for me, messi already got the title "barcelona best player in all time" based on current time

how about barcelona 2nd best player or 3rd & so on

who is your pick & why

Xavi
Iniesta

don't really need much explanation but in their prime they have done more for the club and their country than most players ever will.

I can't think of any player who had such a remarkable impact on the club in his debut season as Cruyff did. His performance that season did a lot for the spirit of the Catalans, especially after thrashing RM in the Bernabeu.

i would put
1. messi
2. cruyff
3. xavi
4. ronaldinho

i for some reason thought we were talking about current active players

how about guardiola or m.laudrup?

What do you mean by best player? What is the criteria?

Individual Ability? Impact on or off the pitch or both? Longevity?

jibers wrote:What do you mean by best player? What is the criteria?

Individual Ability? Impact on or off the pitch or both? Longevity?

everything you mentioned can be considered, except off the pitch impact

football should be judge on the pitch only

Xavi

Cruyff, Xavi then Ronaldinho

Messi
(:

Then Laudrup
(:

In terms of legacy and greatness it got to be Xavi. He's the player with the most titles ever, most games played and the icon of our style.

In terms of sheer quality, Cruyff and Ronaldinho would be tied in second IMO.

Freeza wrote:Messi
(:

Then Laudrup
(:

Laudrup wasn't even the best player during the Dream Team. Whenever Cruyff had to choose between Romario, Koeman, Stoitchkov and Laudrup... Laudrup stayed in the bench.

He's just saying that because they're both Danish.

Between Cruyff and Xavi, with the later edging him just because of the sheer amount of titles as a player.

free_cat wrote:

Freeza wrote:Messi
(:

Then Laudrup
(:

Laudrup wasn't even the best player during the Dream Team. Whenever Cruyff had to choose between Romario, Koeman, Stoitchkov and Laudrup... Laudrup stayed in the bench.

Sure,but that was after Romario came and after he had a falling out with Cruyff.
But before Romario,there was a time when he was truly the talisman of the team.That Dream Team reestablished us as a force in world football.Cruyff played a great role in our resurgence as a coach but as a player,Laudrup had a major role to play as well.There was a time when he was arguably the best player on the planet.Obviously,I have not watched all of his games back then.But I have seen enough and he was a magical player.The most creative and genius passer I have ever seen and there was nothing he couldnt do with a ball at his feet.As good as Koeman and Stoichkov were,Laudrup was a step up.From what I have seen,and reading the accounts of former players and coaches(including old man Johan himself), I feel you are severely underrating him.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:He's just saying that because they're both Danish.

Between Cruyff and Xavi, with the later edging him just because of the sheer amount of titles as a player.

Not entirely sure about Cruyff.Great player and he is the single biggest reason we are where we are as a club.But I dont think in his time with us as a player,he did enough to be named our second best player of all time.I think there are others who have done more for us on the pitch.Obviously, Cruyff didnt have nearly as good a team as some of the other mentioned players but nevertheless, titles need to be taken into consideration.
I think players like Kubala,Laudrup and Koeman from the Dream team,Rivaldo,Ronnie,Eto'o,Puyol,Alves,Xavi and Iniesta have arguably a stronger case for being our second best player of all time than Cruyff.

Ugh, how could I forget about Kubala! That being said, none of us have seen more than a few Kubala clips, so it's hard to say. But on contribution, importance and so on, Kubala should be up there with Xavi, Cruyff and Ronaldinho. I think Iniesta, Rivaldo, Puyol, Stoitchkov, Alves, etc, are a little behind them.

alexjanosik wrote:

free_cat wrote:

Freeza wrote:Messi
(:

Then Laudrup
(:

Laudrup wasn't even the best player during the Dream Team. Whenever Cruyff had to choose between Romario, Koeman, Stoitchkov and Laudrup... Laudrup stayed in the bench.

Sure,but that was after Romario came and after he had a falling out with Cruyff.
But before Romario,there was a time when he was truly the talisman of the team.That Dream Team reestablished us as a force in world football.Cruyff played a great role in our resurgence as a coach but as a player,Laudrup had a major role to play as well.There was a time when he was arguably the best player on the planet.Obviously,I have not watched all of his games back then.But I have seen enough and he was a magical player.The most creative and genius passer I have ever seen and there was nothing he couldnt do with a ball at his feet.As good as Koeman and Stoichkov were,Laudrup was a step up.From what I have seen,and reading the accounts of former players and coaches(including old man Johan himself), I feel you are severely underrating him.

Well, I did watch most games of Dream Team era (at least most of those who were on TV... in those days not every game was broadcasted incredibly). And Laudrup surely was the most talented player before Romario, but that doesn't make him a better player. Football isn't only about talent, and in everything else Sotitchkov was above him, with his hunger.

Off course I was only a kid then, but the kid in me will always have Stoitchkov above Laudrup.