Fútbol Club Barcelona, or FC Barcelona, is one of the most famous and successful football clubs in the world. Locally referred to as Barça, the team has consistently been at the top of Spanish football and international tournaments for years. However, this wasn’t always the case. With over 100 years of history, FC Barcelona and its fans have experienced a great deal.
De club FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona, often simply called Barça, is one of the world’s most iconic football clubs. But for most Catalans, FC Barcelona is much more than just a club. Here are some interesting facts about FC Barcelona.
The Club
FC Barcelona, officially Futbol Club Barcelona, is one of the most celebrated and prestigious football clubs globally. Founded in 1899, it is based in Barcelona. Commonly known as “Barça,” the club has a rich history filled with national and international triumphs.
The club is renowned for its distinctive blue and red colors and has attracted numerous talented players, including legends like Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi. FC Barcelona has won many national and international titles, including numerous La Liga championships and UEFA Champions League titles.
Today, FC Barcelona encompasses much more than just football. Basketball, handball, hockey, volleyball, rugby, athletics, and skating are some of the many sports where FC Barcelona also excels.
Additionally, FC Barcelona is one of the few remaining clubs not structured as a corporation and has remained a true democratic institution. The club is still owned by its members (currently counting 143,086 socios and socias) who elect the president through a complex voting system.
The Supporters “Culers”
Many Catalans and Barcelonans are avid Barça supporters, never missing a game. They are also recognizable on the streets, often reading pro-Barça sports newspapers like Sport and Mundo Deportivo.
The club has a vast fanbase worldwide, with over a thousand supporters’ clubs comprising hundreds of thousands of members who follow Barça. On social media, Barça is one of the most-followed football clubs.
Barça supporters are known as “culers.” This nickname originated from the days when they used to sit at the Carrer de la Indústria stadium with their backsides against the street (the word culer comes from the Catalan term cul, which means buttocks).
Més que un club
The slogan “més que un club” (“more than a club”) was coined by Narcís de Carreras in 1968 when he became the club’s president, declaring, “Barcelona is more than just a football club.”
For most Catalans, FC Barcelona is indeed much more than a football club. It serves as a cultural institution and a means to express their nationalism.
During matches, banners reading “freedom for Catalonia” are common, and Catalan flags are often displayed. The club’s motto, més que un club (more than just a club), is also prominently featured.
The Club Colors
The iconic striped kit of FC Barcelona, with blaugrana (blue and garnet) stripes, is one of the most recognizable football shirts worldwide.
One of the many theories about the origin of Barça’s blue and red colors is that Gamper chose the same colors as Basel, the team he played for before moving to Catalonia.
The Logo
The design of Barça’s logo dates back to 1910 and was created by a supporter, Carles Comamala. Before that, FC Barcelona used the city’s coat of arms as its badge.
The Club Anthem
The club anthem of FC Barcelona is known as “El Cant del Barça.” It’s an emotional and symbolic song played before every home game at Camp Nou.
The lyrics of the club anthem describe the pride and passion of the club and its fans, emphasizing the importance of Catalan identity.
The melody is catchy and often sung by fans during matches to encourage the players.
“El Cant del Barça” was written for the club’s 75th anniversary.
The Stadium
Camp Nou is the iconic stadium of FC Barcelona and one of the largest football stadiums in the world. With a seating capacity of over 99,000, it’s an impressive venue for the club’s home games.
Camp Nou has a rich history and has hosted numerous historic matches, including UEFA Champions League finals and El Clásico matches against Real Madrid.
The stadium offers a unique atmosphere and is a pilgrimage site for football fans around the world.
The Players
Over the years, FC Barcelona has attracted some of the world’s greatest football stars. Notable names include László Kubala, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Johan Cruijff.
These players have all left an indelible mark on the history of FC Barcelona. Their skills, achievements, and impact have helped shape the club’s rich football history.
Additionally, as one of the world’s most prestigious football academies, Barcelona has produced some of the most iconic and influential players ever, such as Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, and Pep Guardiola.
The Training Complex
The training complex of FC Barcelona, Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, is located in Sant Joan Despí, a suburb of Barcelona.
The complex serves as a training and educational facility for players, from the youth academy to the first team. FC Barcelona is known as one of the best football academies in the world.
It includes multiple football fields, indoor training facilities, medical facilities, and offices for management and coaching staff. It’s named after Joan Gamper, one of the founders of FC Barcelona.
The Club Museum
The FC Barcelona Museum, located in Camp Nou, offers an in-depth look at the history and achievements of the club.
The museum houses an impressive collection of trophies, memorabilia, historical uniforms, and interactive displays.
Visitors can explore the club’s successes, relive iconic moments, and learn more about the evolution of FC Barcelona as a football powerhouse.
The museum is a popular destination for both fans and tourists wanting to get to know the club better.
El Clásico
One of the world’s most passionate football matches is El Clásico, where FC Barcelona competes against arch-rival Real Madrid. If you get the chance to attend this match, you will witness unforgettable football moments.
Experiencing FC Barcelona
Most football fans come to Barcelona with one goal: to visit Camp Nou and, ideally, catch a Barça match! And for good reason, as FC Barcelona’s stadium is a true football mecca.
Great football stars (including several Dutch players like Cruijff, Koeman, Kluivert, and now Frenkie de Jong) have played here and left their mark. The stadium of FC Barcelona still attracts thousands of visitors annually, both to the museum and on match days.
For football enthusiasts, Camp Nou is a dream come true. But there are several ways to connect with FC Barcelona and experience the grandeur of the club during your visit to Barcelona. Here are a few suggestions.
Museum and Stadium Tour
The iconic home stadium of FC Barcelona, Camp Nou, is a pilgrimage site for football fans. The stadium, with a seating capacity of over 99,000, offers tours where you can explore the field, the locker rooms, and the FC Barcelona Museum.
At the Barça megastore, you can also buy FC Barcelona merchandise as a souvenir and get your photo taken with your favorite player.
👉 Read more about Spotify Camp Nou and the tours here.
Attending a Match
If you’re in Barcelona when a match is being played, then you must visit Camp Nou. This is where you experience the magic of Barça at its best. Watching a match of FC Barcelona among 99,354 supporters in Camp Nou is a true experience and the dream of every football fan.
Tip: If you couldn’t get tickets or if Barça plays an away match during your visit, you can also follow the game at a local bar among the locals. Alternatively, attend a match of city rival RCD Espanyol.
Note: In the 2023-2024 season, FC Barcelona will not play in Camp Nou but in the Olympic Stadium on Montjuïc due to major renovation works. The FC Barcelona museum will also temporarily relocate to the Palau de Gel (Ice Palace), a short distance from Camp Nou.
Buying Barça Souvenirs
As a Barça fan, you can’t leave the city without first visiting a Barça fan shop. In various locations around the city, such as near Camp Nou, the Ramblas, the Sagrada Família, or Plaça de Catalunya, you’ll find an official Barça store where you can purchase souvenirs with the club’s colors and emblem.
Tip: Even at Barcelona’s airport, there’s a Barça store! Ideal for last-minute gift shopping.
Football Trip to Barcelona
A football trip to Barcelona to see the greatest football stars play in one of the most beautiful stadiums is now easily arranged. Several travel agencies offer a complete football trip at a very reasonable price. Ideal if you want the assurance that everything will be well organized!
Watching Training with Barça Players
The trainings take place at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, but they are closed to the public. The club always announces in advance if there are any trainings open to the public.
Traditionally, there is always a training session in early January where the whole family is welcome to watch. Club members can enter for free, while others must buy tickets for €5 per person.
Watching Barça B or the Youth Teams Play
Want to spot future legends already? Then visit FC Barcelona’s football academy, or buy tickets for a match of the second team or the women’s team, which are played at Estadi Johan Cruyff in Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
FC Barcelona’s History
In 1899, the club was founded by the Swiss Joan Gamper, along with a group of young Catalans and foreigners. The founder of FC Barcelona wanted to create an open entity where Catalonia, democracy, sport, and universality were of essential importance.
In those early years, the club’s shirts were half blue and half scarlet, and the players wore white shorts. FC Barcelona used up to four different football fields in its first year. The first trophy came in 1902, with La Copa Macaya (the then championship of Catalonia).
The club’s social growth allowed them to own their first stadium on Carrer de la Indústria (now Carrer Paris). Thanks to Barça’s good play, the first titles, and the arrival of the first football stars, the passion for football in Barcelona grew.
In 1922, the club moved to the stadium at Les Corts. Here began the most important phase of the club’s growth and its first golden age.
On February 12, 1929, a new competition began in Spain, La Liga, which over a few years would become the premier championship of Spanish football. It lasted four and a half months, and FC Barcelona was the first champion with 25 points, two more than Real Madrid, the second-placed. But the matches against Espanyol, the great rival at that time, drew the most interest from people.
The 1930s were marked by political instability and a general crisis that inevitably affected FC Barcelona. The most bitter moments in the history of FC Barcelona were in the first years after the Spanish Civil War. The club was on the verge of disappearing.
The new dictatorship distrusted FC Barcelona, seeing it as an organization that supported the Republicans and Catalan nationalism. The harsh repression and purges carried out by military and civilian authorities altered the club’s identity.
Yet, for many people, Barça’s matches were a way to escape all the fears, misery, and oppression.
The stadium in Les Corts became too small, and the club began construction of a new stadium, Camp Nou, the ‘new field’, in 1954.
Camp Nou was inaugurated in 1957. In the 1960s, FC Barcelona experienced an unstoppable rise in club members, which, oddly enough, did not coincide with sporting success. The many migrants who came to Barcelona from other parts of Spain were attracted to the club because of its democratic, classless, and clear stance against the centralism of Madrid.
Thanks to the efforts of President Agustí Montal Costa, FC Barcelona restored all its symbols, starting with the name of the entity which had been Castilianized under the Franco dictatorship.
The end of Franco’s regime and the new political climate meant the restoration of democracy in the club, which celebrated its first elections for the club’s president in 1978 with Josep Lluís Núñez as the winner.
Since 1988, Barça began to achieve sporting success again with Cruijff as coach. The players of the “dream team” brought back the illusion and spectacle to Camp Nou.
In Wembley, Barça achieved the dream prize in 1992: its first European Cup. Barça became a world-class club.
In 2006, the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper sports complex opened in the neighboring town of Sant Joan Despí, and all training fields, youth team match fields, and the youth academy La Masia moved there.
Under the leadership of Josep Guardiola, Barça had a dream year in 2009, winning all possible official trophies: the Spanish Cup, the Spanish League, the Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, Europe’s Super Cup, and the World Cup.
The triple nomination for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or for Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi, three players trained in La Masia, signified international recognition of Barça’s football school, which educates and trains players before moving them to the first team.
Since 2022, Camp Nou has been officially known as Spotify Camp Nou due to the commercial agreement with the Swedish music streaming company Spotify.
Currently, a thorough renovation of Camp Nou is underway, which will enable the club to gain more public space, the so-called Espai Barça, and, of course, to have one of the most beautiful and modern football stadiums in the world.
Titles of FC Barcelona
The grandeur of FC Barcelona is partly explained by its impressive list of honors. The club has won various national and international trophies, including multiple UEFA Champions League titles and La Liga championships.
- 5x UEFA Champions League
1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15 - 3x FIFA World Cup
2009-10, 2011-12, 2015-16 - 4x Europacup II
1978-79, 1981-82, 1988-89, 1996-97 - 3x Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
1957-58, 1959-60, 1965-66 - 5x UEFA Super Cup
1992-93, 1997-98, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2015-16 - 2x Copa Latina
1948-49, 1951-52 - 4x Copa de los Pirienos
1909-10, 1910-11, 1911-12, 1912-13 - 27x Liga
1928-29, 1944-45, 1947-48, 1948-49, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1973-74, 1984-85, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2022-23 - 31x Copa del Rey
1909-10, 1911-12, 1912-13, 1919-20, 1921-22, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1927-28, 1941-42, 1950-51, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1956-57, 1958-59, 1962-63, 1967-68, 1970-71, 1977-78, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2008-09, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21 - 14x Supercopa de España
1983-84, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1996-97, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2022-23 - 2x Copa de la Liga
1982-83, 1985-86 - 1x Liga Mediterránea
1937 - 1x Liga Catalana
1937-38 - 23x Campeonato de Catalunya
1901-1902, 1902-03, 1904-05, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1910-11, 1912-13, 1915-16, 1918-19, 1919-20, 1920-21, 1921-22, 1923-24, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1926-27, 1927-28, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1934-35, 1935-36, 1937-38 (inclusief Copa Macaya (1901-02) en Copa Barcelona (1902-03)) - 2x Supercopa Catalunya
2014-15, 2017-18 - 8x Copa Catalunya
1990-91, 1992-93, 1999-00, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2012-13, 2013-14 - 3x Copa Eva Duarte
1948-49, 1951-52, 1952-53
Facts About FC Barcelona
- FC Barcelona is known for its motto “Més que un club” (More than a club) due to its strong connection with Catalan culture and involvement in social issues.
- The club was founded by Swiss Joan Gamper in 1899. He placed an advertisement in a local newspaper to find football enthusiasts interested in forming a new club.
- FC Barcelona is one of the few football clubs owned by its members. This means that the socios (members) have voting rights on important club decisions.
- FC Barcelona is often simply called “Barça,” which should not be confused with the city itself. Locals abbreviate the city as “Barna” or “BCN.”
- The home stadium, Camp Nou, is one of the world’s largest football stadiums and seats over 99,000 spectators.
- FC Barcelona’s famous youth academy, La Masia, has produced some of the world’s best footballers, including Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, and Sergio Busquets.
- The rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, known as “El Clásico,” is one of the most intense and historical in the football world.
- The Canaletes Fountain on the Ramblas is the place where Barça supporters celebrate FC Barcelona’s victories.
- Club icon Johan Cruijff still plays a significant role at FC Barcelona and has given his name to the new stadium at FC Barcelona’s training complex, along with a giant mural about his life. In the square at Camp Nou, there is also a large statue of the former coach and player.
- The FC Barcelona museum is the most visited museum in Barcelona and even in all of Catalonia.
Frequently Asked Questions About FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona was founded on November 29, 1899. The club has been in existence for over a century and has a rich history.
FC Barcelona stands for Futbol Club Barcelona and is the name of a football club from Barcelona, Spain.
The club was founded by a Swiss man named Joan Gamper, also known as Hans Gamper, along with other Catalan football enthusiasts.
FC Barcelona has won multiple championships in both La Liga (the Spanish league) and the UEFA Champions League. Along with Real Madrid, FC Barcelona is one of the most successful Spanish football teams.
The rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is deep-rooted and has various historical, cultural, political, and sporting causes. The history of matches between both clubs is also filled with dramatic moments, controversies, and remarkable games that have contributed to the intensity of the rivalry.
