| Nickname(s) | La Selecció, La Segadora | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Federació Catalana de Futbol | ||
| Confederation | None | ||
| Head coach | Johan Cruyff | ||
| Captain | Víctor Valdés | ||
| Most caps | Sergio González (14) | ||
| Top scorer | Mariano Martín (6) | ||
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| First international | |||
| France 7–0 Catalonia (Paris, France; February 21, 1912) |
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| Biggest win | |||
| Catalonia 5–0 Lithuania (Barcelona, Spain; 22 December 2000) Catalonia 5–0 Nigeria (Barcelona, Spain; 22 December 1998) |
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| Biggest defeat | |||
| France 7–0 Catalonia (Paris, France; February 21, 1912) Spain 7–0 Catalonia (Les Corts, Spain; March 13, 1924) |
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Catalonia national football team is the official football team of Catalonia. It is organized 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 is therefore not allowed to participate in either the FIFA World Cup or the European Championship. Instead, Catalan players are full Spanish citizens who are eligible to play for Spain. However since 1904, the team has played nearly 200 games against various national, regional and club teams.[1] Since 1997 they have played international games more regularly. Among the teams they have played are Nigeria, Brazil and Argentina. Their most recent games were a 4–2 win over Argentina at Camp Nou in December 2009,[2] and a 4–0 win over Honduras in December 2010.
On 3 November 2009, it was agreed that Johan Cruyff would become the coach of the side, taking the reins officially from 9 November 2009.[3]
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Catalonia national football team made their debut in 1904. Initially they played against various club teams such as Club Espanyol, Madrid CF, 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 .[4] The first recorded game between the two teams took place on January 3, 1915 at San Mamés Stadium. The Catalan XI lost 6–1.
Between 1915 and 1926 the Catalan XI competed in an inter-regional competition. They finished as runners-up in 1915 and won the Copa Príncep d'Astúries 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, Sagibarba 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. The Spain XI included Josep Samitier and Ricardo Zamora, two of the best Catalan players of the era while the Catalan XI featured Paulino Alcántara and Sagibarba. Samiter scored twice as the Spain XI won 7–0. On December 13, 1925 Samitier, Zamora, Alcántara and Sagibarba were on the same side as the Catalan XI beat Czechoslovakia at the Sarria. After conceding a penalty and going down 1–0, Sagibarba 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.
During the 1930s Catalonia continued playing 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.
After the Spanish Civil War, the Franco regime imposed several restrictions on Catalonia, abolishing the Generalitat de Catalunya and banning the official use of the Catalan language and the flag. However the Catalan XI continued to play regularly during this period and even played Spain twice. On October 19, 1947 at the Sarrià, 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 Laszlo Kubala, Luis Suárez, Evaristo and later, Jesús 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.
Since the restoration of democracy in the 1970s, the Catalonia national team has regularly played international matches. They subsequently put together a string of successful results against Bulgaria, Nigeria, Yugoslavia, Lithuania and Chile. On May 5, 2002 Catalonia hosted Brazil in a warm up game before the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Brazil, who went on to win the competition, beat Catalonia 3–1. In 2004 Brazil returned for a second game and this time won 5–2 in the Camp Nou, where some months later Argentina defeated Catalonia 3–0. The last matches have been against Paraguay, Costa Rica, Basque Country, Argentina and Colombia.
On 2 November 2009, it was announced that Dutch legend and former Barcelona manager Johan Cruyff will be the new coach of Catalonia.[3] On 22 December 2009, a friendly against Argentina was programmed. Catalonia went on to win the match 4–2 at Camp Nou.
On 28 December 2010, Catalonia defeated Honduras 4–0 in a friendly match at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.[5]
| Date | Venue | Home Team | Visitor | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 30 2011 | Olímpic Lluís Companys | Catalonia | Tunisia | 0-0 |
| Dec 28 2010 | Olímpic Lluís Companys | Catalonia | Honduras | 4–0 |
| Dec 22 2009 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Argentina | 4–2 |
| Dec 28 2008 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Colombia | 2–1 |
| May 24, 2008 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Argentina | 0–1 |
| Dec. 29 2007 | San Mamés | Basque Country | Catalonia | 1–1 |
| Oct. 8 2006 | Camp Nou | Catalonia | Basque Country | 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 PR | 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 | Olímpic Lluís Companys | 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 | Soviet Union | 1–1 |
| Feb. 21 1971 | San Mamés | Basque Country | Catalonia | 1–2 |
| Aug. 9 1953 | Unknown | Catalonia | Spain | 0–6 |
| Oct. 19 1947 | Sarrià | 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 | Basque Country | Catalonia | 3–2 |
| June 8, 1930 | Montjuïc | Catalonia | Basque Country | 0–1 |
| July 7, 1926 | Prague | Czechoslovakia | Catalonia | 2–1 |
| Dec. 13 1925 | Sarrià | Catalonia | Czechoslovakia | 2–1 |
| Mar. 13 1924 | Les Corts | Catalonia | Spain | 0–7 |
| 04-04-1921 | Catalonia | Catalonia | Provence | 1–0 |
| 03-04-1921 | Catalonia | Catalonia | Provence | 4–0 |
| June 4, 1916 | San Mamés | Basque Country | Catalonia | 5–0 |
| May 22, 1916 | Camp de la Indústria | Catalonia | Basque Country | 0–0 |
| May 21, 1916 | Camp de la Indústria | Catalonia | Basque Country | 1–3 |
| May 15, 1915 | Unknown | Catalonia | Basque Country | 0–1 |
| Feb. 7 1915 | Camp de la Indústria | Catalonia | Basque Country | 2–2 |
| Jan. 3 1915 | San Mamés | Basque Country | Catalonia | 6–1 |
| 1914 | Unknown | Catalonia | Basque Country | X–X |
| Dec. 1 1912 | Barcelona | Catalonia | France | 1–0 |
| Feb. 20 1912 | Paris | France | Catalonia | 7–0 |
The following players have been called up for the match against Tunisia in 2011.
Because Catalonia is not a member of either UEFA or FIFA, strict eligibilty rules based on birthplace do not apply. As a result, a number of players who were not born in Catalonia have guested for the Catalan XI. With the notable exception of Di Stéfano, most were playing for Barcelona at the time. Notice that some players, as Andrés Iniesta or Jordi Cruyff had lived most of their lifes (and childhood) in Catalonia. Some others, as Sagibarba or Paulí Alcántara had Catalan ancestors (for example, Alcántara was the son of a Catalan military officer in the Spanish Philippines, and moved to Barcelona with the independence of the islands as a child).
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