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FC Barcelona

History of Barcelona Football Club

Futbol Club Barcelona, also known as Barça, is part of the Barcelona sports club. The football team was formed in 1889 by Swiss businessman Hans Kamper, who embraced Catalan nationalism so fervently that he changed his name to the Catalan Joan Gamper.

Gamper advertised in a local newspaper for players to join him in the relatively unknown sport of football. His call was answered by eleven players: Gualteri Wild, Lluis d'Ossa, Bartomeu Terradas, Otto Kunzle, Otto Maier, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Carles Pujol, Josep Llobet, John Parsons, and William Parsons.

Barcelona football club, whose motto is "Barça is more than a club" (El Barça és més que un club), play their football in the Nou Camp stadium before large attendances of their devoted fans, also known as culés. Barça are well known for their relentless refusal to allow sponsor logos on their shirts because the team is a symbol for Catalonia. Even the appearance of kit manufacturer Nike’s swoosh logo on the strip was controversial.

FC Barcelona has a long standing rivalry with Real Madrid with deep political roots, and politics have dogged the history of Barcelona. During the Spanish Civil War, club president Josep Suño was assassinated by nationalist soldiers and the side’s headquarters were bombed. The club was forced to change its name to Club de Futbol Barcelona and remove the Catalan portion of its flag. A president friendly to Franco’s regime was appointed.

With political problems receding, Ladislao Kubala joined the team in 1950 and established himself as one of the most important players in the club’s history. Barcelona football club won almost every competition they played in during the years when the team was spearheaded by the attack of Cesar, Basora and Kubala himself.

Following the signing of Dutch legend Johan Cruyff in 1973 FC Barcelona recorded their most famous domestic victory beating Real Madrid 5-0 in their rival’s Bernabeu stadium, and went on to win the Spanish league. Five years later, the appointment of new president Josep Luis Nuñez bought social and economic growth and FC Barcelona began to thrive. Between 1990 and 1994, with Johan Cruyff now managing the side, Barça’s ‘Dream Team’ won four consecutive league championships and their first UEFA Champions League.

Fortunes took a down-turn during the unsuccessful managerial reigns of Bobby Robson and Luis van Gaal, and when Joan Gaspart took over as president his command was short-lived, bringing only financial crisis.

Gaspart’s successor Joan Laporta has since restored stability, and brought in manager Frank Rijkaard and superstar Ronaldinho to bolster the football team. FC Barcelona’s recovery under the presidency of Laporta resulted in Barcelona winning La Liga in 2004/05 – their first league championship in six years.

FC Barcelona - Trophies and Honours

UEFA Champions League: 1991-92

UEFA Cup: 1958, 1960, 1966, 1971

European Super Cup: 1992, 1997

European Cup Winners' Cup: 1979, 1982, 1989, 1997

Spanish First Division: 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

Spanish Super Cup: 1984, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997

Spanish League Cup: 1983, 1986

King's Cup: 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, 1962-63, 1967-68, 1970-71, 1977-78, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1996-97, 1997-98

Betting on Barcelona Football Club

If you are thinking of betting on Barcelona football club, to win a match or championship, visit our Football Betting Guide for more information, or check out the Latest Football Odds in our odds comparison service and find out about forthcoming Barcelona matches and fixtures in our Events section..

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