Barcelona Football Club was founded by Swiss footballer Hans Gamper. Football was an unpopular sport in Spain at the end of the 19th century and Gamper wanted to form a team. The first players have recruited thanks to an advertisement in a newspaper. Eleven people of different nationalities responded to it (they were mostly English and Spanish).
The year 1899 is officially considered to be the foundation date. Soon the club becomes the most popular in Spain, successfully performing in the Championship of Catalonia. In 1902, FC Barcelona win their first Maccaya Cup.
Gamper was originally one of FC Barcelona's players but, when his career ended, became club president. The team won the Spanish Cup for three years (1910, 1912, and 1913). Gamper helped save the club from extinction as Barcelona had no income. The president bought his own stadium for the football club in 1909.
FC Barcelona's membership had increased to 10,000 in 1922. The team's star player at the time was forward Paulino Alcantar. He scored 356 goals throughout his career, becoming the first man to be inducted into the Barcelona Hall of Fame. During Gamper 's tenure, the club won six Spanish Cups, winning the national championship eleven times. It was then that the team emerged, still competing with Barcelona - Espanola.
In 1925, the club became embroiled in a political conflict. At one match, the fans sang the Spanish national anthem, but at the time it was forbidden. Dictator Primo de Rivera closed the Barcelona stadium for six months and suspended Hans Gompera as president. The sportsman could not bear such a blow and committed suicide five years later after a long period of depression.
The club began a "black streak", the professional players and stars of the club could not rectify the situation. Political conflicts increasingly plagued Spain and the population had little interest in sports. FC Barcelona was plunged into a deep crisis, with poor finances, declining membership, and a poor record in sports.
In 1936, another tragedy in the history of the club was the assassination of its president Josep Zúñol. The murder was carried out on the orders of Francisco Franco. The following year, the team lost almost half of its players. They did not want to return from a tour of the United States to Spain, where a civil war was raging. The trip was aimed at improving Barcelona's financial situation, but the loss of the players changed management's plans. Francisco Franco is doing all he can to cause problems for the club.
Against the backdrop of a difficult political situation in Spain, Barcelona's success in the 40's and 50s has been remarkable. The club win the Spanish Championship for the first time in 16 years in 1945. The year 1952 marks a milestone for FC Barcelona, winning five Spanish Cups in five different championships. Ladislao Kubala, the most celebrated player of all the years of the club's existence, is part of the squad.
In 1957, Francisco Mario Sanz takes over as president of the club, inaugurating the new Camp Nou stadium. The team is victorious in many championships, winning the Fairs Cup (the forerunner of the UEFA) in 1958. During the 1960s, Barcelona's fortunes slipped away again. During the decade Barcelona won just two Cups, both in 1966. Fans still revere the team, however, and call Barça: "More than just a club". The club takes direction on the world football stage in the 1970s. To begin with, they win the national championship, and in 1973 they win the Spanish Championship trophy.
In 1982, Diego Maradona becomes a player on the team. He is bought for a fabulous sum for those days: 3 million pounds. With such a squad the team wins the 1988 championship. "Barcelona becomes a dream team, the dream team of thousands of players from around the world. It featured some of the stars of the time (e.g. Gheorghe Hadji, Romario, and Josep Guardiola).
During the 1990s, the club only proved its success once again, winning four league titles, winning the UEFA Super Cup in 1992, the Cup Winners' Cup in 1989, and the domestic cup in 1990. In 1994, however, they suffered a 0-4 defeat in the UEFA Champions League final. Further defeats soon followed, with many of Barça's legendary players leaving the team. Barca's current situation is quite the same, as they now haven't played Champions League football for two years. You can bet on the next Barca win in La Liga or the Europa League with free spin online casino. Even with a new coach, Barça has not made much progress.
At the start of the 21st century, Barça's triumph in the UEFA Champions League opens their winning streak. In 2008, they occupied three prestigious FIFA Championships: Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Spanish League. This season, FC Barcelona have not lost a single match in which they have featured.
For the last few years, Barcelona has been firmly in the top flight. This is thanks to Lionel Messi, regarded as one of the great and legendary footballers of our time. The club attracts more and more football fans every year and is the pride and national treasure of Spain.
