Creating an all-time team for FC Barcelona is an even more daunting task than creating an all-time team for Brazil.

Not even Real Madrid has had as many brilliant attacking players as FC Barcelona.

The club has seen five different FIFA Player of the Year winners: Romario (1994), Ronaldo (1996), Rivaldo (1999), Ronaldinho (2004, 2005) and Messi (2009, 2010).

Then there are the legends from the 60′s: Kubala (voted greatest Barca player ever), Kocsis, Evaristo and Suarez (voted best Spanish player of the 20th century). In addition, there are the Dream Team greats Stoitchkov, Guardiola and Laudrup. And what to think of Eto’o, Henry, Overmars, Ibrahimovic, Figo, Schuster, Hagi, Luis Enrique, Kluivert, Xavi, Deco and Iniesta?

Oh, and we shouldn’t forget Cruyff and Maradona. One thing is certain: this won’t be easy.

Let’s first review some all-time teams made by others.

In 2008, the Barcelona based newspaper Sport organized an election. This was the result:

Sport version (2008)

Certainly a great side that has most of the big names. It’s hard to argue with any of the choices, although Romario and Maradona have only had short spells at Barcelona.

In the same year, Goal.com designed this formation:

Goal.com version (2008)

It makes a good decision in taking the 3-4-3 formation that became synonomous with Barcelona during the Dream Team days. In fact, seven of the eleven players are from Cruyff’s Dream Team. That’s a poor balance across the generations. It also takes a few liberties in midfield, with second striker Kubala posted at right midfield and Ronaldinho on the left. It also lacks Messi – which was justifiable in 2008, but not anymore today.

The website The Spoiler came up with the following XI

The Spoiler’s version (2010)

The Spoiler switches back to a 4-3-3. A shame, because it sacrifices a creative genius like Ronaldinho or Laudrup for another defender. And whereas Barcelona has far too many great attacking players, it lacks legendary defenders. On the other hand, the Spoiler’s inclusion of Messi is completely right.

4Dfoot.com’s version

In my opinion, what matters when making a team like this isn’t just a player’s overall reputation. What matters, too, is what he actually did at the club being discussed. Ronaldo is one of the greatest strikers of all time, but he played only one year at Barcelona. Romario, 1.5. Maradona, same story. Compare that to a Xavi, who’s played 14 years at Barcelona. These are important facts to consider.

On to the choices then, using a 3-4-3 formation for reasons outlined above.

Goalkeeper: Antonio Zubizarreta. Easy one. Zubi was a major part of Cruyff’s Dream Team and also played 136 games for the Spanish national team.  Victor Valdes has now played more games than Zubizarreta, but it’s only in the last few years that Valdes has really been world class. For now, Zubi takes the crown.

Right back: Daniel Alves. Key member of Guardiola’s super Barca. Since arriving in 2008, he has played 174 matches for Barcelona, frequently dominating the right flank with his marauding runs, and earning the reputation of the world’s best right back. This season he has demonstrated that he can also function perfectly in a 3-4-3. Takes the notch above Albert Ferrer – who played longer for Barcelona (8 years), but wasn’t world class.

Centre back: Migueli. Xavi recently dethroned him as the most experienced player of Barcelona, but his 545 official matches can’t be ignored. A rock of physical power in defense from the early 70′s until the late 80′s.

Left back: Carles Puyol. How many trophies has he lifted throughout the years? An absolute icon of Barcelona. He may not have Ronald Koeman’s long pass or free kick, but he makes up for that with his determination, strength, and actually being able to defend and tackle. Extremely crucial qualities precisely because they’re so rare in Barcelona.

Defensive midfielder: Josep Guardiola. For over a decade he dictated Barcelona’s passing game. He mastered the position right in front of the three man defense perhaps better than any play in the game. And unlike Bernd Schuster, who went on to play for and coach Real Madrid, Pep only reinforced his Barcelona legend status after his playing career.

Right midfielder: Xavi. The Master. His numbers are beyond comprehension. Nearly 700 matches for Barcelona. 125 caps for Spain. Six victorious Liga’s, three Champions Leagues, a Euro tournament, a World Cup – this man will go into history as Spain’s greatest player of all time. He merits his place – even if he lacks the dynamity of Johan Neeskens.

Left midfielder: Johan Cruyff. As a coach, he shaped Barcelona’s destiny. As a player, he revived a fledgling Barcelona and guided them to the highest of highs: a 5-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Bernabeu. Iniesta is a brilliant player, but not quite the leader and absolute genius that Cruyff was.

Attacking midfielder: Michael Laudrup. A severely underrated footballer endowed with vision, intelligence, technique and excellent dribbling skills. Not as great as Maradona was, but meant way more for Barcelona than Diego did.

Right winger: Laszlo Kubala. Voted the greatest Barcelona player of the 20th century, Kubala carried Barcelona for ten successive seasons. A dribbler, passer and goal scorer in one, he merits this place even more than Stoichkov, whose seven seasons at Barcelona

Striker: Lionel Messi. If Messi were to retire today, at 24, he’d still have this position cemented for centuries to come. The greatest player in the world for several years now, he has developed from a brilliant winger into unquestionably the most dangerous centre forward in the world – even if he often drops to midfield. It’s over for Romario and Ronaldo.

Left winger: Ronaldinho. It’s a miracle that Ronaldinho, for all his immense talent, only had three truly great seasons in his career. But all those three seasons were played in the service of Barcelona. Coming from the left wing, he inspired Barcelona to a new era of glory, drawing applause from even the Bernabeu. Rivaldo will have to take second place to Ronaldinho.

4Dfoot’s version

And as for the reserve team:

I feel bad for leaving Luis Enrique, Ronaldo, Eto’o, Figo and Luis Suarez out – but choices had to be made. Agree, disagree or want to submit your own formation? Comment below!