Greatest Barcelona XI of the 20th century

#Midfielders

Johan Cruyff is generally considered as the architect of total football

Johan Cruyff

Cruyff arrived at the club in 1973 after the ban was lifted on Spanish clubs from signing foreign players. Legal wrangles meant he only debuted at the end of October with Barca one off the bottom. He lashed his first goal into the top corner in his first game against Granada and Barca didn't lose again all season. He had chosen Barca over Real Madrid despite the latter reaching an agreement with Ajax and he delivered Barca's first league in 14 years at the end of that first campaign.

Micheal Laudrup

Laudrup had an elegance that inspired Andres Iniesta and he showed it throughout the early nineties as Barcelona won their first European Cup and four titles. He had his own trick – the 'Croqueta' which involved him playing the ball off of one of his own feet with his other foot, usually leaving his opponent on his backside. In the end, he left the club for Real Madrid and tarnished his legacy as probably one the greatest Blaugrana player.

Pep Guardiola

Pep today might be known as the world's best manager but he was during his playing days one of the best of his generations. The original Busquets won 6 League titles before going on to become one of the world's best managers. He also won Barca's first European Cup, then La Liga, and then Olympic Gold in his home city, all in the space of a month in 1992. A number of future Barcelona midfielders, including Xavi, Iniesta, and Fabregas have hailed Guardiola as their role model and hero.