FC Barcelona have had a long and proud tradition of having some of the very best players in world football represent them both as key individuals and as team captains throughout the decades that La Blaugrana managed to have been an icon to both Spanish and European football.
Last season, Barcelona saw themselves lose three of their four captains for the 2022/2023 season. Club veterans Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have departed in the summer transfer window whereas Gerard Pique ended up retiring during the season itself.
As a result, Barcelona were left stranded in terms of official leaders within the squad and this was an issue that needed to be resolved as soon as possible.
For the time being, Sergi Roberto was promoted to the first captain position due to his hierarchal standing as the third captain beforehand, and Ter Stegen became the second captain for the upcoming season following his introduction as the fourth captain last season due to a vacancy.
Now, as officially revealed by FC Barcelona, the club has elected two new captains, third and fourth, to join the predetermined captaincies of the Spaniard and the German internationals. The new captains that have indeed been elected are Uruguayan central defender Ronald Araujo and Dutch maestro Frenkie De Jong.
Both players have a special place in the dressing room as well as a special place in the hearts of Barcelona fans around the world.
Seen as two cornerstones of this Catalan revolution being led by Xavi Hernandez, he believes that both the 24-year-old defender and the 26-year-old former Ajax midfielder have the talent and respect among the players to lead the team by both example and merit in general.
As it stands, the four captains set to lead the Catalan club next season are Sergi Roberto (First), Marc Andre Ter Stegen (Second), Ronald Araujo (Third), and Frenkie De Jong (Fourth).
Under exciting new leadership and with new recruits joining the side, Barcelona could be looking to make a statement in this upcoming season following their triumph in the last one, winning La Liga itself.