My Favorite Soccer

Team:
FC Barcelona

By: Zaineb Malik

587846
11/19/2015
For: Ms. ODonnell
BTT 1O0
John Fraser Secondary School

My Favorite Soccer Team: FC Barcelona

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page #
Team history..............................................................................................1
List of Players...........................................................................................2
Past Achievements....................................................................................3
The Trident................................................................................................4
Messi.........................................................................................................4
Neymar......................................................................................................5
Suarez........................................................................................................6
Comparison to Real Madrid......................................................................7
The Future of Barcelona...........................................................................8

My Favorite Soccer Team: FC Barcelona

Team History
FC Barcelona1 was founded
Europe at the time. British
throughout Europe
one of the most
of the most
figures in

by a group of foreigners living in

sports were becoming spread
rapidly, and football was
popular. One
legendary
football history

was Joan Gamper the founder of the club. He was more than just the president
and a devoted player he was the heart and soul of the team. Gamper was a
devoted football player who spent every free second he had with a ball at his feet.
After years of playing with 11 friends, they decided to come together to form the
starting team of FC Barcelona.2

In 1899, FC Barca3 saw its first coat of arms. The organization set out a
competition to create the new coat of arms. Also that year, the club was starting
to reach its big break. They were in need of a professional kit4. Today Barcelonas
kit is one of the most recognized jerseys in the world. The first kit was the same
colors as todays red and blue.

1 FC means Football Club

2 These men were Otto Kunzle, Walter Wild, John and William Parsons, Otto Maier Llus
dOss, Bartomeu Terradas, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Carles Pujol and Josep Llobet
3 Short form for FC Bacelone
4 Kit is the jersey and short combination worn by the players in a game.

My Favorite Soccer Team: FC Barcelona

List of
Players

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

Lionel Messi
Neymar Jr
Luis Suarez
Marc Bartra
Munir El Haddadi
Jeremy Mathieu
Marc Andre ter Stegen
Ibrahim Afellay
Douglas Pereira
Gerard Deulofeu
Xavi
Sergio Roberto
Alen Halilovic
Denis Suarez
Dani Alves
Sergi Samper
Sergio Busquets
Thomas Vermaelen
Claudio Bravo
Dandro Ramirez
Andres Iniesta
Aleix vidal
Gerard Pique
Adama Traore
Jordi Alba
Ivan Rakitic
Javier Mascherano
Arda Turan
Adriano
Alex song

31.
32.
33.
34.

35.

36. Past
Achieveme
nts

37.

38.
39.

Besides being one of the worlds most well known and loved clubs,
FC Barca holds a lot of titles. They have won the champions league
5 times, as well as the proud owners of 5 UEFA Super cups. They
also won the European/South American cup in 1992. They have
never lost by more than 4 points, and their most dominating win
was against Apollyon, which ended at a score of 8-0. They are
arguably one of the most threatening teams in Europe, often
compared to the strong team Real Madrid.

40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.

51.
52.
53.
54.
55. The Trident
56.

Chances are that at some point you have seen someone wearing
a jersey with either the name Messi, Neymar, or Suarez written on
the back. These three legendary players are known as the trident.
At least one of them score every match it has almost become an
expectation of them.

57.
58.
59.

Lionel Messi:
Lionel Andres Leo Messi was born on June 24, 1987. He was
born and raised in Argentina, and continues to represent the
country during international tournaments. Though a lot wear the
jersey of Messi, no one really knows the struggle behind the name
on their backs. Messi was born with Growth Hormone Deficiency,
which is a disease in which the body does not produce enough
growth hormones. By age 13 he moved to Barcelona, where the
team offered to pay for his treatment in exchange for him playing
on the team. The path was not easy though Messi went from rags
through riches with a great battle. On the first day of school, he was
told not to play soccer as he was too fragile. Messi went on to put
on a little shows for the teacher who said this, and thats when his

village knew there was something more than talent there was a
gift. After hearing about Messis talent through mutual friends, the
manager of FC Barca allowed the boy to try out. After scoring five
goals almost instantly in scrimmage, he

was given a

jersey and put on the team. It

has 15 years since he started
on FC Barca, and he switched teams
several times but always
found himself back at the club his heart belonged to. Messi is the
role model of many aspiring soccer players, including myself, and is
a legend that will remain in the books forever.
60.
61.

Neymar Junior:
Neymar De Silva Santos Junior (commonly known as
Neymar/Neymar Jr.) is a striker from Brazil. He has been playing on
FC Barca for 3 years, yet in these three year he has managed to
become one of the most well-known layers in the league. Almost
immediately after joining the club he had noticed a connection with
fellow team mates Messi and Suarez. The trio know each other so
well that they constantly score girls, assisting each other every
time. Neymar grew up in a soccer household like Messi, except
Neymar Jr. is the son of Neymar Santos, another football star a
decade ago. With this heavy football influence in his life Neymar
grew up playing soccer. At age 19 he made his debut with the club,

after winning numerous titles including the 2011 South American

footballer of the year. Many of the greats including Messi, Ronaldo,
and Ronaldinho claim he will be the best in the world someday. At
the age of 17, Neymar traveled to Madrid to play on Real with the
greats. Neymar has scored many hat-tricks5 in his life,
though the most important would be that scored in the
2014 World Cup, against South Africa, helping them
win the tournament. Neymar is a player to definealty look out
for and one of the most valuable people in the industry at
the moment. At only age 23, he has a bright and soccer-filled future
ahead of him.

62.

53 goals in a row

63. Luis Suarez

64.
65.

Luis Alberto Surez Daz is a Uruguayan football player that is a

third member of the trident. Suarez was born in Salto, and was the 4th among
67 sons of Rodolfo Suarez. He was another one of the football players who
started on the streets. His family had a hard time supporting all 9 of them.
Suarez played football with whatever garbage he could find, and tried to earn
money for a real ball by taking up the job of a street sweeper. The story of
how Suarez ended up in Spain is quite romantic. At age 15 he met Sofia
Balbi, while on the streets sweeping. It was love at first sight soon he tried
to save any coins he could to pay for a date. Balbi was from a well off middle
class family but it was no trouble asking her parents if she could date this
street boy. Suarez was known as a loving boy at the time and everyone loved
the young couple. In 2003 Sofia moved to Barcelona, and Suarez couldnt
live without her but couldnt afford to move. This caught the attention of the
Barcelona

manager, who

offered him a

tryout. They paid for

all that was

needed for Suarez to

live in Barcelona

and was united with

2 of his loves

Sofia and Soccer.

Now Suarez is happily married with 2 kids, and a career that makes him a
legend.
66.

67. Comparison with Real Madrid

68.

It is without doubt that the two strongest clubs in the world are

Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. What makes these 2 clubs so similar yet so
different? These clubs are probably the main money maker in the industry
there is even a name for a match between these 2 teams. People count down
days to the next El Clasico which means any match between these 2 rivals.
May it be a friendly match or a champion leagues final, these 2 fierce teams
put on quite a ferocious battle during that one game. The score often ends
neck in neck, with fans on their feet the whole time. The Next El Clasico is
November 21st, In Madrid.

69.

What makes these teams so often compared is that both of them

are abundant in legends both in the past and the present. Both being the
most successful soccer teams in the world, they share a lot of similarities as
well as carry many differences. Barcelona usually tends to win the match
because their players are better at playing as a team, although Madrid
definitely has stronger individuals. A lot of people are either one or the other
this is a question that divides many people. Spain is home to undoubtabley
the most exciting
football matches in
history. Some of the
players on each team

have

played for the other,

but

overall the respect

between the two teams is strong.
70.

71. The Future for FC Barcelona

72.

Many Football professionals as well as players themselves see a

bright future for FC Barca. After Xavi6 retires, Neymar is likely to be
the next captain. A lot of the players are extremely happy playing
for this strong team, yet some are undecided how much they can
endure. It is said by both officials and the players that the team is
going nowhere but up and that it will be harder and harder to
cope with the rigorous training involved to stay at the top. One
thing is crystal clear though FC Barcelona will be never forgotten
and

is a team

that

will be in

our

soccer
loving
hearts for

year

6 Xavi is the current team captain

to come.