El Clásico
The Battle for the Future of Spain
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Barcelona star Lionel Messi (left)
Catalonian independence poster (center)
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo (right)
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September 23, 2015 - The Red Sox and the Yankees, Duke and North Carolina, the Cowboys and the Redskins—these are just a few of the fiercest rivalries in the world of American sports. However, there is one sports rivalry that puts all of these to shame. In Spain, the rivalry between the Barcelona and Real Madrid football (soccer) clubs is one of the fiercest in the sports world, and it is embedded in the very heart of the culture.
Madrid is the nation’s capital, while Catalonia (the regional capital is Barcelona) is a medieval kingdom that was absorbed by Spain in the 18th century. On September 27, 2015, Catalonia will hold an election that could lead to its independence from Spain.
A vocal minority in Catalonia has sought to break away from Spain for centuries. The region has its own history, its own language, and thanks to beautiful beaches and a vibrant nightlife, is the most profitable region in Spain. Tired of having their taxes spent in poorer Spanish regions, the Junts pel Si (United for a Yes Vote) coalition is rallying Catalonians to elect officials to the regional government that will declare independence.
Madrid is the nation’s capital, while Catalonia (the regional capital is Barcelona) is a medieval kingdom that was absorbed by Spain in the 18th century. On September 27, 2015, Catalonia will hold an election that could lead to its independence from Spain.
A vocal minority in Catalonia has sought to break away from Spain for centuries. The region has its own history, its own language, and thanks to beautiful beaches and a vibrant nightlife, is the most profitable region in Spain. Tired of having their taxes spent in poorer Spanish regions, the Junts pel Si (United for a Yes Vote) coalition is rallying Catalonians to elect officials to the regional government that will declare independence.
Map of Spain with region of Catelonia outlined in northeast.
Secession nearly happened once before in 2014, when a referendum showed that 80% of Catalonians favored independence. However, the Spanish Supreme Court voided the result, saying that the region had no constitutional right to secede. If Junts pel Si officials win the regional election on September 27th, they could potentially change the constitution (or at least bring the independence movement to a critical stage), to the consternation of the central government in Madrid.
This rivalry between the governments of Barcelona and Madrid is bizarrely echoed on the football pitch. Any game between Barcelona and Real Madrid is dubbed El Clasico. Since their first game in 1916, Barcelona has had a slight edge over their rival, but Real Madrid has won more league titles. During the Spanish Civil War, Real Madrid was the favorite team of fascist dictator Francisco Franco, who executed the Barcelona club president, Josep Sunyol I Garriga.
When not resorting to overt violence (on and off the field), Barcelona and Real Madrid also battle each other to sign the brightest talent from around the world. The once-in-a-generation phenom, Alfredo di Stefano, was wooed by both clubs in the 1950s. A scandal erupted over which team would sign Stefano until the Spanish Football Federation finally stepped in and came up with a decision that would have made King Solomon smile—Stefano could be signed for four years, but each season he would switch between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Today, the two clubs are headlined by the two most popular players in the world—4-time FIFA Player of the Year, Lionel Messi of Barcelona, and 3-time defending FIFA Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo. The former led his native Argentina to the 2014 World Cup final; the latter has nearly as many twitter followers as the entire population of Spain.
So who will win? Barcelona or Madrid? The next El Clasico match isn’t scheduled until November, but by that time, the meeting between the two Spanish rivals may be an international match.
This rivalry between the governments of Barcelona and Madrid is bizarrely echoed on the football pitch. Any game between Barcelona and Real Madrid is dubbed El Clasico. Since their first game in 1916, Barcelona has had a slight edge over their rival, but Real Madrid has won more league titles. During the Spanish Civil War, Real Madrid was the favorite team of fascist dictator Francisco Franco, who executed the Barcelona club president, Josep Sunyol I Garriga.
When not resorting to overt violence (on and off the field), Barcelona and Real Madrid also battle each other to sign the brightest talent from around the world. The once-in-a-generation phenom, Alfredo di Stefano, was wooed by both clubs in the 1950s. A scandal erupted over which team would sign Stefano until the Spanish Football Federation finally stepped in and came up with a decision that would have made King Solomon smile—Stefano could be signed for four years, but each season he would switch between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Today, the two clubs are headlined by the two most popular players in the world—4-time FIFA Player of the Year, Lionel Messi of Barcelona, and 3-time defending FIFA Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo. The former led his native Argentina to the 2014 World Cup final; the latter has nearly as many twitter followers as the entire population of Spain.
So who will win? Barcelona or Madrid? The next El Clasico match isn’t scheduled until November, but by that time, the meeting between the two Spanish rivals may be an international match.