RU  UK  EN
Статьи  >  Imagine  >  More Than a Club – football in Catalan style

More Than a Club – football in Catalan style

Автор: 28.05.2014 | sports, Spain
Should one make a historic action sketch for football Barcelona with moments to boast about, the club will have the most reason to overween. OUTLOOK decided to have a deeper look into the history of the team and highlight names of those “guilty” of its almost unprecedented success with a marker. In season 2008/2009 alone it collected all possible major club trophies and every other time the world is watching its confrontation with Real Madrid with exalted awe.

 “Barcelona’s” father was a Swiss Hans Kamper. He used to work in the capital of Catalonia as an ordinary accountant in a transportation company and he got so assimilated with locals that even became Joan Gamper and… in October, 1899 decided to create a football club. Englishmen Ernest and Arthur Witty can be called stepfathers of the newly emerged “Barça”. It is them that the team owes its quite atypical and catchy coloristic to. And the thing is that the brothers, although born in Barcelona, got education in the Foggy Albion in Merchant Taylors’ School (Hertfordshire). Colors of the institution – scarlet and blue – later became the colors of the club.

Thus, under moderate English “bicolor”, Barcelona together with Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao stood at the origins of Spanish championship. With increasing skills of the club, number of its admirers, who were coming to watch “their guys” playing at Camp de la Indústria, was growing, too. In the last row of the sports facility viewers were sitting the way their posteriors were hanging down and were perfectly visible from the street. This is why the club’s fans and later its players as well, got tagged with a nickname “culés” that translates as “butts”. 

Ironically, backsides of supporters were far easier distinguishable than the club’s own actions:  for a long time it stayed in the shadow of Real. True, the Catalans managed winning domestic championship yet main club trophies remained unattainable for them. Taking into account that Real was ravenously carving out cups one after another, the situation seemed hopeless.

However, this was only up to a certain time – soon fortune ceased turning its notorious “culés” to the Catalans. The first European competition conquered by the team was Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, analogue of current Europa League. It was procured in 1958 on arrival of the legendary coach Helenio Herrera. A native of Buenos Aires was even named “Savior” for he interrupted supremacy of the Madrilenians. The instructor was the first to insist on relying on own trainees when choosing a first team. Nowadays Catalan football academy is the most impressive supplier of gifted young people. He was also called the Wizard because he was giving the players herbal tea to drink that was supposed to improve their physical shape; and they sincerely believed they were taking magic potion. However, Herrrera’s relations with the first star of Barcelona, Ladislao Kubala, didn’t work out. The coach was accusing a naturalized Hungarian in lack of discipline, alcohol abuse and condemned him to “warming the bench”. And this given that he still believed Kubala to be the most gifted football player he ever had to work with. Then again, despite remarkable progress, Savior failed to achieve his main goal – victory in European Cup – so he was asked to leave the club.

As much an iconic figure for Barça turned out to be a Dutchman Johan Cruyff. He transferred to the club in 1973 from his native Ajax, already being a star. At that point the sportsman had a collection of two Golden Balls and three European Cups. As a part of “blaugranas” he won the championship of the country, the Cup of Spain and was chosen as Europe’s beat player for the third time. Still, major success in “Barcelona” was expecting Johan in the position of a coach. Under his command in 1992 the team finally managed to obtain European Champion Club’s Cup so much longed-for by every Catalan.

The next “blacksmith” of Barcelona’s luck was another native of the country of tulips, Frank Rijkaard, who won the League of Champions in the season of 2005/2006. Two years later mentor of the youth team Josep Guardiola started working with the team; it is his name that Barcelona’s most recent accomplishments are associated with. Decision to leave came anything but simple for Pep, yet, after a chain of resounding victories, and a coach’s tremendous labor was invested in it, he rally needed some rest.

Today Luis Enriqueis in charge of the team. It isn’t an easy task because, with the club going great guns, a bar set for him is the highest one. 

Bearing in mind Barça’s emblem being kissed by world’s best football players and looking at the collection of all kinds of awards in the museum of the Catalans, one realizes that regress would be fatal for the club. 

The ball of fortune cannot be let go away. However, it doesn’t seem like it is going to.

Вам это будет интересно:
Cities in Rrocks: Spanish Edition
To build a settlement on flatland - is this such a hard trick to pull off? A completely different story is when land is self-willed and rock-ribbed both directly and metaphorically speaking. People have been trying to master land and have own say in in-rock urban development for centuries. But only those who succeded in finding common ground with Earth managed to create true novels in stone.
They need warmith. Where birds stay for winter
As a child I could spend hours gazing at the sky and spying majestic flocks of birds winging their way south. For a kid this movement was a real magic. Today my bookshelf hosts almost no books about magic, though I am still excited about feathered tribes travelling in hope to land on their winter grounds.
Borders cannot make harm: The most famous enclaves of the world
Today OUTLOOK travels along the cities and countries that are considered as the most interesting from the point of view of geography and administrative management. Moreover, they are enclaves as they are located within the territories of other states.
"In vino veritas": world’s 5 most unusual vineyards
It has been known since olden times that wine-making process is a true art that is within the power only of the ones sincerely in love with their trade. Let alone beauty of masterpieces created by skillful hands – grape gardens, scattered in various nooks of the world, that impress with grandeur and adorn this planet, ornamenting it with bright juicy colors.
Granada: Moorish fruit of Spain
An open pomegranate lined with rows of whitewashed houses and lavishly dotted with grains of various abbeys, palaces and cathedrals –that is how looks Granada anchored on the reddish hills of the Spanish Andalusia. The ability to mingled opposites turned the city into one of the most alluring destinations not only in Spain but also in Europe.
History of the street: Las Ramblas
The capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is not only a resort area, but historically rich city with its own unique style, lively atmosphere and southern temper. Probably every visitor is sure to enjoy a leisurely promenade on Las Ramblas - a broad pedestrian boulevard, which is our topic today.
Dinning out with the twist: World most off-beat restaurants
Marketing gurus and restaurateurs are enterprising and ready to do anything to increase flow of visitors to their food courts. Quite often, their methods of "flirting" with the public are the same, interior designs and menus are not much different. So, we have collated for you the world’s wackiest, weirdest, out-of-this-world dining establishments.
The sun under the glass. Best greenhouses in the world
For 1 month spring has been reining our planet, now just watch warm coats to change for thin jackets, cold and mediocrity for the bright sun. And, of course, what sort of spring it could be without green trees and beautiful flowers? Well, in order to make your expectation of long-awaited colours and flavours less agonizing...
Salamanca: Crazy about the frog
Spain is lavish in architecturally rich cities. But there are special among them: the ones where monuments of the past and daily life of contemporaries are intertwined so tightly and unexpectedly at times that the city seems to be living in two worlds. Today OUTLOOK suggests you enjoy one of them – Salamanca: the city where frog brings all kinds of luck.
Flamenco: guitar crying and fierce stomping
What most people know about flamenco, is that this dance is manifestation of neither love and affection, nor entertainment and revelry fun. Fiery expressive flamenco is reflection of suffering and pain of an individual within nation, always persecuted and deprived of home. The dance itself, which has become a global symbol of Spain, is not only its national heritage...
Montserrat: Visiting Angels
Should we have a look at notes of those who plan their trips to Spain, next to the darling of all hearts, Barcelona, Montserrat is bound to rank second. Also, the mountain of the abbey is a must-visit spot for local dwellers, too – they believe it necessary to visit Catalonia’s religious heart at least once a year.
From the screen to reality and back: places where famous movies were shot
How many kinds of tourism are there? Gastro, ecotourism, shopping — there are probably as many varieties of them as travelers themselves — everyone choose what they want. Today we talk about people visiting places that have become locations for shoting famous movies.
Pleasurable vacation of places to relax in peace and quiet
Summer is up to come very soon which means that it is time to plan a vacation, pack your bags and make up a list of must visit destinations. We understand that in a busy city it is hard to find a place where absolute silence reigns. It is natural for all humans to search for tranquillity sometimes. If you are one of these people, then breath out with relief.
Let flowers bloom! Top flower festivals in the world!
The best gift for ladies is flowers. The truth is, it is incredibly romantic and beautiful, suitable for any age and status. Especially nice it is when there is plenty of flowers. Dozens upon dozens! And where else can you admire floral beauty if not at the festival? We selected five the most famous and flowery fests from around the world.
On the catwalk: Spain
Spanish clothes aren’t limited to high-quality low-price mass-market. Stuff from this country has easily found ready sale around the world for several centuries already. And it makes sense because everything began with national outfit that “infected” the whole Europe with its exceptional beauty and fancy and still amazes people nowadays.
"Goat-dragging"
“To drag a goat with one’s hands” is a national entertainment of Tajik men however it enjoys huge popularity around Central Asia in the whole. As a rule a couple dozens, sometimes as many as a hundred, skilled and nimble horse riders gather to drag the goat. There is such a throng during the event that people fall off their horses, lose consciousness and even get maimed.
Spain: There’s no coming clean out of wine
Two “armies” on the warpath are dressed in traditional uniforms – white shirts – look at each other menacingly, their weapons standby… The fight begins and the whiteness of outfits gets mixed with maroon – thanks God, it isn’t blood but nice Spanish wine! Today in one of Spanish provinces annual Battle of Wine is held.
Basques: Between France and Spain
Visiting Spain, probably every tourist at least once heard about an intention of the inhabitants of a successful Barcelona and its neighbouring towns to declare independence. From time to time this topic comes up in international news, dragging attention and overshadowing history of the Basques - another special people in the Pyrenees.
Game for aristocrats.Cricket
English highest society and cricket… sounds almost like tea with milk. They can exist separately, but together they taste more delicious. And if you're still confused with cricket, croquet and croquettes, do not worry – find explanation below.
Las Jornadas del Olivar y el Aceite: vegetative oysters feast
Lovers of olives and olive oil mark small town of Baena on the map of Spain with the red pen. Annually from November 9 till November 11 it becomes the place where gastronomists from all over the world gather. Various events, background information and plenty of diverse delicacies are awaiting those who dare crack the stone of wonder-fruit.
Закрыть
Outlook facebook page