Catalonia All-time 23 member team

Catalonia is known for its football teams, Barcelona and Espanyol. This is my selection of an all-time 23 member team for Catalan players.  I excluded guest players who played for Catalan XI.

My all team 23 member team for Spain is here.


Team
GK: Ricardo Zamora (Spain)
The first ever star goalkeeper in history.  He is also remembered for a spectacular last minute save he made in the 1936 Copa de España final while playing for Real Madrid against FC Barcelona. The award for the best goalkeeper in La Liga, the Ricardo Zamora Trophy, is named in his honour and he was voted one of the greatest players of the 20th century by World Soccer magazine. He was also Spain's most capped player for 45 years.

GK: Antoni Ramallets (Spain)
He was the starting keepers of Barcelona in the 1950's.  He played with Laszio Kubalal and Luis Suarez.  He won 6 La lira titles in an era that was known to be dominated by Alfred Di Stefano's Real Madrid.

GK: Victor Valdes (Spain)
Valdes spent most of his career with Barcelona. he won three Champions' league title.  For the national team, he only managed 20 caps due to playing behind Iker Casillas.

RB: Albert Ferrer (Spain)
Ferrer played mainly for Barcelona, but also for Chelsea. He was a member of Cruyff's Dream Team. After Louis van Gaal took over, Barcelona gradually signed more Dutch players and his places were uncertain.  He left for Chelsea.

CB: Carlos Puyol (Spain)
Carlos Puyol is the captain of Barcelona that dominated club football in recent years.  He won the WC in 2014 and the European Championship in 2008.

Carlos Puyol

CB: Gerard Pique (Spain)
He started his career with Barcelona's academy, but left for Manchester Uniued. In England, he was seldom used by the team.  he returned to Spain in 2006 with Zaragoza.  He gradually became a good defender in La Liga.  At the time of writing, he has been capped over 70 times.

CB: Joan Segarra (Spain)
He was a part of the great Barcelona team of the 1950's.  They finally reached the 1961 European Cup Final, but losing to Benfica.  It would take Barcelona 31 years before winning the Cup.

CB: Ferran Olivella (Spain)
Olivella was capped 18 times for Spain, but better remembered for being the captain of Spain that won Euro 1964. He also won Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

LB: Joan Capdevilla
Capedevilla started his career with Espanyol.  He later played for Atletico Madrid, Deportivo la Coruna, Villarreal and Benfica.  He was capped 60 times for Spain, in a period where Spain won the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 European Championship.

Joan Capdevilla

LB: Sergi (Spain)
Sergio was promoted to Barcelona's first time in 1993. He helped them to win the Cup Winners' Cup in 1997.  He was capped 56 times.

DM: Sergio Busquets (Spain)
He did the dirty work in the midfield during Spain's glorious run at the WC in 2010.  For his club career, he played for Barcelona.  He is probably for his racist against Marcelo during an El Classico game.

DM: Pep Guardiola (Spain)
He was key player for Barcelona's Dream Team.  He won 47 caps.  He is better remembered for being the coach of Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.  After a feud with the club, he left for Bayern Munich.

RM/CM/RB: Gabri
From 1999 to 2006, he played for Barcelona.  He went to Ajax in 2006.  He was capped twice.

DM: Marti Verges (Spain)
Verges was a part of Barcelona's great team of the 1950's.  He won three Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, coincidently in the same years that Real Madrid won the European Cup.  He was capped 12 times.

CM: Mariano Gonzalvo (Spain)
Gozalvo was a member of Barcelona's team in the 1950's, in an era before the emerge Alfred Di Stefano's Real Madrid.  He won 5 league titles.  For the national team, he was capped 16 times.

CM: Gerald Lopez (Spain)
Lopez was a star for Valencia.  He helped them to reach the Champions' league Final in 2000 against Real Madrid, the first time where two clubs from the same country reaching the Final together.  After losing 3-0 to Real Madrid, he joined Barcelona, but injuries cut short his career with the club.

AM./CM: Xavi
Perhaps, one of greatest playmakers of his generation.  He won everything in football.  He has won more trophies than any other Spanish player in history.

RW: Estanislau Basora (Spain)
Basora was considered of the Barcelona's greatest players.  He was a member of Barcelona's team in the 1950's, in an era before the emerge Alfred Di Stefano's Real Madrid.   He was capped 22 times for Spain.

RW: Carles Rexach (Spain)
Known for his partnership with Johan Cruyff at Barcelona.  He won the Cup Winners' cup in 1979.  He was capped 15 times.

LW: Luis Garcia (Spain)
Garcia played for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid before moving to Liverpool in 2004. He won the 2005 Cahmpions' League under Rafael Benitez after going down 3-0 at half time against AC Milan. It was marked as one of the greatest comeback in history.  He was capped 20 times for Spain.

AM/SS: Cesc Fabregas (Spain)
Cesc was lured to play for Arsenal's academy in 2003.  he made his first time debut as a teenager. he helped Arsenal to reach the Champions' league Final in 2005.  He retuned to Spain in 2011 with Barcelona, but returned to England in 2014.  He was a part of Spain that won the WC in 2010 and two European Championships.

ST: Raul Tamudo
Tamudo was a club legend with Espanyol.  He won two Copa Del Rey with the club as well as reaching the Final of UEFA cup in 2007. He is their all-time leading scorer.  He picked up 13 caps for Spain.

Raul Tamudo

ST:  Paulino Alcántara (Spain/the Philippines)
Born in the Philippines of a half-Spanish, half-Filipino, he made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 15 and remains the youngest player to play or score for the club. He also scored 100 goals in 69 matches, making him the club's highest goalscorer. He was selected for the Philippine national football team in 1917 and represented his country at the Far Eastern Championship Games.  In 1921. he was selected to play for Spain.  he scored 6 goals in 5 games for Spain.

ST: Eric Cantona (France)
Cantona played for various clubs in France before moving to England in 1992 and became the star player of the league. He first joined Leeds United and was lured away to Manchester United. He is widely considered to be Manchester United's greatest player in the Premiership era.  For the national team, he was limited to 45 caps because of fightings with different coaches and suspension by the incident with a Crystal Palace fan. He was replaced by Zinedine Zidane at the national team.

Eric Cantona

Squad Explanation
-- Eric Cantona's mother is Catalonian. His grandfather fought in the Spanish Civil War.
-- Luis Suarez Miramontes and Andres Iniesta are not Catalans.

Starting lineup