Full name: Xavier Hernandez Crues
Birthplace: Terrassa, Spain
Date of Birth: 25^th January 1980
Position: Midfielder
Height: 170cm
Weight: 68kg  

Previous Teams: None
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Spain/43+  

Xavi has spent his entire footballing career at Barcelona, joining the youth academy at the age of 11. He moved quickly through the ranks of the Youth and B Teams before making his debut for the first team in 1998 in a Spanish Supercup game against Majorca. Considered the playmaker of the team since Guardiola’s departure, Xavi can play across midfield and has great footballing vision. He is an effective attacking midfielder and can also play a holding role as necessary.  

Facts: 

• Xavi’s success in the Barca team can be measured by the fact that he clocked up 300 games for the club by the time he was 25.
• He was Barcelona’s most used player with 36 games under his belt in the 2004-5 season.
• Although Xavi grew up in Barcelona he comes from a family of Espanyol supporters. His grandfather was the Espanyol captain in 1968 and his younger brother plays for their B team.
• His first team chance came following an injury to his hero Guardiola.
• Xavi has been third captain of the Barcelona team since 2004-5.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), three League Titles (1998-9/2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona.
• He was also a member of the winning FIFA World Youth Championship Spanish team in 1999.
• The player won a Silver Medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
• Xavi is contracted to Barcelona until 2010.

Full name: Victor Valdes Arribas
Birthplace: Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
Date of Birth: 14^th January 1982
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 183cm
Weight: 78kg 

Previous Teams: Peña Cinco Copas, Spain
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Spain/None   

Victor Valdes initially joined Barcelona in 1992 as a youth player although he then moved to Tenerife with his family before returning to the club three years later. He initially played for the club’s Youth and B teams before joining the first team squad in the 2002-3 season. In the following season he took his place as Barca’s first choice goalkeeper.   Facts: 

• Valdes was not initially expected to claim the No 1 jersey in the 2003-4 season as the first choice keeper on paper was Rustu Recber. Barcelona, however, insist that their foreign players must learn Spanish before they can play regularly for the first team and Valdes was able to cement his claim in goal.
• Valdes won the Zamora Trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper in Spain, in the 2004-5 season which saw Barcelona win their first league title in six years.
• He won a lot of fans worldwide in the Champions League win of 2005-6 with two fantastic point-blank saves from Arsenal’s Thierry Henry.
• Although Valdes has earned approval for his role in Spain’s Under 18 and Under 21 teams he has yet to win a place in the senior national squad, although his form and high profile dictate that a call up may soon come.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona.
• Valdes is signed to Barcelona until 2010.

Full name: Thiago Motta
Birthplace: Sao Bernardo, Brazil
Date of Birth: 28^th August 1982
Position: Midfielder
Height: 188cm
Weight: 77kg 

Previous Teams: Juventude, Brazil.
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Brazil/8+ 

 Thiago Motta joined Barcelona in 1999 from the Brazilian club Juventude. Initially spotted by the then Technical Director of Youth Football for Barca, Llorenc Serra Ferrer, Motta started his career at the club for the B team. Motta made his first team competitive debut in 2001 against Mallorca. A versatile and highly rated midfielder, Motta has yet to reach his full potential following a series of unlucky injuries in recent seasons. 

• Motta has dual Brazilian/Italian citizenship so he qualifies as an EU player rather than as a foreign one for the Barcelona team.
• The player’s career with Barcelona has been frustrated by intense competition for midfield places at the club and by injuries to his knee and toe as well as various muscular problems. Speculation over a move to another club is therefore fairly constant and he has recently been linked with a move to Arsenal.
• Motta is much admired for his strong physique and his versatility in midfield positions. He is strong, good in the air as he is relatively tall for a midfielder and possesses a powerful long range shot.
• Motta made his debut for the Brazilian national team in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona.
• Motta can play in various midfield roles although he is considered most skilful as a defensive midfielder by many people.

Full name: Rafael Marquez Alvarez
Birthplace: Zamora, Mexico
Date of Birth: 13^th February 1979
Position: Defender
Height: 182cm
Weight: 74kg 

• Marquez is the first Mexican player to ever play for Barcelona.
• He made his debut appearance in the Mexican First Division aged only 17.
• The player is nicknamed ‘Rafa’ and the ‘Kaiser of Michoacan’ and has been compared to Franz Beckenbauer.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona. Prior to joining the club he won the French title (2000), the French Supercup (2000) and the French League Cup (2003) with AS Monaco.
• Barcelona’s Champions League win in 2005-6 made Marquez the first Mexican player ever to win the trophy.
• FIFA has previously named Marquez as the third most famous footballer in the world.
• Marquez was named the French league’s top defender during his time with Monaco.
• He was named the Best North American Footballer in 2005.
• The player is the captain of the Mexican national team.
• Marquez has won the Confederations Cup (1999) and the Gold Cup (2003) with Mexico.
• His goal celebrations have included sucking his thumb – a move he dedicates to his kids – and kissing a bracelet given to him by his wife.
• The player is contracted to Barcelona until 2010.

Full name: Carles Puyol Saforcada

Birthplace: La Pobla de Segur, Spain

Date of Birth: 13^th April 1978

Position: Defender

Height: 178cm

Weight: 80kg

Previous Teams: La Pobla de Segur, Spain.
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Spain/60+ 

Carles Puyol signed to the Barcelona Academy at the age of 17 from which point he moved through the ranks until claiming his spot in the first team in 1999. Originally playing at a right back his skills and impressive work rate saw him successfully adapt to the centre back position. In 2004-5 he lifted the league trophy as captain when Barça won the league. 

Facts: 

• Puyol won a Silver Medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
• He is a firm favorite with the Barça fans who appreciate his tenacity, skill and work rate.
• Puyol started his football career as a boy as a goalkeeper before moving on to a striker’s position and then on into defence. His early experience here is one of the reasons that he is such a successful attacking defender.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona.
• In 2002 he was voted the Best Right-Back In Europe by UEFA and, in the 2006 season, he was awarded the UEFA Club Defender of the Year. In 2005-6 he also won the UEFA Champions League Defender of the year.
• He was Spain’s most played defender in the qualification games for the 2006 World Cup.
• Puyol is under contract to Barcelona until 2010.
• The player is constantly rumoured to be joining Manchester United – much to the horror of the Barça fans!

Full name: Samuel Eto’o
Birthplace: Nkon, Cameroon
Date of Birth: 10^th March 1981
Position: Striker
Height: 180cm
Weight: 75kg 

Previous Teams: Real Madrid, Spain; Leganes, Spain; RCD Espanyol, Spain; RCD Mallorca, Spain;
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Cameroon/60+  

Eto’o burst on to the European football scene at the age of 16 when he was signed to Real Madrid. He moved to Barcelona in 2004 and made an immediate impact by scoring 25 goals in his first season. He is a potential goal-scoring machine every time he sets foot on a pitch but is also well respected for his commitment to the team as a whole. Facts: 

• Eto’o was the youngest player at the 1998 World Cup aged just 17 years and 3 months. He was also the only player at the tournament born in the 1980s.
• Eto’o had a complex relationship with Real Madrid. He signed for the club at 15 but they forgot to collect him at the airport when he arrived and he had to wait for hours without being able to speak any Spanish. He never really broke into the Madrid team and spent two periods on loan to other clubs before moving to Mallorca in a split ownership deal.
• His relationship with Mallorca was far better – he paid 30,000 Euros to treat Mallorca supporters to a meal at Mallorca’s Spanish Cup final against Recreativo Huelva.
• He became the highest league goal scorer ever at Mallorca with a total of 54 goals.
• When he signed for Barcelona Eto’o became the first Cameroonian player at the club.
• Eto’o’s goal against Levante won Barcelona the league title in the 2004-5 season.
• Eto’o was named African Player of the Year in 2004, 2005 and 2006 – a record three consecutive times.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona. In addition, he won the Champions League (1999-00) and the Intercontinental Cup (1997-98) with Real Madrid and the Spanish Cup with Mallorca (2002-3).
• During his time playing for Cameroon the national squad has won the African Cup twice (2000, 2002) and he also won a Gold Medal at the Sydney Olympics.
• In 2006 Eto’o opened a football academy in Cameroon to help promising footballers in his country.

Full name: Oleguer Presas Renom
Birthplace: Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain
Date of Birth: 2^nd February 1980
Position: Right-back
Height: 187cm
Weight: 82kg

Previous Teams: Lepanto, Spain; Gramenet UEA, Spain
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Spain/None 

Oleguer joined the Barcelona B team at the age of 21. Known to some of his fans as ‘Olegario’ the player made his senior competitive debut for the club in a Champions League match against Galatasaray in 2002. For the next couple of seasons, Oleguer alternated between the senior and B teams before cementing a place in Barca’s first team defense.  Facts: 

• Oleguer has – to date – only scored one goal for Barcelona against Malaga in 2005.
• His support for pro-Catalan groups such as ETA and his outspoken anti-government stance are thought to have prevented him from earning an international cap for Spain. He has turned down the chance to play for his country in the past.
• His political leanings have seen him lose sponsorship deals.
• In 2006 he published a book – The Road to Ithica – which covered his early football career, his childhood anorexia and his thoughts on various political events.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona.
• A committed environmentalist, Oleguer chose to travel to the Nou Camp by train rather than to drive when he first broke into the first team as it was better for the environment. He has also been spotted driving out of the Nou Camp in a van surrounded by his teammates’ premium cars!
• Oleguer is signed to Barcelona until 2010.

Full name: Anderson Luis de Souza
Birthplace: Sao Bernardo, Brazil
Date of Birth: 27^th August 1977
Position: Midfielder
Height: 174cm
Weight: 73kg 

Previous Teams: Nacional Sao Paolo, Brazil; Corinthians, Brazil; Benfica, Portugal; Alverca, Portugal; SC Salgueiros, Portugal; Benfica, Portugal.
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Portugal/44+ 

Deco was signed to Barcelona in 2004. Viewed as one of the cornerstones of the Barca team, Deco’s mix of Brazilian flair, his astute footballing brain and commitment to both attack and defence soon made him a favourite with the fans. Deco can play just about anywhere in midfield and is especially adept in playmaker roles behind the striker, in central midfield and on the right. 

Facts: 

• Although born in Brazil Deco assumed Portuguese nationality and currently plays for the Portugal national team.
• His first match for Portugal was against his home country of Brazil. Deco scored in the match giving Portugal their first win over the Brazilians in 37 years.
• The Porto fans nicknamed him ‘Magico’ and ‘SuperDeco’ because of his skills on the ball.
• Prior to joining Barcelona, Deco won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 where he was voted as the best player in the final against Monaco. He also won the UEFA Cup (2002-3), the Portuguese League (1998-9/2002-3/2003-4), the Portuguese Cup (1999-0/2002-3) and the Portuguese Supercup (1998-9/2002-3).
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona. Prior to joining the club he won the French title (2000), the French Supercup (2000) and the French League Cup (2003) with AS Monaco.
• The player is one of an elite number of players to have won the Champions League with two different clubs.
• When Deco won the UEFA Best Midfielder award for his Champions League performance in 2005-6 he became the first player to win the award twice having won it previously with Porto.
• In his career the player has also won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball (2006), the UEFA Champions League MVP (2003-4), the Portuguese Footballer of the Year (2004) and the South American Sportsman of the Year (2006).

Full name: Ronaldo de Assis Moreira
Birthplace: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Date of Birth: 21^st March 1980
Position: Forward
Height: 181cm
Weight: 80kg

Previous Teams: Gremio de Porto Alegre, Brazil; Paris Saint Germain, France;
National Squad/Number of Appearances: Brazil/65+ 

Ronaldinho moved to Barcelona for the 2003-4 season where he quickly proved his worth and became a firm favorite with the fans. Nicknamed ‘Ronaldinho Gaucho’ or ‘El Gaucho’ his silky individual skills, speed, ability to take free-kicks and commitment to the team he plays with have produced some of the most breathtaking football in Spain and in the world in recent years. He is often called the ‘new Pele’.

Facts:

• As a teenager Ronaldinho once scored all 23 goals in a 23-0 win over a local team in Brazil.
• His nickname – Ronaldinho Gaucho – is partly used to differentiate him from Ronaldo who is also often called Ronaldinho in Brazil. The Gaucho part of his nickname is given to people who come from the Rio Grande do Sul area.
• He is one of an elite number of players to play at every level for his country as he has appeared for the Under 15, 17, 20, 23 and senior teams for Brazil.
• The Brazilian city of Chapeco erected a 23ft high statue of Ronaldinho to commemorate his first FIFA World Player of the Year award. The statue was vandalized after Brazil’s poor performance in the 2006 World Cup.
• The player and members of his family appear in a cartoon comic strip created by the famous Brazilian comic book author, Mauricio de Sousa.
• While filming a TV advertisement in 2004 Ronaldinho kicked the ball so hard that he smashed a window in the famous Santiago de Compostela cathedral in Madrid.
• In 2006 he fulfilled a boyhood dream by scoring a bicycle kick goal in a match against Villareal. His remaining dream is to score from the halfway line.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona.
• Ronaldinho has had a glittering career with the Brazilian National Squad, winning the Under 17s World Cup (1996-7), the Copa America (1999), the World Cup (2001-2) and the Confederations Cup (2004-5).
• His individual awards include the FIFA World Player of the Year (2004,2005), World Soccer Player of the Year (2004, 2005), FIFPro World Player of the Year (2005, 2006), the Ballon D’Or (2005), European Footballer of the Year (2005) and the Best Player of the Champions League (2005-6).
• He is signed to Barcelona until 2010.

Birthplace: Santa Fe, Argentina
Date of Birth: 24th June 1987
Position: Forward
Height: 169cm
Weight: 67kg

Previous Teams:
Grandoli, Argentina; Newell’s Old Boys, Argentina

National Squad/Number of Appearances: Argentina/12+

Lionel Messi joined Barcelona in 2000 at the age of 13. Initially playing for the Under 14s, Messi moved up the ranks through the club’s Youth, C and B teams before joining the first team squad in record time. At the time of his first team
debut in a friendly match in the 2003-4 season he was just 16 years of age. 

Facts:

• Messi became the youngest player ever to score a league goal for Barça  in 2005 in a match against Albacete - aged just 17 years, 10 months and 7 days.
• At 18 Messi played for Argentina in the Under 20 World Cup and won the title. He was also voted best player of the tournament and was its leading goal scorer.
• Argentinean great Maradona has named Messi as his natural successor.  The Spanish press have nicknamed him ‘Messidona’.
• Messi is a left-footed player comfortable in the middle, on the wings or in a centre forward position.
• As a child Messi suffered from a hormonal problem that was preventing him from growing as normal. Barcelona tempted him to Spain by offering to help with his medical bills.
• Messi’s nickname with the Barcelona fans is Leo.
• He was asked to play his national football for Spain but chose to wait for a call up from Argentina.
• His first senior call up to the Argentinean team ended in disaster - he was sent off after 40 seconds.
• When he came on to the pitch against Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 World Cup, Messi became the youngest player to play for Argentina in a World Cup tournament. His goal in this match made him the youngest scorer of this World Cup and the sixth youngest scorer in the history of the tournament.
• He has won two Spanish Supercups (2005-6/2006-7), two League Titles (2004-5/2005-6) and the Champions League (2005-6) with Barcelona.
• Messi is contracted to stay with Barcelona until 2014.