Barcelona's top 5 underrated players in recent history
Barcelona are one of the most respected and successful teams in football history. They have won every major competition they have played in several times. In recent years, Barcelona have been dominant in La Liga. They have also won European competitions.
With players like Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi, Barcelona played a beautiful brand of football. The quick nature of the passing and movement of the players on and off the ball made them very attractive to watch.
Their play, given the monicker 'tiki-taka', was introduced by Pep Guardiola - one of the most successful players and managers in the club's history.
Pep Guardiola won 14 trophies in 4 years while in charge of Barcelona. Stunning success.
Tonight he returns home. http://t.co/UyjmBFilOL
With the focus usually on midfielders or forwards involved in these quick passing combinations, players with other qualities were often overlooked. These players were world-class, but their roles were much less glamorous compared to their teammates.
On that note, here's a look at five of Barcelona's most underrated players in their recent history:
#5 Seydou Keita
Seydou Keita was born in Bamako, Mali, in 1980. He began his youth career at Marseille, and made his senior debut for the club in 1999. The Malinese played mainly as a defensive midfielder throughout his career. He is known for his considerably long spells with RC Lens and Barcelona.
Keita made 188 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 22 goals and providing 16 assists. He was a rock-solid presence in midfield, and had an incredible work rate. Seydou Keita was known for his late dashes into the penalty area to score goals. Pep Guardiola held the midfielder in high regard, as Keita was a top professional and never complained when he did not play. The Malinese always put the team's best interests first.
With Barcelona, Keita won three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey cups, two FIFA Club World Cups and two UEFA Champions League titles. He was part of the historic Barcelona side that won six trophies in 2009.
🏆 👏 There will be a tribute to the Barcelona team who won 6 trophies in 2009 before the Alavés game. Puyol, Gaby Milito, Seydou Keita, Jose Manuel Pinto, Eric Abidal and Xavi Torres will attend #fcblive [marca] https://t.co/bdq8ncGtZH
Keita also made 102 appearances for Mali, scoring 25 goals. He ranks first in his nation's list of all-time top scorers as well as appearance makers. He retired from the sport in 2017.
#4 Pedro
Pedro was born in Tenerife, Spain, in 1987. He came through the youth ranks at Barcelona, and made his senior debut for the club in 2008. A versatile player, Pedro played on either wing and sometimes also as a centre-forward or second striker. He is known for his spells with Barcelona and Chelsea.
Pedro played 321 games for Barcelona, scoring 99 goals and providing 71 assists. He is a quick, versatile, agile and two-footed attacker known for his knack of scoring goals and creating chances. The Spaniard displayed an incredible defensive work rate to recover possession for his side. Pedro's runs in behind the opposition lines also made him a threat on the counter-attack.
With Barcelona, he won five La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey cups, two FIFA Club World Cups and three UEFA Champions League titles, among other honours.
#Pedro won 20 trophies at Barcelona, we're gonna miss him ... #GràciesPedro http://t.co/jkuyD20rNx
Pedro has also made 65 appearances for Spain, scoring 17 and assisting 12 goals. He was part of the Spanish team that won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and the UEFA European Championship in 2012.
The Spaniard currently plays for Lazio in Italy, and will hope to help them finish inside the top four places to ensure Champions League qualification.