page_title: Javier Mascherano
section_title: Barcelona
hierarchical_section_title: Javier Mascherano / Club career / Barcelona
caption_attribution_description: Español: Javier Mascherano jugando un partido con el FC Barcelona.
context_page_description: Javier Alejandro Mascherano is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for Argentine Primera División club Estudiantes de La Plata.
  Mascherano began his career at River Plate, where he earned his first senior honours, the Argentine Primera División, in 2003–04. He moved to Brazilian side Corinthians in 2005, winning the Brazilian Série A in his first season. Mascherano then moved to Europe, signing for Premier League side West Ham United, but his brief time at the club was blighted by unusual contract terms with Global Soccer Agencies. At the beginning of 2007, he joined Liverpool on loan, reaching the final of the UEFA Champions League, before he signed with the club for £18.7 million. After three years playing for Liverpool, Mascherano joined Barcelona in 2010, where he changed his position of defensive midfielder to full central defender. With Barcelona, he won five La Liga championships, two UEFA Champions League titles, and two FIFA Club World Cups, among other honours.
  Mascherano made 147 appearances for the Argentina national team and is the most capped player in the country's history.
context_section_description: On 28 August 2010, Mascherano agreed terms on a four-year deal contract with Barcelona for €24 million. On 30 August 2010, Mascherano passed his medical to complete his transfer to Barça, and told Barça TV, "The truth is it's a dream, it's a great joy." He made his league debut on 11 September 2010, starting in a home 0–2 defeat against recently promoted Hércules, marking the first defeat at the Camp Nou in 16 months. Mascherano had a mixed season at the Camp Nou, spending the first half of the season mainly coming off the bench but for the latter part playing out of position in a centre-back role. On 28 May 2011, Mascherano started alongside Gerard Piqué in the 2011 Champions League final against Manchester United. Barcelona went on to win the game 3–1, with Mascherano dedicating the win to Liverpool fans, some of which he had upset during his move. In the run to the final, Mascherano denied Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner a certain goal with a sliding tackle towards the end of the second leg of the round of 16 match, which the Catalan side beat the Gunners 3–1, 4–3 on aggregate.
  In his second season, Mascherano played almost exclusively as a central defender, putting in consistent performances starting regularly for the team in defence.
  On 26 July 2012, Mascherano signed a contract extension with Barcelona, keeping him with the Catalan giants until 2016. His buyout clause was set at €100 million. On 7 June 2014, Mascherano signed an extension on his contract, tying him to the Catalan club until 2018 and keeping his buyout clause at €100 million.
  On 6 June 2015, Mascherano started for Barça in the 2015 Champions League final, as the club won its fifth European Cup/Champions League title by defeating Juventus at Berlin's Olympiastadion. This made Barcelona the first club in history to win the treble of domestic league, domestic cup and European Cup/Champions League twice.
  On 27 July 2016, Mascherano signed a new contract with Barcelona, which will keep him at the club until 2019.
  On 26 April 2017, Mascherano scored his first goal for Barcelona, a penalty kick in a La Liga match against Osasuna.
  On 23 January 2018 Barça announced that Mascherano "is leaving FC Barcelona after seven and a half seasons."
caption: Mascherano playing for Barcelona in 2012.
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