10 greatest Barcelona players of the 21st century 

#3 Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho showcases his 2005 Ballon d'Or at the Camp Nou

Unlike most of the players on this list, Ronaldinho did not spend too much time in Barcelona, with his Blaugrana sojourn lasting just five years from 2003 to 2008.

However, while his spell might not have lasted long, his impact is still felt to this day and with Barcelona's status as the most successful club of the 21st century already established, it is hard to argue that any player apart from Lionel Messi had a bigger impact than Ronaldinho in helping the club attain this enviable position.

Joan Laporte in announcing his candidacy for the Barcelona presidency in 2003 stated that is was his mission to bring David Beckham to Camp Nou but with the former Manchester United man signing for bitter rivals Real Madrid, attention was turned to PSG in France.

A young Ronaldinho had starred for Brazil the year before as they claimed the World Cup and he had been identified as a star on the rise and he took his performance levels to new heights in the colours of the Blaugrana.

Before his arrival, the Catalans had lost their way on the field, were no longer an elite club and struggled to keep pace at the summit of the Spanish league.

The former Brazilian international immediately went about changing this until an injury derailed his first season at Camp Nou.

In his absence, the Blaugrana struggled and were almost relegation candidates but Ronaldinho's return to full fitness coincided with their upturn in fortune and they ultimately finished second in the league.

A season later, they went one better and ended their six-year trophy drought when they won LaLiga, with their star man also playing a key role in their successful retention of the league as well as the Champions League in 2006 with 26 goals in all competitions.

At this point, Ronaldinho was virtually unplayable and was deservedly named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 as well as winning the Ballon d'Or in 2005 which was an indication that he was miles ahead of his peers.

However, he could not stay away from the nightlife and this severely affected his output and he was not quite able to capture the same magic.

Beyond his exploits on the field, the Porto Alegre native also had an impact by serving as the mentor to a fledgling Messi, making the youngster sit beside him in the dressing room and telling anyone who cared to listen that the Argentine would end up better than him.

Ronaldinho was one of those players who even rival fans could not bring themselves to hate, with his ever-smiling face and jovial nature winning him many admirers and to date, he is one of only three Barcelona players to have received a standing ovation at the Santiago Bernabeu in an El Clasico.