Ranked! The 50 greatest Barcelona players of all time

30. Gheorghe Hagi

Gheorghe Hagi could score goals that even Gheorghe Hagi couldn't score. The Romanian is the greatest player ever from his nation and dazzled Catalans with silky touch and incredible power in his shots. In just two seasons at the Camp Nou, he lit up the turf with his genius.

29. Pedro

He never had David Villa's pace, Lionel Messi's vision or Andres Iniesta's dribbling ability – but considering what he didn't have, Pedro gave so much to Barcelona. A workhorse of a forward, a brilliant presser and a man for the big moments, Pedro was loved by supporters for his work ethic and his ability to chip in with the vital contribution. 

28. Carles Rexach

Carles Rexach spent 44 years at Barcelona. Breaking through in the mid-1960s, he was there for the Cruyff years, scoring important goals and finishing off his Dutch teammate's idyllic balls. A one-club man, he bled the Blaugrana colours and is one of the most important figures in the institution's history, on and off the field. 

27. David Villa

If replacing Samuel Eto'o was a difficult task, David Villa didn't make it look so. The super striker had pace, a velvet touch and the eye for a goal – but most importantly for Pep Guardiola, he was unselfish enough to work for the team and share the limelight. He might just be the archetypal Barcelona striker, even now. 

26. Evaristo de Macedo

Evaristo de Macedo scored five goals in a 9-0 win over Colombia, which earned him his move to Barcelona. In an iconic front three with Laszlo Kubala and Luis Suarez, he became the first hat-trick scorer at the Camp Nou and scored the winning goal to stop Real Madrid winning their sixth European Cup. Rivaldo is the only Brazilian to have scored more goals – and even so, Evaristo's goals may well be a little more celebrated. 

25. Romario

Hristo Stoichkov made sure he wasn't late to training after late-night parties – and Barca fans are very glad he did. Romario is simply one of the greatest footballers of all time – Cruyff called him the best he'd ever coached – and with 30 goals in 33 games during his first season, he showed the world he was one of the best strikers in the world. His highlights included nutmegging Peter Schmeichel, scoring a hat-trick against Real Madrid and being named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994: if anything, he was robbed of winning more trophies at Barca. 

24. Luis Suarez

Barcelona was a rehabilitating move for Luis Suarez, who'd been banished to the naughty step by FIFA following his infamous bite on Giorgio Chiellini. While in Catalonia, though, the Uruguayan became the best striker on Earth and more than repaid the faith in him. Four league titles and a Champions League trophy were punctuated by 147 goals in 191 games. 

23. Dani Alves

It was a Brazilian right-back, Juliano Belletti that scored the winning goal in the 2006 Champions League final for Barcelona: but this one was a different gravy. Dani Alves reinvented the position with an incredible engine, vision and defensive nous, helping make Barca's righthand side one of the greatest in the history of the game. And if he wasn't already adored, he certainly was when he came back during a much more difficult time for his glorious second coming this year. 

22. Neymar

The most expensive player of all time hasn't lived up to his Barca heights since leaving for Paris Saint-Germain – and that's saying something, considering he has 61 goals in 84 Ligue 1 games. Neymar was electric in Catalonia, with a combination of creativity and incision that's god-given. 105 goals from 186 is no measly return, especially considering the two players he shared that iconic front three with. 

21. Luis Suarez

The other one. The Spanish Luis Suarez was the first Barcelona Ballon d'Or winner, pipping Real Madrid superstar Ferenc Puskas and one of the most exciting stars in one of Barca's most celebrated teams. Two titles, two Copas and two Fairs Cups made it a return of a trophy every season during his stay in Catalonia before a big-money move to Inter Milan.