FC Barcelona-‘More Than A Club’
The futbol club Barcelona as it is well known is basically FC Barcelona and barca. This is a renowned football team and it has its base in Catalonia, region of Spain. This team has become a symbol of Catalan nationalism, due its great success and of course the popularity rather its craze among the people. The team has an inspiring motto “Mes que un club” that simply means “more than a club”.
On November 29, 1899 was this popular club started by Joan Gamper. Joan Gamper was a football fanatic from Switzerland and that he himself didn’t know that his dream team would get so well-known among the people and would have such a huge fan following.
The fans of the club were known by a funny name cules which is a Catalan word and meant ‘asses’. This funny name arose in the mid twenties by the Barca enthusiasts when they sat in the top row of the football ground with their ass was visible to the passersby. In 1939 was Franco’s dictatorship period when the team’s name was forcibly changed to club de Futbol . Even the flag of Catalan was removed from the club’s shield. The stadium was the ultimate place to be during fanco’s reign and the language of Catalan could be spoken freely and even the flag was displayed.
FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are the two most flourishing and well-known Spanish teams but as well they are ferocious challengers on and off the ground. The real Madrid became the symbol of nationalism and favored the regime of Franco whereas Barca opposed Franco and that was when the rivalry started. This competition started back in the past but still has left its mark. Under the coaching of Salvador Artigas the barcas beat Real Madrid in 1968.
The ground of Barca, built in 1957 was known as the Camp Nou. It has a capacity of 98,000 and comes up to be Europe’s largest stadium and world’s third largest stadium. It was a terrific accomplishment for Barca and few memorable matches were played at the ground.
The club got its old name back to Futbol Cub Barcelona in 1974. From the beginning the club has stayed with its principal of not promoting on the uniform for the corporate sponsors in contrast to other teams. It was only in 14 July, 2006 that the team agreed to advertise on its uniform as it had a noble cause to it. The club proclaimed an agreement with the UNICEF that is an international organization to help youngsters. EUR1.5 million per year is donated by the team to the organization.
It’s obligatory for all the players to know the Catalan language according to the leader of the club Mr. Joan Laporta who is a proclaimed nationalist himself. In fact a portion from the ticket sale from the matches between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is donated to Federacio Llull. It is an organization that promotes the Catalan language.
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