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Bayern-Barcelona player: 10 of the greatest footballers to ever play for Barcelona and Bayern Munich
Kevin Omuya
updated at March 30, 2024 at 11:06 AM
Over the years, there have been some thrilling matches between FC Bayern Munich and Barcelona FC. Eleven UEFA Champions League victories are shared between Bayern-Barcelona players, two clubs with rich histories. Some of football's most legendary players have worn the colours of both FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
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Table of Сontents:
Numerous legendary footballers have worn the famous jerseys of Barcelona and Bayern Munich during the legendary histories of these two clubs. The footballing world will never be the same thanks to these guys, who were captivating dribblers and clinical finishers.
Greatest footballers to ever play for Barcelona and Bayern Munich
Based on the information provided on reputable sites such KhelNow and FC Barcelona's website, among others, Sportsbrief has compiled a list of Players who have played for Bayern and Barcelona. Look at the accomplishments, contributions, and impact on the sport that some of the best footballers to ever play for the two clubs.
Player's name | Barcelona | Bayern Munich |
Arturo Vidal | 2018-2020 | 2015-2018 |
Philippe Coutinho | 2018-2022 | 2019-2020 |
Mark Hughes | 1986-1988 | 1987-1988 |
Thiago Alcantara | 2008-2013 | 2013-2020 |
Robert Lewandowski | 2022-present | 2014-2022 |
Patrik Andersson | 2001-2002 | 1999-2001 |
Pepe Reina | 1997-2002 | 2014-2015 |
Mark Van Bommel | 2005-2006 | 2006-2011 |
Joao Cancelo | 2022-2023 | 2023-present |
9. Arturo Vidal
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Chilean
- Barcelona: 2018-2020
- Bayern Munich: 2015-2018
The Chilean team Colo-Colo was Vidal's first stop in the world of professional football. Vidal joined the Bavarians for over four years, bolstering their midfield with strength and versatility. During his three years with Bayern, he played in 124 games and scored 22 goals. He won the league title every year and was named to the league's All-Star team thrice.
Following his near-perfect run with Bayern Munich, Vidal departed for Spain in quest of fresh competition. He signed a 2-year contract with Barcelona in 2018 and won the league and the Spanish Super Cup. Vidal played in 95 games, scoring 11 goals and assisting on another 10. Upon his return to Italy, he joined Inter Milan.
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8. Philippe Coutinho
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Brazil
- Barcelona: 2018-2022
- Bayern Munich: 2019-2020 (loan)
While playing for Liverpool, Coutinho became one of the best players in the Premier League. During his five years there, he played 152 games and scored 41 goals. Coutinho was highly regarded for his vision, precise passing, dribbling, and inventive play, and he was primarily used in the central midfield position.
The 2017–18 season saw Coutinho join Barcelona for a record-breaking £142 million. He represents the most expensive signing in the 120-year history of Barcelona.
He played 76 games for Barça in his one-and-a-half seasons, scoring 21 goals and assisting on 11 more. He won the Bundesliga and the German Cup while on loan to the Bavarians in August 2019.
7. Mark Hughes
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Welsh
- Barcelona: 1986-1988
- Bayern Munich: 1987-1988 (loan)
The Welshman was a top performer in an attacking midfield. Over the years 1980–1986, Mark Hughes was a member of Manchester United's roster. He joined Barcelona but failed, scoring only four goals in 28 appearances.
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Hughes was sent on loan to Bayern for the 1987–88 season after he did not settle in with Catalonia. Hughes scored six goals in 18 appearances for Bayern despite having limited chances. Hughes is among the oldest players for Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
6. Thiago Alcántara
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Spanish
- Barcelona: 2008-2013
- Bayern Munich: 2013-2020
Thiago joined Barcelona's La Masia academy in 2005, when he was four. Thiago made his first-team debut as a substitute at the age of 18. He played in just 104 games during his six years at Camp Nou. Before his transfer to the Bavarians, Thiago Alcantara won four La Liga championships and a Champions League while playing for Barcelona.
Thiago continued his club career by appearing in 232 games. During his tenure with Bayern, he helped the club achieve phenomenal domestic dominance, winning the Bundesliga seven times in a row and four German Cups.
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5. Robert Lewandowski
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- Nationality: Polish
- Barcelona: 2022-present
- Bayern Munich: 2014-2022
Borussia Dortmund was the stage upon which Robert Lewandowski built the foundation that ranked him among his generation's finest strikers. Lewandowski scored 74 goals in 131 appearances during his four seasons with Dortmund, helping the club to two league titles and a German Super Cup.
Before the 2014–15 season started, Lewandowski inked a deal with Dortmund's arch-rivals Bayern Munich. For the German powerhouses, Lewandowski made 374 appearances and scored 344 goals. The Bundesliga accounted for those, while the Champions League had 69.
He was most impressive in the 2020–21 season. His record-breaking 41 goals in a single season surpassed Gerd Müller's record of 40 goals in 1971–72, which the Bundesliga held; Lewandowski won eight league titles, three DFP Pokal trophies, five DFL-Supercups, a Champions League, a Super Cup, and a Club World Cup during his eight years with the Bavarians.
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4. Patrik Andersson
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Swedish
- Barcelona: 2001-2002
- Bayern Munich: 1999-2001
After spending the 2000–01 season with Bayern Munich, the Swedish defender joined Barça. Andersson's injuries during his three seasons with Barça limited his playing time to just a few minutes.
As a player for Barcelona, Andersson was instrumental in the team's 2001–2002 La Liga championship run. His leadership and defensive skills greatly influenced Barcelona's success in the domestic league.
Andersson had a very successful tenure at Bayern Munich, during which the club had several trophies. He was integral to the Bavarian's 2000–2001 UEFA Champions League winning squad and contributed to the club's Bundesliga victories. The 2001 Intercontinental Cup triumph by Bayern was also heavily influenced by Andersson.
3. Pepe Reina
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Spanish
- Barcelona: 1997-2002
- Bayern Munich: 2014-2015
The goalkeeper previously played for Bar, a member of Barça's youth team, and was promoted to the first team for the 2000–01 season. Following his second season, he joined Villarreal and spent three years with the Yellow Submarine before spending eight years with Liverpool. In the 2014–15 season, he won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich while playing in just three games.
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While playing for Liverpool on loan, Reina became Manuel Neuer's backup goalkeeper for the Bavarians in 2014–2015. Reina added another trophy to his collection and played a crucial role in Bayern Munich's successful campaign as a squad player during his loan spell.
2. Mark van Bommel
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Dutch
- Barcelona: 2005-2006
- Bayern Munich: 2006-2011
The 2005–06 season was the midfielder's debut with FC Barcelona after joining PSV Eindhoven. Over that span, he amassed four championships, including the Champions League. The Dutchman spent 4.5 years at Bayern after signing with them in the summer of 2006.
For Barcelona, Frank Rijkaard secured Van Bommel's services through a free transfer. Barcelona won La Liga and the 2005–06 Champions League in his lone season with the club. In the 2006 Supercopa de España, he helped Barça defeat local rivals Espanyol, earning him his third trophy with the club on August 20, 2006.
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His outstanding play in his debut season with Bayern earned him the 2006–07 Bayern Player of the Title Year. The former Bayern and Barcelona player's major trophy with the Bavarians came in 2007–08 when they won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal back-to-back.
1. Joao Cancelo
Source: Getty Images
- Nationality: Spanish
- Barcelona: 2022-2023
- Bayern Munich: 2023-present
Bayern Munich loaned Cancelo for the rest of the 2023 season on January 31. Joining Daniel Amartey and David Beckham as players to win two league titles in different countries in the same season, Cancelo became the third by playing for Bayern and Barcelona. The Bavarians confirmed Cancelo's exit on July 1st.
Final words
The extraordinary talents of footballers have passed through the halls of the Catalans and the Bavarians. Among the many great Bayern-Barcelona players who wear the jerseys of these teams are legendary captains and outstanding goal-scorers.
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