Catalans and La Roja

Credits: EFE via www.elcentrocampista.com

When I get asked who I support in international sporting tournaments people can be surprised, confused or even angered at my answer. I was born in England but have lived the best part of my life in France, which is where I call home. My parents were warned when they moved to France that their children would end up being more French than English and by 1998 at the age of eight, I was wearing a French football shirt, collecting player cards in cereal boxes and was shouting “Allez les Bleus” and singing “La Marseillaise” along with everyone else. Although it’s not always been plain sailing (2002 and 2010 come to mind …) I’ll always support France over England. But that isn’t to say that I want England to lose all their matches. I enjoy watching them play and watching them win. Just as long as it’s not against France!

Having grown up effectively with two nationalities and identities, I was interested at looking into the situation that Catalans can find themselves in with their sometimes conflicting Catalan and Spanish identities. Is it ok to support the Spanish national team, la Roja, as a Catalan?

To understand why this actually a valid question, we need to go back to the history books and look at the relationship between Catalonia and Spain. It could be argued that Catalonia has been fighting for recognition since September the 11^th 1714, when it was defeated by the Spanish monarchy and integrated into the Kingdom of Spain. This day is now celebrated as Catalonia’s National Day, a day which often sees protests against the Spanish government and calls for more Catalan autonomy or even independence from the centralised Spain of Madrid. As well as a 300 year struggle to retain a degree of autonomy and recognition, Catalonia has also endured two periods of dictatorship which are still in living memory; the first was that of Miguel Primo de Rivera between 1923 and 1930 and the second of Francisco Franco between 1936 and 1975. During both of these dictatorships, all fundamental aspects of Catalan identity and culture were repressed or eradicated with the goal being a Castilian united Spain. Primo de Rivera abolished the Catalan governing authority, suppressed Catalan political and cultural institutions, banned the Catalan flag, centralised education policy to Madrid and eliminated Catalan language rights. Similarly, Franco banned Catalan flags, the Catalan language, Catalan music and monuments and enforced strict rules on assembly. The author Llobera has even claims that there was a “systematic cultural genocide of the Catalan nation”.

These crack-downs on all things Catalan were extended to FC Barcelona; the Catalan flag was banned at matches and in stadiums and all announcements were made in Spanish. Primo de Rivera had all members registered with the police, intimidated players and made them perform a fascist salute at matches. Franco changed the club’s name, Futbol Club de Barcelona in Catalan, to the Spanish Barcelona Club de Fútbol, changed the club’s crest taking away the St George’s Cross (patron Saint of Catalonia) and changing the Catalan flag into the Spanish one and replaced the board of directors with his sympathisers. His attempts to eradicate every Catalan aspect of FC Barcelona in reality only re-enforced and strengthened the Catalan nationalism and identity. This is because FC Barcelona was the last legal vehicle (although restricted) to express their Catalan identity

According to Hunter Shobe, “Franco saw football as a possible means of placating and distracting dissenters – an opiate of the masses”. Franco believed that if people were being entertained by football, they would be less likely to revolt or be interested in politics. He used it as a tool for promoting Spanish nationalism and he heavily supported the development of the Spanish national football team. As well as encouraging national pride, he believed that football could improve the country’s image abroad. Although this largely failed with the national team due to their distinct lack of success, Real Madrid took on this role for Franco. For Catalans, Real Madrid was known as the dictator’s team and they have often lamented political bias against in terms of refereeing, intimidating FC Barcelona players and in player transfers.

The historical and political background as to why a Catalan may not want to support the Spanish national team speaks for itself. It would be understandable that people could be ashamed of being proud of a Spanish national team, especially those for who remember the dictatorship and nationalism. And although Spain is one country, it is made up of many separate ‘nations’ and identities; many Catalans believe they are Catalan before being Spanish. However, there is also the simple fact that the Spanish national team before 2008 had very little success in comparison with FC Barcelona.

Times are changing however, and in 2008 Barcelona surprised many people in their support for la Roja in the Euros. The streets were packed with people celebrating Spain’s victory, even in the famous Plaça Catalunya and on Las Ramblas. Unusually, the Spanish flag was also visible in the crowds and according to El Mundo, the highest television audiences in Catalonia at the time were when the Spanish national team was playing. This support continued through the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euros. I was happily surprised, when I was living in Barcelona during the 2012 Euros, at how many Spanish flags hung on people’s balconies alongside la Senyera (the Catalan flag). I got the impression that it was normal to support the Spanish national team in Barcelona.

The huge success of the Spanish national football team must be the biggest reason for Catalans supporting them. However, there are some underlying reasons too. I believe that one of those reasons is that there are now a few generations who have grown up in a democratic Spain and who don’t feel any shame in feeling proud of their nation. They are allowed to be proud of the successes of their country. For a lot of Catalans nowadays, young and old, football is no longer simply about politics, but about the success of and pride in their team. 

Another major factor has to be the number of FC Barcelona or Catalan born and bred players playing in the Spanish national team now. In the World Cup final of 2010, 7 of the 11 starting players on the pitch played for FC Barcelona. Catalans have their heroes such as Puyol, Piqué, Fabregas, and Xavi not only representing Spain but also, in their eyes, Catalonia. In the same way that in 1998 people hailed France’s World Cup victory as a victory for Algeria, it can also be said that the treble international success of Spain is also a victory for Catalonia. 

Credits: www.thisissport.com

To attempt to prove that there is an element of truth behind my ramblings, have a look at these videos in which real Catalans talk about their support for la Roja and the reaction of the city of Barcelona to Spain’s success.

Roja fever spreads among proud Catalans: 

Catalans put own identity over national pride: