La Liga - the Spanish top soccer league has kicked off again. That is, the league start was more of a totter than a kick as the players went on strike the first weekend of the league. The rivalry between the keepers, Barcelona, and their eternal antagonists Real Madrid looks set to be more intense than ever, and the ball is rolling again with more vehemence than ever before!
When Barcelona tore down Real Madrid 5-0 at home in their legendary stadium Camp Nou on the 29th of November 2010 many analysts and fans alike started talking about the greatest soccer match ever. When what is considered the best team in the world disposes of the second best with style and ease, big words tend to be used. probably, the Barca team of the season 2010/11 might have had more creativity than most any team in soccer history, yet the word that occurs to describe the success it is; tradition.
The club was founded 29/11 1899 by Swiss entrepreneur Hans Gamper, and won the first major trophy winning the Spanish league in 1929. Even though the club enjoyed a row of triumphs in decades to come, the tradition that today's Barcelona style is rooted in, has its origin in the Dream Team when Dutch legend Johan Cruyff was skipper from 1990 to 1994 experiencing immense success.
Cruyff came aboard FC Barcelona as a player in 1973 winning the Spanish league on the first try. At his peak Cruyff was maybe the best European player of his generation and his name regularly features when considering the all time greats of soccer. While he was at the wheel as manager between 1988-1996 the club won four league titles and one European cup title. But, maybe his longest lasting legacy is the philosophy of football that he was instrumental in instituting. Cruyff was a product of the 70s Dutch school of Total Football. The core idea was to delete the traditional demarcations between defenses and attackers.
Total football demanded that all players in all positions be equally skilled with the ball, and always look around to attack spaces the opposition leaves unguarded, and close down the space around attacking rivals. This philosophy was central to the success of the Dutch national team in the 70s, of the Barcelona dream team on the early 90s and of the squad we see today. Today's coach Josep Guardiola is a true product of the club's youth academy, La Masia. This academy is another key factor in the club's success, and the nucleus of the new dream team was formed here with players like Xavi, Puyol, Iniesta, Valdes, Fabregas (just lately returned home from Arsenal) and even Argentinean Leonel Messi were all drilled in the Barca way of total football.
Leo Messi is naturally another vital factor. The small-scale magician is breaking records (and opponents' spirit) on a regular basis, and before reaching his mid 20s is already being hailed as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. In a team that accent the collective, the individual talents of the one team player is still essential. FC Barcelona has always had exceptional individuals; Cruyff, Maradona, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho. And, many of these legends have been on top of their games during their years at Camp Nou. The FC Barcelona success formula is to have a formation and a style ingrained in a strong tradition with years of instruction and education of their young talents. Far more importance is given to individual skills and compatibility with team-mates than to physical strength and height. This tradition and status are what appeals to young talents (like Messi) from all over the world and allows the Barcelona coach to choose his team from the most promising local talent and some of the foremost talents world-wide to construct and reconstruct his team.
This is it, the secret of FC Barcelona's success; tradition, team-spirit and individual inventiveness! As the season 2011/12 is on its way newcomers Alexis Sanches, Cesc Fabregas and Thiago are set to take the team to the next stage this season.
When Barcelona tore down Real Madrid 5-0 at home in their legendary stadium Camp Nou on the 29th of November 2010 many analysts and fans alike started talking about the greatest soccer match ever. When what is considered the best team in the world disposes of the second best with style and ease, big words tend to be used. probably, the Barca team of the season 2010/11 might have had more creativity than most any team in soccer history, yet the word that occurs to describe the success it is; tradition.
The club was founded 29/11 1899 by Swiss entrepreneur Hans Gamper, and won the first major trophy winning the Spanish league in 1929. Even though the club enjoyed a row of triumphs in decades to come, the tradition that today's Barcelona style is rooted in, has its origin in the Dream Team when Dutch legend Johan Cruyff was skipper from 1990 to 1994 experiencing immense success.
Cruyff came aboard FC Barcelona as a player in 1973 winning the Spanish league on the first try. At his peak Cruyff was maybe the best European player of his generation and his name regularly features when considering the all time greats of soccer. While he was at the wheel as manager between 1988-1996 the club won four league titles and one European cup title. But, maybe his longest lasting legacy is the philosophy of football that he was instrumental in instituting. Cruyff was a product of the 70s Dutch school of Total Football. The core idea was to delete the traditional demarcations between defenses and attackers.
Total football demanded that all players in all positions be equally skilled with the ball, and always look around to attack spaces the opposition leaves unguarded, and close down the space around attacking rivals. This philosophy was central to the success of the Dutch national team in the 70s, of the Barcelona dream team on the early 90s and of the squad we see today. Today's coach Josep Guardiola is a true product of the club's youth academy, La Masia. This academy is another key factor in the club's success, and the nucleus of the new dream team was formed here with players like Xavi, Puyol, Iniesta, Valdes, Fabregas (just lately returned home from Arsenal) and even Argentinean Leonel Messi were all drilled in the Barca way of total football.
Leo Messi is naturally another vital factor. The small-scale magician is breaking records (and opponents' spirit) on a regular basis, and before reaching his mid 20s is already being hailed as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. In a team that accent the collective, the individual talents of the one team player is still essential. FC Barcelona has always had exceptional individuals; Cruyff, Maradona, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho. And, many of these legends have been on top of their games during their years at Camp Nou. The FC Barcelona success formula is to have a formation and a style ingrained in a strong tradition with years of instruction and education of their young talents. Far more importance is given to individual skills and compatibility with team-mates than to physical strength and height. This tradition and status are what appeals to young talents (like Messi) from all over the world and allows the Barcelona coach to choose his team from the most promising local talent and some of the foremost talents world-wide to construct and reconstruct his team.
This is it, the secret of FC Barcelona's success; tradition, team-spirit and individual inventiveness! As the season 2011/12 is on its way newcomers Alexis Sanches, Cesc Fabregas and Thiago are set to take the team to the next stage this season.
Written by James Johns - freelance writer based in Barcelona.
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