5 foreign players who deserved to retire at Barcelona
All the legendary Barcelona squads of the past have had one thing in common: a talented, homegrown bunch of players at their core. The crux in question has majorly consisted of Spanish players over the years, with the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta dominating proceedings. Nevertheless, certain foreign players have also managed to steal the limelight due to their sublime performances with Barcelona.
Barcelona and their rich history with foreign players
Aside from the usual suspects, there have been several non-Spanish footballers who have assisted in shaping the legacy of modern-day Barcelona. Brazilian legends Romario, Rivaldo and Neymar are some of the few names who have given their absolute best for the betterment of the Catalan giants.
✅ Debut for Barcelona on the weekend 🔵🔴
✅ Youngest foreign player to play for the side since Messi 🐐
✅ Called up by Austria for the World Cup Qualifiers 🇦🇹
👏 What a few days it's been for Yusuf Demir
#LLL
🧡🇪🇸⚽ https://t.co/zx1vYPHkGg
From Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o to Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoichkov, Barcelona have had the knack for harboring the best talent, even from the most unlikeliest of places. In current times, the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Memphis Depay form a strong foreign core of a battered Barcelona, gunning for a revival.
With so many legendary non-Spanish players on their all-time roster, the Blaugrana have always had some of the most exciting foreign talent in La Liga. Despite their pedigree, several superstars tend to exit Barcelona after the completion of a highly-successful tenure.
Be it the club's decision to offload him, or the player's personal decision to take his business elsewhere, the Catalan giants have witnessed a lot of unnecessary departures. On that note, let's take a look at five foreign players, who should've retired at Barcelona:
#5 Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman became a largely unpopular figure at Camp Nou during his managerial stint, which finally came to an end on Wednesday. While Koeman may not be the world's most adept tactician, he was an absolute world-beater during his playing days as a defender.
Having spent all of his playing career in the Netherlands, the sweeping centre-back finally made a switch in 1989, joining Barcelona for a fee of €5.67 million. 29 at the time of the transfer, Koeman proved to be an inspired piece of business by the Barcelona board.
Any fan can express their opinion, but it must not be forgotten that Ronald Koeman is a club legend and the fans should not have behaved like this after the game!! https://t.co/60YvAT7fPF
Koeman automatically became a starter at Camp Nou, cementing his place in Johan Cruyff's 'Dream Team'. Known for his no-nonsense defending and goalscoring abilities, the Dutchman made 262 appearances for the Blaugrana, netting 86 goals in the process. Instrumental to Barcelona's first-ever Champions League triumph, Koeman left the club after six seasons, only to retire two years later in 1997.
#4 Luis Suarez
The third-highest goal-getter in the club's history, Luis Suarez achieved everything there is to win in club football in his six-year spell with Barcelona. Bought from Liverpool for a hefty price of €81.72 million in 2014, Suarez proved to be an instant hit at Camp Nou.
Along with Lionel Messi and Neymar, the Uruguayan striker forged a lethal trio, dismantling opposition defenses for fun. His 48 goal involvements in his debut campaign were pivotal in Barcelona's run to the second continental treble in their history. In the subsequent five seasons, Suarez would go on to notch an insane number of strikes, taking his goal tally to 195.
Luis Suarez has a clear favorite for Ballon d'Or 👀 https://t.co/4EVjPGnf5D
Despite his invaluable contributions to the club, he was deemed surplus to requirements by Josep Bartomeu's board in 2020. Citing his growing age as the reason behind his ousting, Barcelona sold Suarez to arch-rivals Atletico Madrid for a nominal fee of €7 million. The seasoned veteran has since racked up 28 goals for his new side, making a mockery of Barcelona's decision to sell him.
Also read: 5 players Barcelona should have never sold