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EspañolCATALONIA NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM
'Catalonia national football team' is the official football team of Catalonia, Spain. It is organised by the Catalonia Football Federation. The team has been referred to by various names including 'Selecció Catalana', 'Selecció de Barcelona' and the 'Catalan XI'. Catalonia is not affiliated to either FIFA or UEFA and the team does not participate in either the FIFA World Cup or the European Championship. Catalonia has tried to join UEFA, citing Scotland and Wales as similar regional sides with UEFA membership, but has always been rejected. However since 1904 the team has played nearly 200 games against various national, regional and club teams [1]. Since 1997 a Catalan XI has regularly got together, usually at Christmas, to play an international game. Among the teams they have played are Nigeria, Brazil and Argentina. Their most recent game was a 2-2 with the Basque country national team (Euskadi XI) at the Camp Nou in October 2006. Their next match was intended to be against the United States on October 14, 2007 at Camp Nou.[1], and they signed a contract, but on September 3, 2007, the Spanish Football Federation denied permission for the match to take place, stating that the match should not be played on a date when internationals under FIFAs jurisdiction take place, and that it must be played at Christmas, when the Catalan team usually plays their matches.
First Games
The Catalan XI made their debut in 1904. Initially they played against various club teams such as Club Español, Madrid FC, FC Barcelona and Irún Sporting Club. On February 2 1912 they made their international debut against France, losing 7-0 in Paris. On December 1 1912 the two teams met again in Barcelona and this time the Catalans won 1-0. In 1914 the Catalan XI played the Euskadi XI for the first time, but there is no record of the result [2]. The first recorded game between the two teams took place on January 3 1915 at San Mamés Stadium. The Catalan XI lost 6-1.
Copa Princep de Asturies
Between 1915 and 1926 the Catalan XI competed in an inter-regional competition. They finished as runners-up in 1915 and won the ''Copa Princep de Asturies'' for the first time in 1916, beating a Castile XI 8-5 over two games. They then retained the trophy in 1917 after beating the Castile XI 2-0. During the 1920s a team featuring Josep Samitier, Paulino Alcántara, Sagibarbá and Ricardo Zamora helped the Catalan XI win the competition in 1922, 1924 and 1926. The last competition in 1926 was a play-off between the two teams who had won the competition the most. The Catalans beat an Asturias XI 6-3 over two games.
As well as playing other regional teams from throughout Spain and Europe, the 1920s also saw the Catalan XI play several internationals. On March 13 1924 at the ''Les Corts'', the Catalan XI played Spain for the first time. A Spain XI team that included Josep Samitier and Ricardo Zamora, two of the best Catalan players of the era, beat a Catalan XI featuring Paulino Alcántara and Sagibarbá. Samiter scored twice as the Spain XI won 7-0. On December 13 1925 Samitier, Zamora, Alcántara and Sagibarbá were on the same team as the Catalan XI beat Czechoslovakia at the ''Sarria''. After conceding a penalty and going down 1-0, Sagibarbá then equalised with another penalty before Samitier clinched a 2-1 win. On July 7 1926 the Catalan XI played Czechoslovakia in Prague. Despite Samitier putting the Catalans 1-0 ahead, they eventually lost 2-1.
Catalonia vs Brazil
During the 1930s the Catalan XI continued to play against an array of teams. However 1934 was a particularly good year. On February 2 they played Spain and lost 2-0 at ''Les Corts''. However four months later they played Brazil twice. On June 17 the Catalan XI beat Brazil 2-1 at ''Les Corts'' and then on June 24 they held them to a 2-2 draw at the Vista Alegre in Girona. The Brazil team had been in Europe to play in the 1934 FIFA World Cup and included the legendary Leônidas in their team. The Catalan XI completed a good month when on June 29 they beat the reigning La Liga champions, Athletic Bilbao 5-1.
The Franco Era
After the Spanish Civil War, the Franco regime imposed several restrictions on Catalonia, abolishing the Generalitat de Catalunya and banning both the Catalan language and flag. However the Catalan XI continued to play regularly during this period and even played Spain twice. On October 19 1947 at the ''Sarria'', with a team featuring Velasco, Marià Gonzalvo, Joan Segarra and César, they beat Spain 3-1. However on August 9 1953 Spain avenged this defeat with a 6-0 win.
During this era several notable FC Barcelona players, including Ladislao Kubala, Luis Suárez, Evaristo and later, Jesus María Pereda, all guested for the Catalan XI. On January 26 1955 in a game against Bologna at ''Les Corts'', Kubala was also joined by another guest player, Alfredo Di Stéfano. The Catalan XI won 6-2 with two goals from Kubala and one from Di Stéfano. On September 1 1956 Di Stéfano returned to ''Les Corts'' with Real Madrid, recent winners of the first European Cup, and played a ''Selecció de Barcelona''. Real won the game 7-3.
The Catalan XI marked the end of the Franco era with a game against the USSR at the Camp Nou on June 6 1976. The team included Carles Rexach and guest players Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens. The game finished 1-1 with Neeskens scoring for the Catalan XI. Cruyff’s son, Jordi, would subsequently play regularly for the Catalan XI.
The Christmas Internationals
Catalonia V Euskadi XI team playing in Camp Nou
Since 1997 a Catalan XI has regularly got together, usually at Christmas, to play an international game. They subsequently put together a string of successful results against Bulgaria, Nigeria, Yugoslavia, Lithuania and Chile. On May 5 2002 the Catalan XI hosted Brazil in a warm up game before the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Brazil, who went onto win the competition, beat the Catalan XI 3-1. In 2004 Brazil returned for a second game and this time won 5-2. For the Christmas international that year the Catalan XI hosted Argentina.
Selected Internationals
| Date | Venue | Home Team | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 14 2007 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | United States | |
| Oct. 8 2006 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 2-2 |
| May 24 2006 | Olímpic de Terrassa | Catalonia | Costa Rica | 2-0 |
| Dec. 28 2005 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Paraguay | 1-1 |
| Dec. 29 2004 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Argentina | 0-3 |
| May 25 2004 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Brazil | 2-5 |
| Dec. 28 2003 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Ecuador | 4-0 |
| Dec. 28 2002 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | China | 2-0 |
| May 18 2002 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Brazil | 1-3 |
| Dec. 28 2001 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Chile | 1-0 |
| Dec. 22 2000 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Lithuania | 5-0 |
| Dec. 23 1999 | Montjuïc | Catalonia | Yugoslavia | 1-0 |
| Dec. 22 1998 | Montjuïc | Catalonia | Nigeria | 5-0 |
| Dec. 23 1997 | Montjuïc | Catalonia | Bulgaria | 1-1 |
| June 6 1976 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | USSR | 1-1 |
| Feb. 21 1971 | San Mamés | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 2-1 |
| Aug. 9 1953 | unknown | Catalonia | Spain | 0-6 |
| Oct. 19 1947 | Sarria | Catalonia | Spain | 3-1 |
| June 24 1934 | Girona | Catalonia | Brazil | 2-2 |
| June 17 1934 | Les Corts | Catalonia | Brazil | 2-1 |
| Feb. 2 1934 | Les Corts | Catalonia | Spain | 0-2 |
| Jan. 1 1931 | San Mamés | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 2-3 |
| June 8 1930 | Montjuïc | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 0-1 |
| July 7 1926 | Prague | Catalonia | Czechoslovakia | 1-2 |
| Dec. 13 1925 | Sarria | Catalonia | Czechoslovakia | 2-1 |
| Mar. 13 1924 | Les Corts | Catalonia | Spain | 0-7 |
| June 4 1916 | San Mamés | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 0-5 |
| May 22 1916 | Carrer Industrial | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 0-0 |
| May 21 1916 | Carrer Industrial | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 1-3 |
| May 15 1915 | unknown | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 0-1 |
| Feb. 7 1915 | Carrer Industrial | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 2-2 |
| Jan. 3 1915 | San Mamés | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | 1-6 |
| 1914 | unknown | Catalonia | Euskadi XI | x-x |
| Dec. 1 1912 | Barcelona | Catalonia | France | 1-0 |
| Feb. 2 1912 | Paris | Catalonia | France | 0-7 |
Current squad
Squad for game against Euskadi XI on 8 October 2006. Caps and goals as of November 15 2006. Some of its best players (Puyol and Xavi for example) weren't with the team because of being with the spanish national team.
Selected Players
Selected former coaches
★ Àngel Alonso , 1995-2005
Honours
★ 'Copa Princep de Asturies'
★
★ ''Winners'' 1916. 1917, 1922, 1924, 1926: '5'
★
★ ''Runners-Up'' 1915: '1'
Notes
1. U.S. MNT To Travel for October Friendlies vs. Catalonia, Switzerland
External links
★ Catalonia Football Federation
★ Results at rsssf.com
★ Detailed results at www.futcat.org/html
★ List of games at www.esportcatala.com
★ Copa Princep de Asturies
★ Info at www.fcbarcelona.com
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