A Deep Dive into FC Barcelona Femeni : History, Trophies won, Player profiles, Coach and everything you need to know about the FC Barcelona female team.
Football Club Barcelona Femeni is the Women’s football section of FC Barcelona situated in Catalonia, Spain.
INFORMATION
| Name | Futbol Club Barcelona Femeni |
| Founded | 1988( Club Femeni Barcelona) |
| Home Ground | Estadi Johan Cruyff |
| Capacity | 6000 |
| Club President | Joan Laporta |
| Head Coach | Jonathan Giraldez |
| League | Primera Division Femeni |
HISTORY
Futbol Club Barcelona Femeni was formed in 1988 by 18 year old Inmaculada “Imma” Cabecerán. The female club was an established member of the Primera Division.
Barcelona Femeni was always associated with the club since its inception but it was officially incorporated as part of the Barcelona sporting structure in 2002.
The team suffered numerous ups and down, relegation included before making its way into becoming the most successful Spanish female football team.
The team won its first league title in 2011. and then went on to win numerous trophies becoming the first Spanish female team to appear in the UCL quarter finals, semi finals, finals and finally the first and only Spanish team to win the female UCL.
In 2021, the team completed a historic treble, scooping the UCL, primera division with an unbeaten record and winning the Copa de la Reina to become the first female team in football to achieve that feat.
It didn’t stop there, that success meant Barcelona is the first and only team to have its men and women team not only win the UCL but also win the treble.
Before all these successes, let’s take a dive into the history of the club since its inception.
How it all Started
In November 1970 a young amateur female footballer approached the then President of FC Barcelona about forming a female team to associate with the club.
Inmaculada “Imma” Cabecerán Soler is the name of the 18 year old Catalan footballer who formed the Femeni team. She posted an article in a magazine urging females from 18-25 who have passion to play football to show up and play in an exhibition match in the camp nou.
17 people showed up and they formed the core members. Their names are, Maria Antònia Mínguez, Llera, Giménez, Pilar Gazulla, Lluïsa Vilaseca, Aurora Arnau, Anna Jaques, Maite Rodríguez, Immaculada Cabecerán, Núria Llansà, Alicia Estivill, Blanca Fernández, Lolita Ortiz, Consuelo Pérez, Carme Nieto, Fina Ros and Glòria Comas.
The team played their first match on Christmas Day in 1970, an exhibition match aimed at raising funds for local children’s hospital.
All these while the team was never officially associated with the club, not until the 80s when an agreement was reached for them to use the club’s colours, badges and facilities.
The team was also a founding member of the primera Division and had a little stint winning few trophies down the line.
It was in 2002 the club finally and officially incorporated the Femeni team into its sporting structure and with the ta branding came the name Futbol Club Barcelona Femeni.
The league also went under some restructuring in an attempt to promote and build women’s football.
It took the club two years before getting promoted to the top tier league and that’s where it all began.
SUCCESSES
The 2004-2005 season was a revelation with Mexican international superstar Maribel Dominguez alongside her Spanish counterpart Maria Luisa Coimbra, there were inconsistent results and a change of coach was made.
That didn’t help either as the team was relegated again in the 2006-2007 season. FC Barcelona president at the time Joan Laporta at some point considered dissolving the females team.
The following season, they were back in the top tier, this time with a point to prove. For the next three years they always finished top half of the table, scooping the Super Cup from espanyol in 2011.
In 2012 they won their first primera division trophy with a record 94 points.
They appeared in the UCL for the first time and got knocked out by Arsenal by 7-0 aggregate score in the first round.
They defended the league title in 2013 and also won the double becoming the fifth Spanish team to achieve that feat.
In 2014-15 they won their fourth straight league title and qualified to the next round in the UCL, becoming the first Spanish team to achieve that feat.
In the summer of 2015, the club professionalize the women’s section of the club and made the UCL a priority target.
They reached their first UCL semi final in 2016 and also won the copa de la Reina against atleti.
Summer of 2017, a major change occur, coach Xavi Llorens stepped down after eleven seasons. The club signed its first sponsorship deal exclusively for the females team.
Big names were brought in, Lieke Mertens, Toni Dugan and Elise Busagglia.
In March 2019, in a match against domestic rivals atleti, the world record attendance for a female match was broken as over 6000 people filled the stands in the Wanda Metropolitano.
Few months later they would go on to win the UCL semi finals only to be defeated 4-1 by olympique lyonaise.
The following summer, the club resigned Jennifer Hermoso and also brought in Caroline Graham Hansen. Trophies were won, records were created.
In January 2021 the team played their first professional match in the camp nou against local rival espanyol, winning 5-0 to celebrate their 50th anniversary in style.
They won the copa de la reina, the UCL against Chelsea and the league title with a 21 games unbeaten run to Crown the treble.
PLAYERS PROFILE
| PLAYERS | POSITION |
| Sandra Panos | Goalkeeper and 3rd Captain |
| Irene Parades | Defender |
| Jana Fernandez | Defender |
| Maria Pilar Leon | Defender |
| Claudia Pina | Forward |
| Caroline Graham Hansen | Midfielder |
| Marta Torejon | Defender and vice captain |
| Mariona Caldentey | Forward |
| Jennifer Hermoso | Forward |
| Alexia Puttelas | Midfielder and Captain |
| Patricia Guijarro | 4th Captain |
| Cata Coll | Goalkeeper |
| Aitana Bonmati | Midfielder |
| Leila Ouhabi | Defender |
| Fridolina Rolfo | Forward |
| Andrea Pereira | Defender |
| Anna Maria Crnogocervic | Midfielder |
| Burna Vilamala | Forward |
| Asisat Oshoala | Forward |
| Andrea Falcon | Midfielder |
| Lieke Martens | Forward |
| Ingrid Engen | Midfielder |
| Gemma Font | Goalkeeper |
TROPHIES
| TROPHY | TIMES |
| Primera Division | 6 titles (record ) |
| Copa De La Reina | 8 titles ( record) |
| Super copa de espana | 1 (joint) |
| Copa Catalunya | 10 (record) |
| UEFA champions League | 1 |
