Barça's players at the 2010 World Cup

Pedro

Hailing from Tenerife, Pedro has been a star striker for Barça this year, scoring a good number of goals, some of them particularly sublime - along with team-mates Messi and Bojan, he's been part of an impressive forward triumvirate for the team that has left costly signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the shadows. This year's World Cup tournament represents Pedro's first call-up for the Spanish national team.

Messi

Lionel (Leo) Messi clearly needs no introduction. The highest goal-scorer in Europe this season and current FIFA World Player, the Argentinian is always the one that defenders have most trouble knowing how to deal with. There are many voices saying that Messi won't be able to deliver the same level of performance with Argentina under Diego Maradona, compared to Pep Guardiola's Barça, but the team remain one of the tournament favourites.

Xavi

FC Barcelona's midfielder has had a great season, seeing him included on many a-pundit's 'best of' for this year thanks to his often sublime passing and almost uncanny knack for reading the pitch. Having been named Player of the Tournament when Spain won the European Championships two years ago, Xavi could once again prove to be a key player as the team aims for its first ever World Cup Trophy.

Thierry Henry

By the time the World Cup starts, French player Thierry Henry may already be signed to a different club, with a notable drop in the amount of minutes he played for Barça in the last season. Now a veteran of four World Cup events, including the 1998 tournament, when France won on home ground against a rather hapless Brazil in the final, Henry leads a mature French team to South Africa, which wouldn't even be there were it not for Henry's controversial double handling of the ball in the final qualifier against Ireland; his action led to a France goal and their ticket to South Africa, but Ireland and all right-minded people were outraged by the handballs, which Henry later admitted.

Andrés Iniesta

This past season has not been Andrés Iniesta's best one with FC Barcelona, due to various injuries suffered throughout the nine months of play. However, his skill in the midfield of play, especially when teamed with Xavi, is something that has caught the eye of many a fan around the world. Having debuted for Spain just before the last World Cup in Germany, this tournament could see Iniesta's star rise even higher as he will undoubtedly play an important role in the centre of the pitch alongside his Barcelona team-mate.

Víctor Valdés

Despite being one of the best goalkeepers in the Spanish league in recent times (he has won the Zamora title for the goalie who's let in the least number of goals for the past two years as well as for the 2004/05 season), Víctor Valdés has always been in the shadow of Real Madrid's Iker Casillas when it comes to the national side and never before had a cap for Spain. Now he's been called up to play in South Africa, while he still won't be first-choice goalie thanks to Casilla's presence on the team, the player from Hospitalet del Llobregat could have a good chance to show what he's capable of on the biggest football stage of all.

Rafael Marquéz

Mexican Rafael Marquéz had a relatively unremarkable 2009/10 season with Barça and so will doubtless be hoping for greater success in South Africa. However, Mexico's defeat by an unimpressive England at Wembley in a pre-competition friendly doesn't bode well for the real thing.

Carles Puyol

FC Barcelona's captain has over 80 caps with the Spanish side, having debuted in 2000. The defender, who is also one of the captains of the Spanish team, has got used to lifting trophies in the past year or so - could this summer see him add the Jules Rimet trophy to his list of competition successes?

Dani Alves

Brazilian right-backer Alves was signed from Seville by Barça a couple of years ago for a price that apparently made him the most costly defender in history. However, many would say he was worth it, even if his form seemed to fall away somewhat towards the end of the last season; his high energy levels and often aggressive style of play have served Barcelona well on many an occasion. Alves, along with Barça team-mate Maxwell (who has had an excellent season at the Catalan club), are part of a Brazilian side that comes to South Africa as one of the favourites.

Gerard Piqué

Gerard Piqué has built up quite a reputation as a heart-throb amongst the female teenage population of Catalunya. Not only that, his book of memoirs was one of the biggest sellers on Sant Jordi this year. And at the same time, his defending performance on the pitch has been top-notch for Barça, while he also brought the team within one goal of the coveted place in the Champions League final at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu with a big strike against Inter. Piqué played his first match for Spain last year against England and scored his first goal for the team on his second appearance, against Turkey. Other members of Barça who will be playing for Spain this summer are new signing, the Asturian forward David Villa and Catalan midfielder Sergi Busquets.

Touré Yáyá

Côte d'Ivoire player Touré Yáyá (apparently when he signed for FC Barcelona, he asked to be called Touré Yáyá although he is known as Yáyá Touré to much of the world) is said to be unhappy at Barça due to a fall in the number of minutes he played for the side this season to the advantage of Sergi Busquets (Touré's agent has claimed that the side would have won its crucial away match against Inter if his client had been playing) and so might not be with Barça much longer. When he has played, he has certainly proved his worth and skill, and doubtless, along with his brother Kolo Touré who plays in England and is also part of the Côte d'Ivoire team in South Africa, will be hoping that the first ever tournament to be held on the African continent will see its first African victors as well.