FC Barcelona celebrated its 125th anniversary on Friday, November 29, 2024, with a commemorative gala held at the Liceu Grand Theater in Barcelona, located near Gimnasio Solé, where Joan Gamper and the founding members established a club that remains as vibrant as ever , embodying its motto ‘Més que un club’. The event was marked by the unveiling of a new song for the occasion, ‘Cant del 125è aniversari’, as well as a new mascot, as a prelude to the imminent launch of the renovated Camp Nou Spotify, which aims to welcome future success.
During a celebration that lasted more than two hours, where football was at the heart of the festivities, FC Barcelona reflected on its past, present and future—marking milestones and achievements while setting current goals and exciting plans for a ‘homecoming’ at the new Camp Nou Spotify. The new mascot, ‘CAT’, was introduced, and members voted for a catchy, modern new anthem for the 125th anniversary.
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Messi’s Message to Barça After the 125th Anniversary Gala
The gala brought together stars from the past and present of men’s and women’s football, as well as from different professional sections, including basketball, handball, roller hockey and futsal. She was attended by coaches, managers, and every living former president—Joan Gaspart, Enric Reyna, Sandro Rosell, and Josep Maria Bartomeu—as well as renowned culers, culminating in a birthday party featuring featured a huge cake created by famous pastry chef Christian Escribà.
Humor was brought to the event by Pep Plaza, who summarized the club’s history in five minutes filled with imitations. Video messages from Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique Martínez, Andrés Iniesta and Ronaldinho entertained the crowd, but the biggest ovation was undoubtedly for Lionel Messi. Every time a goal or a message from Messi appeared on the screen, it triggered applause from the crowd.
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FC Barcelona celebrates the club’s 125th anniversary with a grand gala
The official anthem of FC Barcelona was sung a cappella by president Joan Laporta, accompanied on stage by legends such as Bakero, Stoichkov and Begiristain; Piqué, Márquez, Kluivert, Belletti, Deco, Migueli and Asensi; Rijkaard, Koeman, Xavi Hernández and Rexach, as well as members of various sports sections, including Masip, Norris, Abrines, Torras and Navarro. Together, they blew out the candles to mark the transition to the anthem, closing the evening as Laporta delivered a lengthy speech highlighting his presidency.
Laporta took the stage for the first time, introduced by the actor Pep Anton Muñoz as the founder, Joan Gamper. “On behalf of all barcelonistas, thank you, founder Joan Gamper, for establishing the best club in the world 125 years ago. I agree, at Barça dreams come true; now the dream is to create a stadium of more than 100,000 people When we finish it in 2026, it will be the best stadium in all five continents. I am sure you will like it, founder and president Gamper. sharing.
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The Barça of all times celebrates its 125th anniversary
“Gamper called for loyalty, for the coat of arms to be carried on our hearts. I want to thank those who made this story possible—our players and coaches. It is a story of overcoming adversity that has made Barça a reference club worldwide,” added Laporta, highlighting the values of the club, its FCB foundation, its Catalan identity, its commitment to a unique style of play and the support for its various sections, reinforcing the idea of being ‘Same as one club.’
NEW ANTHEM AND MASCOT FOR THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY
FC Barcelona’s 125th anniversary now includes an official anthem. Members voted 63 percent in favor of ‘L’escut al pit’, the new official song for the club’s milestone, with lyrics by Xavier González-Costa, music by Carles Cases, and produced by Alizzz and Josep Montero. The vocal performance was carried out by the Orfeó Català and the animation group Dracs 1991.
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FC Barcelona honors its 125th anniversary with anthem and mascot reveal
During this moving gala, the new club mascot ‘CAT’ was also revealed. Created by Catalan brothers Jordi and Carles Grangel, from a studio near Camp Nou Spotify, they have international credentials, having worked with DreamWorks, Warner Bros, Sony and Universal Pictures, and are known for their work on films like Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, The Corpse Bride, Spirit and the Oscar-winning Pinocchio.
