Football is an integral part of Spanish culture. And the local football club FC Barcelona is very much a symbol of Catalonia.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Camp Nou by <a href="http://By Ayman.antar7 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45317270">Ayman.antar7</a>

Football in Barcelona

It’s not the only football stadium in the city, but it’s the most well-known and most important one. It was founded in the late 19th century by a group of young foreigners living in Barcelona led by Joan Gamper, and it quickly became a true symbol of Catalonia.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Camp Nou Stadium by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/b84nM5W-AF0?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditShareLink">Fikri Rasyid</a>

Camp Nou Stadium

Do you know the football chant, “Ole, ole, ole!” ?

The word, “ole!” was shouted out during bullfights and in flamenco dancing. The word entered the Spanish language from the Arab word “Allah”: the Arabs took over Spain in the 8th century, and during their prayers they would say this word.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Spain national under-21 football team 2011&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15646153" rel="nofollow">henrikalexandersen</a>&nbsp;

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👣  Amusing facts about Spanish football

In translation the name means “Little Stadium”. It’s located across the road from its older brother, Camp Nou Stadium, and it’s used as the home arena for FC Barcelona B, Barcelona Football Club’s reserve team.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;BCN Estadi Olimpic&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8953108">Amadalvarez</a>

Mini Estadi Stadium

The most outstanding FC Barcelona players are buried here. And some Blue Garnet players have a tradition: whenever they win a match, they head to Les Corts, bringing with them any award they’ve received, say prayers for a couple of minutes, and then they all applaud loudly.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Les Courts by<a href="http://By Rubén Alcaraz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 es, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26192327"> Ruben Alcaraz</a>

Les Corts Cemetery

FC Barcelona had already been around for three years, while Real Madrid had just started up. The two teams played each other and Barça won 3:1. And that’s how the enmity between them began.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Forcejeo Real Madrid-FC Barcelona by<a href="http://By Rubén Alcaraz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 es, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26192327"> A</a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10426146">lejandro Ramos</a>

👣  Rivalry between Barcelona and Madrid

It’s the cute main building of the La Masia Football Academy. Translated from the Catalan, “masia” means “farm”. And farmers did indeed live here until, in the second half of last century, Barça decided to use this building as a hostel for young football players.&nbsp;

Credits 
Image&nbsp;La Masia (Can Planas) (Barcelona)&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21654581">Maria Rose Ferre</a>

La Masia Football Academy

The nickname for a Barcelona football fan is a “culé”, which translates as “arse”.

This nickname was first heard in the 1920s, but it’s not at all offensive. Here’s how it came about: previously, the stadium didn’t have walls around it, and there weren’t enough seats for all those who wanted to attend, so the fans didn’t just sit tightly squeezed together on the benches, they also climbed up into the trees and onto the roof.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Tifo at Camp Nou by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21654581">D</a><a href="http://Credits Image La Masia (Can Planas) (Barcelona) by Maria Rose Ferre">avid Poblador i Garcia</a>

👣  Barça Fans

Every football club has fans who organize themselves into groups, and who support their favourite team both at matches and between matches. And on that point, at away matches now, you see more and more things with symbols of the football club on them, or graffiti showing the name of the team or organization. That’s mostly what these fans do. These kinds of fans are called “ultras”, and in Barcelona the most well-known ultras are the Boixos Nois, a name that translates as “Crazy Guys”.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Milan-Barca 2006&nbsp;by <a href="http://By Diari d&amp;#039;un Culer - https://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=131432730&amp;amp;size=l, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1506438">Diari d'un Culer</a>

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👣  Football hooligans

Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency. He so impressed the director of the Blaugrana that the club paid for his treatment, and also paid for him and his entire family to move to Barcelona. And their decision has certainly paid off! At 17, he scored his first goal in the Spanish Championship and was soon accorded the affectionate nickname, “Golden Boy”, as the best young player. He was also picking up more prizes and awards than he could count.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Lionel Messi - Reus&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lionel_Messi_-_Reus.jpg#/media/File:Lionel_Messi_-_Reus.jpg">Laia Solanellas</a>

👣  Lionel Messi

He was born in Barcelona, and when he turned ten he was enrolled in the Blaugrana youth team. And when he turned 17, he signed with Manchester United. But four years later, Piqué was back playing for FC Barcelona, and he still plays for them today.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;03 Gerard Pique by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23291712">Castroquini</a>

👣 Gerard Piqué

Hendrick Johannes Cruyff is considered to be one of the most outstanding football players of the 20th century. He was lured to FC Barcelona in the 70s for a transfer fee that, at the time, was an insane amount of money.&nbsp;He personified every aspect of the game, and his playing style is known as “total football”.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Johan Cruyff 1974c by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23291712">M</a><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Johan_Cruyff_1974c.jpg">aterialscientist</a>

👣  Johan Cruyff

Gamper wasn’t just one of the players in the Blue Garnet team; over the course of 25 years, he also held the post of club president five times. And it was thanks to him that Barça got its first very own football field, Les Corts.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Joan Gamper 1910 year&nbsp;by<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joan_Gamper_1910_year.jpg"> Fma12</a>

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👣  Joan Gamper Street

The oldest football bar in Barcelona is The Black Lion. They say that this bar is the same age as football. They show Barça games here as well as other clubs’ games. The pub’s address is 70 Evarist Arnus Street.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Poor Man's Hard Rock, Barcelona, Spain&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27907943">davidd</a>

Football Fan Bars

Football is an integral part of Spanish culture. And the local football club FC Barcelona is very much a symbol of Catalonia.

In this tour, you will learn more about football culture, football celebrities, and the most important sightseeing objects in Barcelona that are important for football.&nbsp;

Credits 
Audio tour&nbsp;developed by „The Ball is Master of All. Football in Barcelona“ and powered by IZI.Travel 
Image&nbsp;Camp Nou by <a href="http://By Ayman.antar7 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45317270">Ayman.antar7</a>

Barcelona

The Ball is Master of All. Football in Barcelona

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