FC Barcelona – Mes Que Un Club

As 2010 World Cup champions Spain face an unthinkable elimination in today’s game against Chile, we remember the powerful history of Spain’s greatest football club, whose players form the core of the Spanish national squad.

FC Barcelona’s slogan is “mes que un club” (“more than a club”) – and throughout its history, it has indeed kept the flame of Catalonian identity and spirit of resistance alive and burning bright in the face of state and cultural repression. During the Spanish Civil War, FC Barcelona’s president Josep Sunyol transformed the club into a democratic arena of ‘sport and citizenship,’ and was arrested and executed by Franco’s regime for his role in the struggle against fascism. FCB was also an important space for the preservation of the Catalan language, which was banned during the dictatorship.

Fans of FC Barcelona, or ‘Barça’ as it is affectionately named, continue to keep the tradition of Catalonian resistance alive today through its rivalry against Franco’s chosen team, Real Madrid. During these ‘El Clásico’ matches, Barça fans often break into freedom chants at 17 minutes and 14 seconds, signifying the year 1714, when Catalunya was invaded by Castilian forces.

Tots Units Fem Força!! Adelante Barça!