Top 5 foreign players to play for FC Barcelona

With the likes of Guardiola, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol and many more to the list, Barcelona are known for producing top-notch talent from its own soil. However, there are a handful of names from abroad which have made an everlasting mark in the hearts of the Catalans and will remain the greatest foreigners the club has ever seen.

#5 Rivaldo

The Brazilian enjoyed a successful 5-year spell at the Camp Nou, scoring 130 goals in 235 appearances in all competitions. Rivaldo was primarily deployed as a left winger and rarely behind the striker yet the Brazilian was comfortable with the latter. He tasted immediate success, winning the La Liga & Copa del Rey double in his first season at Barcelona and his prime form came in 1999, when he led Barcelona to another La Liga title, finishing the season with 24 goals in the Liga. Rivaldo got his hands on more silverware the same year as he won both the ‘FIFA World Player of the year’ & the ‘Ballon d’Or’.

The Brazilian was a real match big player and rose to the occasion when the team needed him to. Few of the best examples include the breath-taking comeback against Chelsea overturning a 3-1 lead by winning the 2nd leg 5-1 at the Camp Nou scoring a brace to go through to the Semi-finals. The unforgettable bicycle kick against Valencia to win the game 3-2 and gain entry into the Champions League of the following year is another such instance. 

Undoubtedly, Rivaldo has contributed largely to the club’s history and is one of the greatest foreigners to step-foot in a Barcelona shirt.