Global InformationList of FC Barcelona records and statistics information
Futbol Club Barcelona is a professional association football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Founded by a group of Swiss, German, English and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper, the club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, hence the motto "Més que un club" (More than a club). The official Barça anthem is the "Cant del Barça", written by Jaume Picas and Josep Maria Espinàs.[2] Unlike many other football clubs, the socis, who are the members and supporters of the club, own and operate Barcelona. It is the world's fourth richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual turnover of €800.1 million in the 2022–23 season.[3]
Barcelona played its first friendly match on 8 December 1899 against the English colony in Barcelona in the old velodrome in Bonanova.[4] Initially, Barcelona played against other local clubs in various Catalan tournaments. In 1929, the club became one of the founding members of La Liga, Spain's first national league, and has since achieved the distinction of being one of only three clubs to have never been relegated, along with Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona is also the only European club to have played continental football every season since 1955. They hold a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid, with matches between the two teams referred to as "El Clásico" (El Clàssic in Catalan). Matches against city rivals Espanyol are known as the "Derbi barceloní".
Barcelona has amassed various records in regional, domestic and continental tournaments since its founding. During the time the club played in regional competitions until the end of the Catalan championship in 1940, it won a record 23 titles from a possible 38. In 2009, Barcelona achieved an unprecedented sextuple by winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Champions League, the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in one calendar year. Additionally, Barça has won the coveted continental treble, consisting of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League in the aforementioned 2009 and again 2015, becoming the first European club to have won the treble twice.[5]
Barcelona has signed several high-profile players, setting the world record in transfer fees on three occasions with the purchase of Johan Cruyff from Ajax in 1973, Diego Maradona from Boca Juniors in 1982 and Ronaldo from PSV Eindhoven in 1996. The club's players have received seven FIFA World Player of the Year awards, twelve Ballon d'Or awards, three UEFA Men's Player of the Year awards and eight European Golden Shoe awards.
- ^ "FC Barcelona individual records". www.fcbarcelona.com. FC Barcelona. 20 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- ^ "The history of the Barça anthems". FCBarcelona.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ "Surplus of 48.8 million euros in the 2011/12 season, highest figure in Club history". FCBarcelona.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ "On December 8th 1899, Barça played their first ever game". FCBarcelona.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ "Kings, queens and a young prince". Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2010.