Barca Captains

From Johan Cruyff to Lionel Messi, discover the legacy of the world's greatest football club through the players that captained it to glory.

Award-winning author Guillem Balague takes us on a fascinating tour of FC Barcelona, journeying through the storied walls of the Camp Nou and the legacies of Barca's captains to offer a history of the Catalan club. Guillem covers captains from all eras of Barca's past, from historic greats such as Joan Gamper and Johan Cruyff, decorated legends like Carles Puyol and Xavi, to recent captains Alexia Putellas, Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets. In doing so, Balague crafts a portrait of Barcelona's unique place in football as a sporting, cultural and social institution.

Guillem analyses the psychological profiles of Barca's captains, delving into the reasons why they were chosen to wear the armband and the leadership skills necessary to guide a team to victory. Through exclusive interviews with some of the most emblematic captains, including Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta, Balague offers a vision of their commitment, character, dedication and responsibility. We discover how they led Barca to glory, how they maintained focus and discipline on the field, and how they left a lasting legacy on the Catalan club and its fans. In turn, we also witness their most difficult moments and their weaknesses, but it is their ability to overcome them that makes them true giants of football and legendary captains of FC Barcelona.

This is the definitive story of FC Barcelona, told through the captains that built it.