List Of FC Barcelona Records And Statistics
Futbol Club Barcelona, also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, 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. Unlike many other football clubs, the supporters own and operate Barcelona. It is the world's second richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual turnover of €398 million. The club holds a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid, and matches between the two teams are referred to as "El Clásico".
The club played its first friendly match on 8 December 1899. 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 truly national league.
Barcelona has amassed various records since the foundation. Regionally, domestically, and continentally, they have set several records in winning various official and unofficial competitions. Since they began playing in regional competitions to the end of the Catalan championship in 1940, they won a record 23 titles from a possible 38.
Barcelona is the only European club to have played continental football every season since 1955, and one of the only three clubs to have never been relegated from La Liga, along with Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid. In 2009, Barcelona became the first club in Spain to win the treble consisting of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.
The club has signed several high-profile players, paying large transfer fees for some of the most decorated players. The club paid a record £5 million for Diego Maradona in 1982 and sold him two years later for another record £7 million to Napoli. The club's players have received a record seven FIFA World Player awards and a record 10 Ballon d'Or/FIFA Ballon d'Or awards.
Read more about List Of FC Barcelona Records And Statistics: Honours, Players, Managerial Records
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