incredible talent over the years, with a large portion of those players coming from the club's famed youth academy, La Masia, proving to the world that greatness can be homegrown instead of being purchased.rnrnIn honor of Futbol Club Barcelona turning 120 years and the decade coming to a close, mentioned below are the greatest players that have defined the Blaugrana colors between 2010 and 2019.rn Honorable Mentions: rn Pedro Rodríguez (Left-wing, 2008-2015) rnPedro came through the ranks of Barca’s youth academy, La Masia, before making his first-team debut under Pep Guardiola. The Spanish attacker made 321 appearances for the club, scoring 99 goals along with 62 assists in the process. Pedro has won 5 La Liga titles, 6 Spanish Super Cups, 3 UEFA Champions League, 5 UEFA Super Cups, 2 FIFA Club World Cups and 3 Copa del Reys with Barca.rn Marc-André ter Stegen (Goalkeeper, 2014-Present) rnJoined Barcelona from Bundesliga side, Borussia Mönchengladbach, in 2014 for a transfer fee of $13 million, Ter Stegen has quickly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers today. Currently, the German international plays a vital role between the posts for the Spanish giants, having previously been a vital part of Luis Enrique's treble-winning squad. Ter Stegen has contributed to many trophies, 4 La Liga titles, 3 Spanish Super Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Super Cups, 1 FIFA Club World Cups and 4 Copa del Reys.rn David Villa (Striker/Left-wing, 2010-2013) rnDavid joined Barca in 2010 after a 40 million transfer fee was paid to Valencia. He started his Barcelona journey with a silverware, coming on as a substitute in the Spanish Super Cup win over Sevilla, which saw the beginning of the striker’s dominance.rnrnThe forward’s combination with Argentine playmaker, Lionel Messi, paved the way to Barca’s La Liga’s 2011 and 2013 titles, a Copa del Rey victory, the 2011 Champions League trophy, a UEFA Super Cup, a FIFA Club World Cup, two Supercopa de España and 2011 Spanish Super Cup. Racking up eight trophies in three years under iconic Pep Guardiola and then the late Tito Vilanova.rnrnThe Spaniard scored 48 goals in 119 matches for Barca. He also scored 59 goals in 98 matches for Spain, including five at the 2010 World Cup, where Spain hoisted the World Cup trophy for the first time.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Goalkeeper" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_19571" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Victor Valdes of FC Barcelona at Camp Nou on March 12, 2014 (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Victor Valdes (Goalkeeper, 2002-2014) rnThough an argument could be made for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Victor Valdes will take this spot. The Spaniard is one of the most underrated names on this list. Valdes in his many years at the Nou Camp played the role of the last line of defense with an outstanding ability to shot stop. The La Masia graduate was good with both his hands and his feet and was regarded to be the perfect goalkeeper with an excellent presence in the area. He had great reflexes and agility while being passionate and courageous in his appearances. He made his debut in 2002 but spent the initial year as a second choice goalkeeper. The season after saw the Spain international secure the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper and maintained that until his departure in 2014.rnrnValdes made 539 appearances for the Catalans, conceding only 442 goals in the process which led to his five Zamora Trophy - awarded to the keeper who concedes the least number of goals throughout the La Liga season. He also managed to rack up many trophies, 6 La Liga titles, 6 Spanish Super Cups, 3 UEFA Champions League, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 FIFA Club World Cups and 2 Copa del Reys.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Right-Back" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21658" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Daniel Alves of FC Barcelona on May 14, 2016 (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Dani Alves (Right-back, 2008-2016) rnDani Alves is regarded by many as the best left-back of his generation, as he had the ability to influence not only on the pitch but also in the dressing room. The Brazilian is also the most honored footballer in the history of the sport, having won 39 trophies in his glorious career. Most of those came with Barca, 2 La Liga titles, 1 Spanish Super Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Super Cups, 1 FIFA Club World Cups and 3 Copa del Reys.rnrnAlves joined Barcelona in 2008 for a fee of €32.5 million. He won the treble under Pep Guardiola in his first season with the Spanish champions. The Brazilian's attacking style football along with his ability to defend when needed made him an outstanding source of opportunities from the flanks. His pace and ability to connect with the attacking trio of Barca made him a great asset to the winning squad of Blaugrana.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Centre-Back" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21659" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Carles Puyol of FC Barcelona (Photo by Miguel Ruiz/FC Barcelona via Getty Images)[/caption]rn Carles Puyol (Centre-back, 1999-2014) rnThough not the most gifted player on this list, Carles Puyol's mentality, strength and passion made him the best Captain Barca had in this decade. Arguably one of the greatest defenders of his generation, Puyol's ability to be a reliable and consisted defender represented the finest of the golden era of graduates La Masia had to offer.rnrnPuyol started his football career as a goalkeeper and later moved to the striker role. In La Masia, he initially played as a defensive midfielder and later in Barca B played as a right-back.rnrnEl Capita made his league debut in 1999 under coach Louis van Gaal, and rocked the opposition's attack ever since. Carles moved to the central role and later became the squad's captain in 2003. The Spaniard also had the talent to be an aerial threat from set-pieces.rnrnPuyol is hailed for his leadership and fair play while being a perfect example that loyalty, passion and desire can bring success and respect. The Spanish international has won 5 La Liga titles, 5 Spanish Super Cups, 3 UEFA Champions League, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 FIFA Club World Cups and 2 Copa del Reys in a Blaugrana shirt. His individual achievements include the 2006 UEFA Best Defender and 6 different UEFA Team of the Year recognitions.rnrnPuyol is one of the most respected footballs in the world and deserves to be remembered for his passion for his club, country and the sport itself.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Centre-Back" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21660" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Gerard Pique (Centre-back, 2008-Present) rnPique has been a crucial part of the Barcelona back four for over a decade, appearing 519 times for the club. At 32 years of age has yet to receive any real threat of losing his spot, despite being a shadow of his former form of being one of the best defenders in the world. His love for both Catalonia and Barca has seen the Spaniard give his all on every fixture.rnrnRegarded by many to become the Blaugrana President in the future, Pique has already won many trophies as a Barca player, 8 La Liga titles, 6 Spanish Super Cups, 4 UEFA Champions League, 3 UEFA Super Cups, 3 FIFA Club World Cups and 6 Copa del Reys. The Spaniard continues to be a crucial player for the club and had signed a contract extension in 2018 that will see him in a Barca shirt until 2022.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Left-Back" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21663" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Jordi Alba of FC Barcelona (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Jordi Alba (Left-back, 2012-Present) rnAlba was a student of La Masia before his spell with Valencia, from whom the Catalan giants purchased the full-back for 1 4 million euros. Jordi has been an undisputed first-team left-back ever since his arrival and continues to be one of the best in the world for that position.rnrnThe Spaniard is best known for his ability to be telepathically connected with Messi in order to produce many sensational goals across countless matches. Fans around the world wonder if any of the forwards had a better understanding of the magician, the squad would have been even more deadly on the attack.rnrnAlba's fast pace is what makes it difficult for oppositions to cope with his attacking runs down the flank. The Spanish international has racked up an incredible 57 assists during his time in Camp Nou and continues to aid the Barca attack with his outstanding ability to connect crosses.rnrnJordi has been a major part of the club’s success in recent years, having won 5 La Liga titles, 4 Spanish Super Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 FIFA Club World Cups and 4 Copa del Reys with Barca.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Centre%20Defensive%20Midfielder" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21662" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Sergio Busquets of FC Barcelona (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Sergio Busquets (Centre Defensive Midfielder, 2008-Present) rnOne of the most underrated midfielders of his generation, Sergio Busquets has been a key member of Barcelona for the last decade. This is evident from the 8 La Liga titles, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 3 UEFA Champions League, 3 UEFA Super Cups, 3 FIFA Club World Cups and 6 Copa del Reys he has won with Barca.rnrnOne of the best defensive midfielders to ever play the role, Busquets along with Xavi and Iniesta was the definition of Tiki-Taka football. Even presently under Valverde, Sergio plays an important role when keeping the possession for the Spanish champions. Many times, Barca have found themselves in trouble when the Spaniard is not on the field.rnrnBusquets made his first-team debut in 2008 and has since been a vital part of both club and country squad. His ability to keep possession along with great positioning and forward-thinking makes him one of the best midfielders in world football. The World cup winner is also known for his ability to read the game better than most players. Sergio is without a doubt one of the best midfielders of his generation.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Centre%20Midfielder" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21665" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Xavi Hernandez of FC Barcelona (Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)[/caption]rn Xavi Hernandez (Centre Midfielder, 1998-2015) rnXavi is the embodiment of the Tiki-Taka style that defined the success of Barca in their Golden era. Regarded by many as one of the greatest midfielders to play the game, Xavi is known for his ability to control the ball and the game perfectly. His talent to create spaces and deliver passes was phenomenal. The Spaniard's work rate on the pitch along with his efficiency on the ball made him one of the best midfielders of his generation.rnrnXavi joined Barca's academy at 11 years of age, with Pep Guardiola as his inspiration. After just one year with the B squad, Xavi made his first-team debut in 1998. He was recognized within a year as La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year [1999], but it wasn't until his partnership with Iniesta that we saw the biggest midfield dominance in world football.rnrnBeing among the most successful midfielders ever to play the sport, the former captain has won 8 La Liga titles, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 4 UEFA Champions League, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 FIFA Club World Cups and 3 Copa del Reys with Barca. He has also managed to win 2 European Championship and a World Cup [2010] with his national team.rnrnXavi is without a doubt one of the best midfielders in the world in the last decade and will go down in history as one of the greatest the club has ever produced.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Centre%20Midfielder" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21666" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Andres Iniesta of Barcelona (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Andres Iniesta (Centre Midfielder, 2002-2018) rnLike Club and Country teammate, Xavi, Iniesta also came from the ranks of Barca's youth academy. The maestro made his first-team debut back in 2002 and quickly became a regular within 2 years at the age of 20. Iniesta was a very crucial part of the 2009 Barca squad that won all six titles in a single season. Iniesta's ability to move with the ball, his vision along with his passing, and keep hold of the ball and possession made him a world-class player.rnrnThe Spaniard has won 9 La Liga titles, 7 Spanish Super Cups, 4 UEFA Champions League, 3 UEFA Super Cups, 3 FIFA Club World Cups and 6 Copa del Reys with Barca. He also won the World Cup with Spain in 2010, scoring the winning goal in the Finals against the Netherlands. While these are his club and country achievements, Andres has mad many individual recognitions as well. He won 2012 Uefa Best Player in Europe, the Best player in 2011/12 Champions League tournament, 2012 and 2013 World's best playmaker by IFFHS. He was the Ballon d'Or runner up in 2010, coming second to teammate Lionel Messi. He was a part of the FIFA World XI for straight six years, 2009 to 2014. He also achieved the Marca Legend Award in 2011 for his outstanding performance for both club and country.rnrnAndres Iniesta is one of the best midfielders of his generation and for a few years was considered to be part of the top three best players in the world behind Messi and Ronaldo. Iniesta will forever be loved by football fans around the world. He currently plays for Vissel Kobe in Japan, and fans can enjoy the last few years left of the magician's playing days.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Left-Wing" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21667" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Neymar of FC Barcelona (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)[/caption]rn Neymar (Left-wing, 2013-2017) rnThe undisputed talent of Neymar is what got him this spot on the list as strong arguments can be made for both David Villa and Pedro Rodriguez to steal this spot from the Brazilian ace. Barcelona paid a then-record transfer fee of 94 million euros to sign the prospect from the Brazilian side, Santos.rnrnNeymar took his time to settle down at the Nou Camp as the game in La Liga is more intense and aggressive than what he was used to back in Brazil. But once the Brazil international found his footing with Messi and Suarez, football fans around the world got to enjoy the most wonderful attacking magic between the trio. 2014/15 season was the pinnacle for MSN as they trio managed to secure an outrageous 122 goals, this number only got better the follow year when they scored 131 goals.rnrnRecent reports have displayed Messi’s affection for the Brazilian with the Argentine naming him his heir in Barcelona. Neymar has on many occasions proved that he is capable of handling such an honor, playing crucial roles in Champions League victories over Bayern Munich, Juventus and the legendary 6-1 come-back against PSG.rnrnNeymar, however, did not fancy the role of being the next Lionel Messi at Barca and decided to leave in 2017 to join the French side, Paris Saint-Germain for a whopping fee of 222 million euros, the most expensive transfer in the history of the sport. The Brazilian’s ambitious away from the Catalan giants was short-lived as he has voiced his desire to return to the club where he had managed to win 2 La Liga titles, 1 Spanish Super Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Super Cups, 1 FIFA Club World Cups and 3 Copa del Reys with Barca.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Striker" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21668" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Luis Suarez (Striker, 2014-Present) rnOne of Barcelona’s most successful signings is Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez who joined after a successful spell with Liverpool for a rumored fee of 82 million euros. Suarez instantly became a success at the Nou Camp after helping Barca secure their second treble by scoring 25 goals in 43 games. Suarez’s creativity and confidence with the ball is what helped him achieve his success at both Liverpool and Barcelona.rnrnSuarez was a vital part of the MSN trio that caused havoc for defenders across European football. The Uruguayan has to date scored 190 goals along with 105 assists in 268 appearances and continues to regularly appear on the score sheet for the Spanish champions.rnrnSuarez at 32 years of age is nearing his inevitable retirement, and while his ability to run past defenders and score acrobatic goals may not be matched to his former glory, the striker has not yet lost his talent for scoring goals. His recent back-heel against Alaves is a proof that the Ace has not lost his love for attempting goals and will look to add to his long list of trophies having already secured 4 La Liga titles, 2 Spanish Super Cups, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Super Cups, 1 FIFA Club World Cups and 4 Copa del Reys with Barca.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Right-Wing" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_21669" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Lionel Messi (Right-wing, 2004-Present) rnThe greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, is without a doubt the best player Barcelona has ever seen. Messi is moving towards the twilight of his career and has manged to win big: 10 La Liga titles, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 4 UEFA Champions League, 3 UEFA Super Cups, 3 FIFA Club World Cups and 6 Copa del Reys with Barca. Let us not forget the enormous amount of individual awards, including the recent recognition of a historic 6th Ballon d'Or.rnrnMessi was signed by the Catalan giants when he was 14 years old. The club saw his talent and promised to pay for his medical expenses for treating his growth hormone deficiency. Leo made his first-team debut in 2005 and since then has become the unstoppable force that we know him as today. The Argentine became the top scorer for the club at the age of 24, and soon also became the La Liga and all-time Champions League top scorer as well. The Argentina international has led his national side to three Copa America finals and 1 World Cup finals, all that resulted in a loss, unfortunately. This spell with Argentina has been Messi's biggest criticism but that does not stop the millions around the world from seeing him to be the best footballer to ever play the sport.rnrn[story_link_next description="10%20defenders%20Barcelona%20could%20sign%20in%202020" url="https://everythingbarca.com/2019/12/09/10-players-barcelona-can-look-to-sign-for-defensive-overhaul/" /]rnrnDo you agree with the listed XI?

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