It would be unfair, I think, to praise players like Xavi for sticking with one club while vilifying others, like Cronaldo or whoever (just random names), simply because Xavi was born in Barcelona, in a location where there is a big team, with a ton of money, while Cronaldo was born in Portugal (where there are certainly good teams, but they’ll never pay as much as ManU).

Yippee for those who stuck around their clubs, but it’s not exactly fair to extol their virtues simply because they were born (like Scholes) in Manchester, Barcelona, or Madrid instead of the wilds of Asturias (like David Villa) or in the slums of Rio (like so many famous players).

If you’re arguing against “globalization” then you’re also arguing against a truly global game and against Europeans being able to see South Americans playing in the European leagues. [Note: I'm not judging this view, I'm merely stating the obvious consequences of having X number of local players or whatever other wording is used.] And that will, in effect, create many, many more one-club men.

Hell, even Pele moved to the Cosmos when he had the chance…

From what I know, Pipo Inzaghi (unless you were referreing to Simone Inzaghi – the younger brother) started off with Piacenza. Simone Inzaghi as well. They’re natives of Piacenza.

Javier Zanetti (unless you meant Cristiano Zanetti – no relation to Javier) started off with Banfield. When I mean started off, I’m really considering a player’s first professional contract. Ergo, Raul Gonzalez, while starting with Atletico’s youth team, had his first professional contract with Real Madrid.

Bobby Charlton played the vast majority of his career with Man Utd, but he did make several appearances for Preston North End.

*My intention wasn’t really a list of one club career footballers (someone’s free to do that). I know by picking Raul as comparison it was bound to open this door of questions as to why I left out notable others. Raul’s comparison is probably the most on point since both Messi and Raul play in the same league and for clubs that have a similar governing structure which is different from other major clubs in Europe. In the end I am grateful for those who have brought my attention to these other fine footballers.

Albert Ferrer spent the vast majority of his career with Barcelona, but when his time was coming to an end, he was transfered to Chelsea. Same with Sergi Barjuan leaving for Atletico Madrid. Josep Guardiola off-loaded to Brescia. Guillermo Amor, playing the third most matches for Barcelona and a graduate from the academy, deemed surplus to requirements by then coach Louis Van Gaal. Ivan de la Pena (the man who scored against Barcelona weeks ago in Espanyol’s derby win over Barca), released and transfered to Lazio and then making his way cross town. Even as of late, players from the cantera such as Oleguer Presas has been released to Ajax last season and Giovanni dos Santos (then hyped to be the successor to Ronaldinho) transfered to Tottenham (and now on loan to Ipswich).

Yes, Puyol, Iniesta and Xavi remain. And making a case for them that their careers are secure at Barcelona is a valid one indeed. I would have thought those many years ago we would never give up on Ferrer and Sergi (the anchors of our defense alongside Koeman and Abelardo). So much for that considering again that Barcelona aren’t hung up on nostalgia and memories. The moment Puyol and co become expendable, and the moment Messi does as well, let’s not be surprised if we read of their transfers.

That said, there are a number of Barcelona players, particularly the homegrown ones, who have spent and will spend their whole career at the club. I interviewed one of them: former captain and manager Joaquim Rifé. And a lot of other Barcelona players have spent really very sizeable chunks of their careers at the club, only departing for a heyday elsewhere: Sergi was there for 12 seasons, Albert Ferrer was there for a similar length of time before going to Chelsea. I would still, for all intents and purposes, call these people “one club” players. I don’t see Xavi, Puyol or Iniesta leaving at any point, either.