History of FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, Catalan, German, and English footballers led by Joan Gamper. The club played amateur football until 1910 in various regional competitions. In 1928, Barcelona co-founded La Liga, the top-tier in Spanish football, along with a string of other clubs. In 1910, the club participated in their first of many European competitions, and has since amassed fourteen UEFA trophies and a sextuple. As of 2024, Barcelona has never been relegated from La Liga - a record they share with Athletic Bilbao and arch-rival Real Madrid. In the 2000s and 2010s – a period of sporting success in the club and an increased focus on Catalan players – club officials have been openly faithful to historic club commitment to the defense of the country, democracy, freedom of expression and the right to decide. The blue and red colours of the shirt were first worn in a match against Hispania in 1900. The prevailing Catalonia theory, endorsed by the club, is that the colours were taken from the rugby team of Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby.