Barcelona is undeniably one of the world’s top football clubs. The Catalan team has won everything possible in the game. With that, it’s no surprise they have had some legendary captains. The current captain is the famous Argentine forward Lionel Messi, who took over after Andres Iniesta left in 2018.
Even though Messi might be the club’s greatest player, he still has some way to go to be seen as Barcelona’s best captain.
Here are the 5 greatest captains in Barcelona’s history.
5. Jose Ramon Alexanko
Modern Barcelona fans might not instantly recognize the name Jose Ramon Alexanko. However, he was one of Barcelona’s most successful captains, popularly known as ‘Talin.’
Alexanko joined Barcelona in 1980 from Athletic Bilbao as a highly-rated 24-year-old central defender. He quickly became a key player for the team and was named captain by 1986.
In his first season as captain, he led Barcelona to the 1986 European Cup final but missed a penalty in the shootout against Steaua Bucharest. Despite this, he remained captain and led the team through one of its most successful periods.
This successful period was during the ‘Dream Team’ era managed by Johan Cruyff from the late 1980s into the early 1990s. Under his captaincy, Barcelona won three La Liga titles, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, and the European Cup in 1992.
Towards the end of his career, Alexanko made only a brief appearance in the win over Sampdoria in the 1992 European Cup final. He retired a season later, after one more La Liga title, as a Barcelona legend.
Known as a calm and classy central defender, Alexanko made 518 appearances for Barcelona. He is remembered as a legendary captain.
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4. Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta is widely recognized as one of the best football players ever. He played most of his career for Barcelona, where he achieved great success even before becoming team captain. In 2015, at age 31, he took over as captain from Xavi, his longtime teammate.
During his three years as captain, Iniesta led Barcelona to two La Liga titles and three Copa Del Rey wins. His final season as captain in 2017-18 was especially impressive, with Barcelona winning La Liga by a huge 14-point margin.
In his first El Clasico as captain in the 2015-16 season, Iniesta played so well that he earned applause from Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu stadium. He scored a goal and set up another in Barcelona’s 4-0 victory.
Known for his skillful movement and precise passing, Iniesta symbolized Barcelona’s success throughout the 2000s and 2010s. He left Barcelona in 2018 after playing 674 matches for the team, cementing his legacy as one of their greatest captains ever.
3. Pep Guardiola
Barcelona’s most successful manager was also one of their greatest captains ever. Pep Guardiola, who now manages Manchester City, was developed by Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy and joined the first team in 1990.
He quickly became a key player for Barcelona, winning four La Liga titles and the 1992 European Cup under Johan Cruyff and Bobby Robson. When Louis Van Gaal became the new boss in 1997, Guardiola was named the club’s new captain, succeeding Gica Popescu.
Guardiola remained captain for the next four seasons. Despite injuries in his first season as captain, Barcelona won another La Liga title in 1998-99, their sixth under Guardiola’s leadership. His playing style, focused on precise passing and technique rather than speed and strength, had a big influence on younger players and changed Spanish football.
While Barcelona didn’t win trophies in the following two seasons, Guardiola’s impact and leadership were unquestionable. Though other captains may have won more trophies, Guardiola’s enduring love and respect from the club’s fans make his place in Barcelona’s history hard to dispute.
2. Johan Cruyff
Barcelona is famous for its slogan “mes que un club,” which means “more than a club.” This reflects its special role in the Catalan community and its support for Catalan independence from Spain.
While Barcelona has had many Catalan players and captains, one of the most iconic captains was actually Dutch—Johan Cruyff. He joined Barcelona in 1973 from Ajax, setting a world-record transfer fee at the time. Cruyff made an immediate impact, leading Barcelona to their first La Liga title in 14 years during his first season. One of his standout moments was a memorable 5-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, where even Madrid fans gave him a standing ovation.
A New York Times journalist even suggested that in just 90 minutes, Cruyff did more for Catalonia than politicians had in decades of struggle. He continued to play for Barcelona for four more seasons, becoming captain after just one year. Although the team didn’t win another league title under his leadership, Cruyff became beloved by Catalan fans for many reasons.
Cruyff’s son, who also played for Barcelona, was named Jordi, a traditional Catalan name. During Cruyff’s captaincy, Barcelona switched their black armbands to red and yellow ones, symbolizing the club’s Catalan heritage.
Despite Barcelona’s subsequent successes, many still consider Cruyff their greatest legend ever.
1. Carles Puyol
It’s no surprise that Carles Puyol is at the top of this list. He was not only Barcelona’s longest-serving captain for a full decade but also led them to some of their greatest successes.
Puyol, who grew up in Catalonia, joined Barcelona as a child and worked his way up from their youth teams to debut for the first team in 1999. After five years as a key player, he became captain at the end of the 2003-04 season.
Under Puyol’s leadership, Barcelona won their first La Liga title in the 2004-05 season and repeated the success in 2005-06. During that season, Puyol played in 52 games across all competitions and helped Barcelona win the Champions League for the first time in over ten years.
After a few tough seasons following the Champions League win, Barcelona appointed former captain Pep Guardiola as manager, which brought remarkable success. Under Guardiola, Barcelona won three more La Liga titles and two additional Champions Leagues.
Despite the praise given to offensive stars like Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi, Puyol’s leadership in defense was crucial. He was known for his strong clearances and tackles, and he could pass the ball as well as his talented teammates.
Even after Guardiola left in 2012, Puyol remained captain and helped Barcelona win another La Liga title in 2012-13. His final season in 2013-14 was limited by injuries, and he retired having made nearly 600 appearances for Barcelona, winning a total of 17 major trophies.
Throughout his career, Puyol only played for Barcelona and is regarded as one of their best captains ever.
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