'If not for Barca players, the Spanish team would not be what it is today'

Belletti, 36, who scored the winning goal for Barca against Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League final, enjoyed a successful three-year spell in Catalunya between 2004 and 2007.

La Roja lifted Euro 2012 on July 1 to add to their World Cup 2010 and Euro 2008 triumphs, but the former Fluminense full-back credited those results to the Catalans.

"If not for the Barca players, the Spanish team would not be what it is today. If they win the 2014 World Cup they will surely be the best team of all time," he told Futbolnet.

And Belletti also gave his backing to new Barca coach Tito Vilanova, and tipped his former club for success in 2012-2013.

After a missing out the Liga title to Real Madrid and suffering Champions League defeat to Chelsea last season, the Brazilian backed Pep Guardiola's successor as the right man to get the Camp Nou outfit back to winning ways.

"It's nice having someone who knows the project from inside out leading the team," he added.

"Although it will be difficult to maintain this sequence of titles and there will be comparisons [between the two coaches], we must remember that the bedrock of the team are the players.

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http://www.goal.com/en/news/722/la-liga/2012/07/08/3228245/if-not-for-barca-players-the-spanish-team-would-not-be-what

Iker:

Alonso:

Ramos:

Silva:

Torres:

Villa:

Arbeloa:

Madrid:

Castilla:

Florentino Perez:

Raul:

General Franco:

Madridistas:

Zealous:

Le Sam:

JD:

Nick09:

Omarish:

Spanish footbll:


Catalan football:

Cruyff:

La Masia:


Guardiola:

Pito:

Villages:

Passing:

Tiki Taka:

Puyol:

Xavi: .... jokes...

GOAT post lol He's right though.

Ehh,tell us something new

vivabarca38 wrote:Ehh,tell us something new

LOL, it's like Spain's dirty little secret. All my Spanish mates just pretend that Barcelona players aren't Catalan lol

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:GOAT post lol He's right though.

Yeh because Ramos, Arbeloa, Casillias, Alonso, Silva and Alba (Valencia player at the time) were all shit.

EarlyPrototype wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:GOAT post lol He's right though.

Yeh because Ramos, Arbeloa, Casillias, Alonso, Silva and Alba (Valencia player at the time) were all shit.

Barcelona's philosophy brah, lol, it's clear for all to see.

EarlyPrototype wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:GOAT post lol He's right though.

Yeh because Ramos, Arbeloa, Casillias, Alonso, Silva and Alba (Valencia player at the time) were all shit.

Never said that..... but without Barca's style of play and players like Pique, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta etc etc Spain dont even win Euro's in 2008 IMO

Beside's only Casillas and Ramos out of those players were important from the beginning

The Barca players may have been the most important sure (Xavi and Iniesta) but that doesn't mean they would have succeeded without the others. And come on to just say Spain are NOTHING without them is a complete lack of respect to the rest of the players.

Also Jibers you can have any philosophy you want, but you still need the players to do their jobs.

EarlyPrototype wrote:The Barca players may have been the most important sure (Xavi and Iniesta) but that doesn't mean they would have succeeded without the others. And come on to just say Spain are NOTHING without them is a complete lack of respect to the rest of the players.

Also Jibers you can have any philosophy you want, but you still need the players to do their jobs.

Spain using Catalan football. Franco is rolling in his grave ffs

He did'nt say nothing tbf..... he said they would'nt be what they are today.

Which is a fair comment IMO i don't think Spain would have been as successful as they have been without Barca's players and what practically is Barca's philosophy.

Without slaves the Pyramids would not be what they are today.

Iker and Sergio run this show

Le Samourai wrote:Without slaves the Pyramids would not be what they are today.

Iker and Sergio run this show

Franco family is outraged as we type.

inb4DIVINEINTERVENTION

The Catalan slaves ( Xavi etc etc) being forced to achieve success by the evil Spanish dictator ( RFEF)

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:The Catalan slaves ( Xavi etc etc) being forced to achieve success by the evil Spanish dictator ( RFEF)

FFS even the bow emoticon has been taken away. Damn you mods. FFS

One child altered the annals of History.

Spoiler:

One homesick boy brought glory to our shores

Spoiler:

Le Samourai wrote:One child altered the annals of History.

Spoiler:

One homesick boy brought glory to our shores

Spoiler:

Still using Barcelona's football, why so mad? The Spanish mad that they have to imitatae catalans?

Sometimes I'm mad, but at this? not at all.

Beletti said something well known not something wrong.

Aragones interpretation of tiki taka was not distinctly Cruyyfist though, and his for me was the most enjoyable interpretation,

It was more a necessary evil than the puritanical way of football that it is today.

Le Samourai wrote:Sometimes I'm mad, but at this? not at all.

Beletti said something well known not something wrong.

Aragones interpretation of tiki taka was not distinctly Cruyyfist though, and his for me was the most enjoyable interpretation,

It was more a necessary evil than the puritanical way of football that it is today.

He based it round Xavi. Veen Cesc aacknowledged it in 2008, saying Spain play like Barcelona that is why Xavi was starting over him. This would be a double edged sword in Spanish history, they dominate but use Catalan philosophy. Franco is sufffering

But, Tiki Taka is Spanish style of play and they used to play tiki-taka even before Cryuff came to Barcelona. What Cryuff and hence Barcelona did bring was the possession style.

Every player has been important though, but the most important were Casillas, Xavi and Iniesta and if not for these Euros, Villa too.

It's true obviously.

Spain had 7 starters from Barcelona in the World Cup. If you took those 7 players out would they have won the World Cup? I doubt it. Same thing for the Euros, Spain had 6 starters from Barcelona.

Without Xavi and Iniesta I doubt this style would work as well. However Casillas and Ramos are important to. Maybe Valdes would work since he's use to the Barca style and Puyol can replace Ramos. Iraola/Azpilicueta can replace Arbeloa. However Ramos is the future CB for Spain and Casillas is better than Valdes.

kiranr wrote:
But, Tiki Taka is Spanish style of play and they used to play tiki-taka even before Cryuff came to Barcelona. What Cryuff and hence Barcelona did bring was the possession style.

Every player has been important though, but the most important were Casillas, Xavi and Iniesta and if not for these Euros, Villa too.

Thats a load of Bull. Spain gained their nick name la furia roja for trying to blast teams off the park, and aragones specifically changed spains playing style to suit the passing players. Everyone and most football jopurnalists who have far more kniowledge on the histry of SPanish football, especially Barca and Real, Credit Cruyff for Spains playing style, even most coaches said Cruyff had ythe biggest influence on most youth sytesm in La liga. Utter drivel you speak.

jibers wrote:

kiranr wrote:
But, Tiki Taka is Spanish style of play and they used to play tiki-taka even before Cryuff came to Barcelona. What Cryuff and hence Barcelona did bring was the possession style.

Every player has been important though, but the most important were Casillas, Xavi and Iniesta and if not for these Euros, Villa too.

Thats a load of Bull. Spain gained their nick name la furia roja for trying to blast teams off the park, and aragones specifically changed spains playing style to suit the passing players. Everyone and most football jopurnalists who have far more kniowledge on the histry of SPanish football, especially Barca and Real, Credit Cruyff for Spains playing style, even most coaches said Cruyff had ythe biggest influence on most youth sytesm in La liga. Utter drivel you speak.

Yeah, but that is not what i said. It was said by Carles Rexach.

kiranr wrote:

jibers wrote:

kiranr wrote:
But, Tiki Taka is Spanish style of play and they used to play tiki-taka even before Cryuff came to Barcelona. What Cryuff and hence Barcelona did bring was the possession style.

Every player has been important though, but the most important were Casillas, Xavi and Iniesta and if not for these Euros, Villa too.

Thats a load of Bull. Spain gained their nick name la furia roja for trying to blast teams off the park, and aragones specifically changed spains playing style to suit the passing players. Everyone and most football jopurnalists who have far more kniowledge on the histry of SPanish football, especially Barca and Real, Credit Cruyff for Spains playing style, even most coaches said Cruyff had ythe biggest influence on most youth sytesm in La liga. Utter drivel you speak.

Yeah, but that is not what i said. It was said by Carles Rexach.

The man who Cruyff just happens to disdain for betraying him? seems legit. Go and watch The Spanish NT in the 80s and early 90s. In the 80s they played more like bilbao, thugs!

jibers wrote:
The man who Cruyff just happens to disdain for betraying him? seems legit. Go and watch The Spanish NT in the 80s and early 90s. In the 80s they played more like bilbao, thugs!

Alright Jibers. But, just want to clarify, Tiki-taka means passing in triangles right?

Oh and Rexach was talking about the times before Cryuff came to Barcelona as a player. So it is entirely possible that their style changed in the 80's and 90's.