FC Barcelona

Founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, Catalan, German, and English 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"). Unlike many other football clubs, the supporters own and operate Barcelona. It is the fourth-most valuable sports team in the world, worth $4.76 billion, and the world's fourth richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual turnover of €582.1 million.^[2][3] The official Barcelona anthem is the "Cant del Barça", written by Jaume Picas and Josep Maria Espinàs.^[4] Barcelona traditionally play in dark shades of blue and garnet stripes, hence nicknamed Blaugrana.

Domestically, Barcelona has won a record 75 trophies: 26 La Liga, 31 Copa del Rey, thirteen Supercopa de España, three Copa Eva Duarte, and two Copa de la Liga titles, as well as being the record holder for the latter four competitions. In international club football, the club has won 22 European and worldwide titles: five UEFA Champions League titles, a record four UEFA Cup Winners' Cups, a joint record five UEFA Super Cups, a record three Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, a joint record two Latin Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups.^[5] Barcelona was ranked first in the International Federation of Football History & Statistics Club World Ranking for 1997, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015, and occupies the sixth position on the UEFA club rankings as of July 2022.^[6][7][8] The club has a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid, and matches between the two teams are referred to as El Clásico.  

Barcelona is one of the most widely supported teams in the world, and the club has one of the largest social media following in the world among sports teams.^[9][10] Barcelona players have won a record twelve Ballon d'Or awards, with recipients including Johan Cruyff, as well as a record seven FIFA World Player of the Year awards, with winners including Romário, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. In 2010, three players who came through the club's youth academy (Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi) were chosen as the three best players in the world in the FIFA Ballon d'Or awards, an unprecedented feat for players from the same football academy. Additionally, players representing the club have won a record eight European Golden Shoe awards.

List of FC Barcelona players

Carles Puyol captained Barcelona to the first Spanish treble.^[7]

Xavi has made the most international competition appearances with 178 matches for Barcelona

Lionel Messi is the only player to win Ballon d'Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, Pichichi Trophy and European Golden Shoe in the same season.^[8] He is also the all-time highest scorer for Barcelona.