Catalonia national football team

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Catalonia

Nickname

La Selecció

Association

Federació Catalana de Futbol

Confederation

None

Head coach

Pere Gratacós (2006–)

Captain

Roger García

Most caps

Roger García (12)

Top scorer

Mariano Martín (6)

FIFA code





First kit





Second kit

First international

France 7 - 0 Catalonia

(Paris, France; February 21 1912)

Biggest win

Catalonia 9 - 0 Brussels XI

(Barcelona, Spain; 16 June 1927)

Biggest defeat

France 7 - 0 Catalonia

(Paris, France; February 21 1912)

Catalonia 0 - 7 Spain

(Barcelona, Spain; 13 March 1924)

Catalonia national football team is the national 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 Euskadi XI at the Camp Nou in October 2006.

1 First Games
2 Copa Princep de Asturies
3 Catalonia V Brazil
4 The Franco Era
5 The Christmas Internationals
6 Selected Internationals
7 Current squad
8 Selected Players
9 Selected former coaches
10 Honours
11 External links

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Catalonia V 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Selected Internationals

Date	Venue	Home Team	Opponent	Score
Oct. 8 2006	Camp Nou	Catalonia	Euskadi XI	2-2
May 24 2006	Camp Nou	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

[edit] Current squad

Squad for game against Euskadi XI on 8 October 2006. Caps and goals as of November 15 2006.

Pos.	Player	DoB/Age	Caps	Goals	Club
GK	Víctor Valdés	14 January 1982	8	0	FC Barcelona
GK	Albert Jorquera	3 March 1979	2	0	FC Barcelona
DF	Curro Torres	27 December 1972	7	0	Valencia CF
DF	Oleguer Presas	2 February 1982	5	0	FC Barcelona
DF	Alberto Lopo	5 May 1980	7	0	Deportivo de La Coruña
DF	Fernando Navarro	25 June 1982	2	0	RCD Mallorca
DF	David Belenguer	17 December 1972	2	0	Getafe CF
DF	Dani Fernández	20 January 1983	1	0	FC Barcelona B
MF	Roger García	15 December 1976	12	2	Ajax Amsterdam
MF	Gerard López	12 March 1979	7	2	AS Monaco
MF	Sergio González	10 November 1976	10	0	Deportivo de La Coruña
MF	Jordi López	28 February 1981	2	0	RCD Mallorca
MF	Joan Verdú	5 May 1983	2	1	Deportivo de La Coruña
FW	Jonathan Soriano	24 August 1985	3	1	RCD Espanyol
FW	Albert Luque	11 March 1978	3	2	Newcastle United
FW	Óscar Serrano	30 September 1981	4	0	Racing de Santander
FW	Antonio Pinilla	25 February 1971	6	0	Gimnàstic