The Spain midfielder has finally called time on his illustrious Camp Nou career, but where does he rank among the club's modern-day greats?

It's hard to imagine Barcelona without Sergio Busquets running things from the base of midfield. However, it's a reality that culers are going to have to get used to after Busquets announced that he will be departing the club at the end of the 2022-23 season. He leaves behind an incredible legacy.

Busquets is Barca's third all-time appearance maker and has won almost every trophy available to him during his 18 years at Camp Nou. This remarkable silverware haul includes seven Copas del Rey, three Champions Leagues and a trio of Club World Cup triumphs. He is also set to leave his boyhood club on a high by adding a ninth La Liga title to his bulging collection.

Few players embody the 'Barcelona way' more than Busquets. A king of the rondo, he may not have been the most flashy player, but his ability to sniff out danger and keep hold of the ball under pressure have been vital weapons for every team he has played in. That is why Xavi was so keen for him to sign a new contract. Instead, he will be moving on, with MLS or the Saudi Pro League seen as possible destinations this summer.

With his Barcelona career finally over, what better time to work out where he ranks in the pantheon of the club's other modern greats. GOAL has ranked the Blaugrana's top 10 players of the 21st century:

Getty Images10Gerard Pique

Pique could not stay away from Barcelona. Raised in a fiercely Catalan family, his grandfather was even a Barca vice-president back in the day. Thus, it was little surprise when Pique regretted his move to Manchester United and returned to his boyhood club in 2008.

It proved to be an excellent decision by both parties. In his very first season back, Pep Guardiola inspired the team to a historic treble. Pique was a vital part of this success, instantly clicking with long-time centre-back partner, Carles Puyol.

His inaugural campaign set the tone for an incredible career. In the 14 years that followed, he was scarcely out of the starting XI, helping his side win a glut of major honours. He tailed off towards the end of his stint as his age began to catch up with him, but his commitment to the cause never wavered – as evidenced by his acceptance of several pay cuts when Barca were in financial strife. It would not be a surprise to see him become club president one day.

AdvertisementGetty Images9Carles Puyol

A graduate of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy system, Puyol didn't just stand out due to his iconic rock-and-roll hairstyle – he was also one of the best defenders of all time. Starting out as a full-back, it would be in the heart of the backline that Puyol made his name.

After impressing in age-group teams, he broke into the senior starting XI at the turn of the millennium. At the time, Barcelona were far from the all-conquering force they would become in the late 2000s, as they stuttered to a string of underwhelming league finishes.

Puyol's heart never wavered from the Blaugrana, though, and his loyalty was rewarded when Frank Rijkaard and Guardiola helped turned the club's fortunes around. Upon retirement in 2014, he reflected: "I've lived the dream of thousands of children and I'm privileged. I came here as a child and I leave with a family. I want to thank all those at the club who have made the club work every day that I have been here."

Getty8Dani Alves

Dani Alves had two spells at Barcelona. The first one, between 2008 and 2016, was when he built a reputation as being one of the best attacking full-backs who has ever played the game, following Brazil's fine tradition of producing this sort of player.

Alves pushed so high during games he essentially acted as an auxiliary winger, allowing whoever was playing in front of him, often Lionel Messi, to wreak havoc in more central areas. He would then return to the club in January 2022, accepting the lowest salary possible.

Getty Images7Samuel Eto'o

Eto'o caused a stir when he labelled himself the best African footballer of all-time, dismissing Didier Drogba's claim to his title. "None of them can come and say that they were at my level or better," he said back in 2020. "And it's not the fact that I say it, it's a fact, it's something that is there. I wanted to be number one and I have been throughout my career."

As well as being his continent's greatest player, Eto'o also has a strong claim to be among Barcelona's all-time best forwards. A record of 130 goals in just 199 appearances speaks for itself, and Barca certainly missed him when he was shoved towards the exit door to facilitate Zlatan Ibrahimovic's arrival in 2009.

While Ibrahimovic clashed with Guardiola and failed to gel with his new team-mates, Eto'o helped Inter record a historic treble. We're sure the Nerazzurri's infamous Champions League semi-final victory over Barcelona was a particular highlight for Eto'o.