While I was thinking about this post, I was realizing how hard it was going to be to try and only choose my top four FC Barcelona players. While the first two were easy to brush out, the last two were harder to narrow down. I feel like Barcelona has had so many great players it is hard to choose the greatest. Here is my pick for Barcelona Mt. Rushmore.
Lionel Messi
One of the most obvious choices is Lionel Messi. Between how young he started playing at Barcelona to the countless awards he’s received, Messi is an easy choice. His ability to be extremely quick on the ball is one factor that separates him from the rest. One of my favorite plays by him was one that was supposed to be scientifically impossible. His ability to see plays and put the ball in the perfect position is another major factor for his success. Another obvious factor is his amazing goal scoring. There have been several goals that have left people speechless. He also makes sure that he is sticking up for his teammates, which speaks to his character.
Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is one of my all-time favorite players. He was an amazing player, but the most important was his attitude toward the sport. Whenever he kicked a ball, he had a giant smile on his face. One of the more iconic moves was his ability to juggle well. He was able to implement this into games as well. If you watch highlights there are plenty of moments that he was able to use juggling skills to keep the ball away from a defender. Ronaldinho could always keep the ball at his feet until he saw the perfect play unfold. Overall, he was a great player, but his attitude is what made him amazing.
Carles Puyol
Puyol is arguably one of the best captains Barcelona has had. First, he was able to play well, winning several awards. His character is one of the more important factors of being a captain. Much like Ronaldinho, he had an obvious love of the sport. He also was very honest with his team and everyone around him. Puyol was always a person to stick up for his teammates when things got rough. He knew how to fight for his team, but he also knew how to control the situation. He was able to calm Gerard Pique after a lighter was thrown at him. Puyol’s ability to fight and also calm his team down speaks volumes to his being a great captain on top of being a great defender.
Andres Iniesta
Iniesta was one of the players that always made you smile. His amazing playmaking had his fans at the edge of their seat anytime he got the ball. Much like Messi, Iniesta was able to see a play start to unfold and feed the perfect ball to make the goal happen. Iniesta was also able to score several amazing goals. After taking the ball down the pitch, outmaneuvering several defenders, he would finish with a great goal. On top of all of those skills, he was a humble player.
Overall, all four showed to be fantastic players and people. Their love of the sport and their humility put them into the players that won’t be forgotten. As I said in the beginning, trying to narrow down to just four great players was incredibly hard. Some honorable mentions would have to be Xavi, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Pique, and (although a short period) Neymar.
