FC Barcelona History and Club Facts

FC Barcelona History and Club Facts

Sportblis presents you with the history and facts of FC Barcelona. It is no longer news that Fc Barcelona a.k.a Barça is one of the Greatest Football Club on the planet. However, only a few people know much about its history right from the day of its inception.

FC Barcelona History:

Football Club Barcelona was founded by Joan Gamper on the 29th day of November 1899. As a businessman, Gamper was interested in creating a football club. He made an advertisement in Los Deportes on the 22nd of October 1899. His advert contains a declaration of his intension to form a football team.

Meet Joan Gamper, the founder of FC Barcelona
Meet Joan Gamper, the founder of FC Barcelona. Picture: Fcbarcelona.

Few months after his advertisement, Gamper received a positive response which resulted in a meeting at Gimnasio Solé on 29 November. To his greatest surprise, he recorded an attendance of eleven players, hence a new club was birthed.

First Eleven Players:

The interests and supports shown by the eleven men at the meeting would never be forgotten. Today history would always record their names as the first eleven players of FC Barcelona. Their names are; Gualteri Wild, Lluís d’Ossó, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Bartomeu Terrados, Otto Kunzle, Otto Maier, John Parsons, William Parsons, Carles Pujol, and Josep Llobet. Take a look at their picture below;

The first eleven players and sole founder of Barca Football club
The first eleven players and sole founder of Barca Football club. Photoshoot: Fcbarcelona.

First President and First Match:

Gamper saw the need to place someone in charge of the team in other to coordinate their affairs. He then appointed Gualteri Wild the president of the club. Hence, Gualteri became the first president of FC Barcelona in football history.

In order to strategize on how to build up their teamwork, Barça contested in their first match against a group of Englishmen living in Barcelona. The match was played at the Bonanova Cycle Track and ended up in a 1-0 scoreline in favor of the Englishmen.

Barça in Recent Time:

Today, nobody would dare skip the name of FC Barcelona when talking about great teams around the world. Fortunately, Barça has produced a ton of exceptional footballers beyond the dreams of its founding fathers. FC Barcelona’s tiki-taka style of football is second to none in present-day soccer.

FC Barcelona Trophies and Achievements:

The efforts of the Spanish football club have never been laid to waste as they have won several types of football trophies over time. Below is the list of titles and trophies won by the club;

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Titles and Trophies:

UEFA Champions League5
UEFA Cup Winners' cup4
La Liga26
Copa del Rey30
FIFA Club World Cup3
Supercopa de España13
Copa Eva Duarte3
Copa de la Liga2
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup3
UEFA Super Cup5

In summary, FC Barcelona has won 74 domestic trophies as well as 20 European and worldwide titles. Furthermore, It is undoubtedly true that in the future to come, Barça is bound to excel beyond the predictions of its present-day managers.

Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year:

Aside from the trophies won by the Catalan giants, Barça has also made a lot of achievements in the world of football. In fact, the club has produced twelve Ballon d’Or winners as well as seven FIFA World Player of the Year award winners.

FC Barcelona Net worth:

The Trophies and achievements of FC Barcelona is indeed worthy of their financial turnover. At the time of writing this History, Barça emerged the first football club to have generated above €800 million annual revenue. Hence, FC Barcelona’s annual Net Worth is estimated to be a whopping sum of €840.8 million. According to Forbes Valuation, the club has an estimated value of $4.02 Billion. Therefore, Barcelona is the fourth most valuable sports club as well as the second most valuable football club in the world.

FC Barcelona Stadium History:

FC Barcelona’s first club stadium was Camp de la Indústria with an initial 6,000 spectator capacity. However, the stadium’s facilities were deemed to be inadequate as the club membership grew. Consequently, Camp de la Indústria was modified and expanded until it could hold up to about 60,000 spectators. At this level, there was no longer room for further expansion of the stadium. Take a look at FC Barcelona’s first football pitch below.

Take a closer look at Camp de la Indústria. It is the first football stadium of the Catalan giants
Take a closer look at Camp de la Indústria. It is the first football stadium of the Catalan giants. Picture credit: barcelonas.

The need for a new pitch became eminent as the club’s supporters continued to grow in numbers. Hence, on the 28th of March 1954 the construction of a new stadium, Camp Nou began. It took three years of hard work to complete Camp Nou. Take a look at the present-day Camp Nou stadium.

See how georgeous the biggest stadium in Europe - Camp Nou - looks
See how georgeous the biggest stadium in Europe – Camp Nou – looks. (Image: Thedrum).

Camp Nou had a dimension of 55,000 sq. meters, 48m height, 250m long, and 220m wide. Its playing area covers a 105m x 68m. The Stadium has a capacity of 99,354 and is classified as the biggest stadium in Europe. However, The club has proposed a renovation of the stadium to a 105,000 spectators capacity. Take a look at their futuristic designs below.

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The proposed design for the renovation of Camp Nou stadium
Take a closer look at the proposed design for the renovation of Camp Nou stadium. Credit: BibLus.

FC Barcelona Greatest players:

Since the inception of FC Barcelona, the club has consistently yielded exceptional players that have gained world recognition. The following individuals are FC Barcelona’s players that have made a huge impact on the team.

1. Lionel Messi:

Messi is no doubt one of the best players FB Barcelona has produced. He has consistently proven his extraordinary sportsmanship to the world through his performance. Furthermore, Messi is currently the only player in the world to have earned six Ballon d’Or awards. Hence, he is currently the all-time highest goal scorer in Barça’s history.

Meet the most talented player in FC Barcelona's history, Lionel Messi
See how he smiles! Lionel Messi the most talented player in FC Barcelona. Picture credit: Goal.

2. Ronaldinho:

Another prominent player that has contributed to the growth of FC Barcelona is Ronaldinho. The Brazilian player was one of the most exciting players to watch in Barça’s match. His incredible skills and free-kick capabilities always leaves his fans amazed.

Ronaldinho is yet another exceptional player in the History of Barcelona football
Ronaldinho is yet another exceptional player in the History of Barcelona football. Credit: Medium.

3. Xavi:

Xavi is one of the greatest playmakers in FC Barcelona’s history. The retired midfielder has shown tremendous skills in ball coordination throughout his days in Barça. Moreso, Xavi has equally captained Barça to numerous victories in different leagues and competitions. Today he holds the records of the most appearances for the Catalan giants – FC Barcelona.

See how he maintains control of the ball in the mid air - Xavi.
See how he maintains control of the ball in mid-air. Credit: Fcbarcelona.

4. Hristo Stoichkov:

Stoichkov was a formidable player and was part of the dream team who won four consecutive La Liga titles. He was quite famous and hated his rival club, Real Madrid. During his playing days, Stoichkov showcased a great football performance. Furthermore, he had a record of 85 goals in 175 appearances.

Stoichkov had an  unmatched football skills  in his time.
Stoichkov had unmatched football skills in his time. Credit: Pinterest.

5. Carles Puyol:

Puyol is one of the legendary defender of FC Barcelona. He has led Barça to numerous international and domestic league title victories. However, he still remains a formidable defender in the history of Barça. FC Barcelona has also produced tons of world-class players who are not mentioned above. However, it is important to note that the players listed above have made a huge contribution to the team that has satisfied its fans over time.

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Puyol is one of the most revered defender in the history of Barca
Puyol is one of the most revered defenders in the history of Barca. Credit: YouTube.

FC Barcelona Greatest Coaches:

1. Johan Cruyff:

The greatest coach in the history of FC Barcelona is Johan Cruyff. Before the beginning of his coaching career, Cruyff played for Barca. The dutchman is undoubtedly one of the biggest players that played for FC Barcelona during his generation.

As the club’s manager, the dutchman introduced his football philosophy (Tiki-Taka) to the gameplay of FC Barcelona. Thanks to his initiative, Barca has built its team’s foundation on the Bedrock of his philosophy. Furthermore, Cruyff holds the record of FC Barcelona’s longest-serving coach with a service duration of eight years (1988-1996).

Johan Cruyff is one of the most influential and long-serving coach in Barca
Johan Cruyff is one of the most influential and long-serving coaches in Barca. Credit: Firepost.

2. Pep Guardiola:

Another iconic personality that would never be forgotten in the history of FC Barcelona’s managers is Pep Guardiola. He took over the management of Barca when their morale was on a low key.

Overtime, Guardiola was able to restructure the team into getting back their formal glory. He maintained a strict rule and made sure players give in their very best in each match. He would go down the pages of history as a coach who led FC Barcelona into winning several league titles.

A look at Pep Guardiola. See how calmly he studies the tempo of the match.
A look at Pep Guardiola. See how calmly he studies the tempo of the match. Credit: Fcbarcelonanoticias.

FC Barcelona Facts:

Although the club’s founding fathers are long dead, their intentions and dreams for the team will be forever imprinted on the sands of time. Read on as we give you a few mesmerizing facts about FC Barcelona.

Fact 1: Club’s Ownership:

One of the most shocking facts about FC Barcelona is that it is owned by its fans. Surprising right?… The Catalan giants have about 14,000 social (members) who are responsible for decision making. The former club vice-president, Ferran Soriano once said;

“The fans truly own this club. They decide its destiny and how it is managed.”

Fact 2: Fan’s name:

Do you know?… FC Barcelona’s fans are called cules. Back in the days when Barca’s matches were played on Carrer Indústria’s football pitch spectators often sit on the wall of the pitch. On most occasions, their backside (called Culs in Catalan) would often protrude backward. Consequently, the supporters were nicknamed Culers and hence the fan’s name became known nationwide.

Meet Culers at FC Barcelona's Camp de la Indústria.
Meet Culers at FC Barcelona’s Camp de la Indústria. credit: Barcelonas.

FC Barcelona’s Wiki:

Below is a table that gives you comprehensive details of the Real Madrid Football Club in a concise way.

History InquiriesWiki Answers
Club Name:Football Club Barcelona
Nick Name:The Catalan Giants
League:La Liga
Stadium:Camp Nou
Founded:29th November 1899
Net Worth: €840.8 million (Aual Reveue)
President:Josep Maria Bartomeu
Most Capped Player:Xavi
Longest Serving Coach:Johan Cruyff
Highest Goal Scorer:Lionel Messi (More tha 630 goals i all competitions)

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading our FC Barcelona’s history and club facts. Feel free to comment or leave feedback about your satisfaction in the comment box below.