In the summer of 1996, it was all change at Barcelona. And the biggest sign of that change was signing a young Brazilian striker by the name of Ronaldo Nazario.
The Catalan club had lost the services of club legend Johan Cruyff after eight years in charge. Highly regarded English manager Bobby Robson was the new man in the managerial hot seat, and he recommended the Brazilian teen sensation to the Barca club hierarchy.
In 2009, Robson said: “The president [at Barcelona] said to me, ‘We need bums on seats, we need a top-class striker, do you know where there is one?’ I said, ‘Yes, I know there’s a young kid at PSV that I like very much. I think he’s terrific, but he’s a risk.””
The risk paid off. At just 19, Ronaldo made the £20million fee paid to secure his signature from PSV Eindhoven look like peanuts. In his short stay in Catalonia, the forward registered 47 goals in just 49 appearances.
Accordingly, Barca accumulated three trophies in the 1996-97 campaign – the Copa Del Rey, Spanish Super Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
Ronaldo was Barcelona’s superstar – the player who ensured Barca remained successful in what many predicted would be a tough transitional period following Cruyff’s departure. But how did Barcelona’s other 1996 signings fare?
Laurent Blanc
It was Cruyff who persuaded Blanc to join the Catalans. It’s perhaps no surprise his stay at the club lasted just one year after the Dutch coach was sacked on the day he convinced the French defender to sign.
The World Cup and European Championship winner appeared 38 times for Robson’s side that won three trophies in the 1996-97 season before he returned to his homeland to sign for Marseille.
Blanc ended his career at Manchester United in 2003. Before his move to Old Trafford, former United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, had admired the defender from afar for many years.
Ferguson said: “The first time [I tried to sign him] was back in 1996 when Laurent was still with Auxerre, then while he was at Barcelona and Internazionale. I’ve followed him around the world.”
Luis Enrique
It’s rare that a player makes the switch from Real Madrid to Barcelona – just 12 players have played for both clubs since 1990.
In the summer of 1996, Luis Enrique ended a five-season stint in the Spanish capital to move to Los Blancos’ arch-rivals.
The Spain international went on to appear 300 times for the Catalans, netting 109 goals in the process. ‘Lucho’ quickly became a fan…
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