The 5 greatest Barcelona players of all time

3. Ronaldinho

The first major signing of the Laporta era, Ronaldinho arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 2003 with the hope of changing a floundering side’s fortunes on the pitch. The Brazilian’s intoxicating ability to win games with his amazing ability and a constant smile on his face, which became almost as famous as him, endeared him to the world of soccer.

Without Ronaldinho, there would be no dominant Barça era. He was the linchpin of Rijkaard’s team and the main reason behind their rise to the top. In many ways, his style was unique despite a number of players trying to emulate him. He would constantly bamboozle defenders, and often teammates, with his tricks. In his prime, there was real substance to his play.

Famous moments for Ronaldinho at Barcelona include his remarkable goal against Chelsea in the 2005 Champions League campaign at Stamford Bridge. Stood on the edge of the box, he left one of Europe’s best defences tripping over itself with a quick fire shot that rustled the back of the net in the blink of an eye.

His two solo goals which embarrassed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu will never be forgotten, either. It is no coincidence that his level dropped in 2007 when the Blaugrana began to struggle and by the time Guardiola took over, he was out of the door and signing for AC Milan.

But by then, his work was done. Two poor years will be forgiven thanks to his three wonderful ones in Spain and he more than earned his place as Barcelona’s third best ever player.