FC Barcelona

Full Name: Futbol Club Barcelona
City: Barcelona 
Founded: 1899
Stadium: Camp Nou (98,787)
Colors: Blue, Scarlet
Previous: Football Club Barcelona (1899-1940), Club de Fútbol Barcelona (1940-73)
Nicknames: Barça, Los Azulgranas, Blaugrana, Los Culés
Rivals: Real Madrid, Espanyol

Description:

Football Club Barcelona was founded on November 29, 1899 by Joan Gamper, a Swiss expatriate. Barcelona are the flagship of the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain. The club's motto is més que un club - More than a Club in Catalan - symbolizing their political and social importance. The club's president was killed by Francoist soldiers during the Spanish Civil War. This event and perceived persecution during the Franco era led to the club being seen as a symbol of resistance to Franco and of Catalan nationalism. This dynamic is played out in each and every meeting with arch-rival Real Madrid, proud standard-bearers of the Spanish center. This matchup - El Clásico - is the central date of the Spanish football calendar and one of the best rivalries in the world. From 1940-73 the club was forced to use the Spanish name Club de Fútbol Barcelona by the France regime. Immediately after his departure they changed to the Catalan Futbol Club Barcelona. For many years they were the only major club to resist having a sponsor on their shirt. They finally do have one now, though it is the charity UNICEF and the club receive no income from it.

Camp Nou:

Until 2000 the stadium was officially known as the Estadi del Futbol Club Barcelona, though always popularly called Camp Nou - the New Field.

Previous stadiums: Hotel Casanovas (1900-01), Carretera d'Horta (1901-05), Carrer Muntaner (1905-09), Carrer Industria (1909-22), Les Corts (1922-57).

Major Trophies:

First Tier League Titles:

• La Liga (1929, 45, 48, 49, 52, 53, 59, 60, 74, 85, 91, 92, 93, 94, 98, 99, 2005, 06, 09, 10, 11)

Cup Titles:

• Copa del Rey (1910, 12, 13, 20, 22, 25, 26, 28, 42, 51, 52, 53, 57, 59, 63, 68, 71, 78, 81, 83, 88, 90, 97, 98, 2009)
• Supercopa de España (1983, 91, 92, 94, 96, 2005, 06, 09, 10, 11)

International Titles:

• European Cup (1992)
• Champions League (2006, 09, 11)
• European Cup Winner's Cup (1979, 82, 89, 97)
• Fairs Cup (1958, 60, 66)
• European Super Cup (1992, 97, 2009, 11)
• World Club Cup (2009, 11)

Logo and Nicknames:

The club's emblem includes the cross of St George (a symbol of historic Catalonia) and the red and yellow stripes of the Catalan flag, as well as the red and blue of the jerseys. The Blaugrana (The Blue and Scarlet in Catalan) have never been relegated and are the only team to have competed in European competition in every season. Their Los Culés nickname - the asses - is derived from the time at Estadio Les Cortes - people would sit along the wall of the stadium watching the match, and all you could see from the streets were hundreds of asses. Los Azulgranas means The Blue and Scarlet in Spanish.

FC Barcelona Links:

• Official FC Barcelona website: fcbarcelona.com
• Coleccionista del Futbol Club Barcelona
• Barcelona Football Club - Footbo
• Barcelona vs Real Madrid