The Barcelona shirt is one of the most recognizable football shirts in history. The blaugrana (blue and red) colors are instantly recognizable. It's a symbol of Catalan pride. The Barcelona shirt has a rich history. In this piece, we delve deeper into the evolution of the FC Barcelona shirt.

The origins of the FC Barcelona shirt

FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 by a Swiss named Joan Gamper. He chose blue and red as his club colors from day one, including for the shirts. There are several theories about the choice of these colors. Some believe the colors were  Inspired by the colors of FC Basel, Joan Gamper's former club. Another theory is that the colors were chosen at random. Whatever the reason, the Blaugrana is now inextricably linked to FC Barcelona.

In Barcelona's early years, the shirts were quite simple. A two-tone shirt, naturally the blaugrana, but otherwise it was plain. No logo, no decorations, and of course, no sponsor. They used this shirt until 1910. Back then, clubs didn't change their shirts every year.

In 1910, the Barcelona shirt began to change. The stripes became narrower, and more attention was paid to the fit. The buttons at the neck were replaced by strings, but there was no logo. The following year (1911), the logo was added, and the shirt regained a high collar, as it had in 1899. The shirt also received the familiar stripes that the club used for years, until 1981.

In 1981, the jersey panels became narrower, and Meyba became the manufacturer. Meyba's shirts are iconic of that era. The most popular shirts manufactured by Meyba are those from 1992, when the European Cup was won under the leadership of Johan Cruyff and captain Ronald Koeman. These shirts symbolize the start of FC Barcelona's future international success.

Modernization

The modernization of the football shirt began in the 1970s. The world of football became increasingly professional during this period, and shirts naturally followed suit. Clubs began to realize that shirts could also be used commercially. Furthermore, shirts were made of lighter material, making them more comfortable to wear. Today, football shirts are much more advanced and ultra-light, but the 1970s can be seen as the starting point for the development of football shirts.

Commercially, Barcelona (consciously) lagged behind. More and more clubs were getting shirts sponsored, but FC Barcelona refused to wear a sponsor on their shirts. Starting in 2006, Barcelona began featuring UNICEF on the front of their shirts, which they continued to do until 2011. Since the 2011/12 season, Barcelona has also featured a commercial sponsor on their shirts.

From retro to modern

Barcelona shirts are incredibly popular. The shirts from the 80s and 90s are incredibly sought after by fans of all ages. These shirts remind people of the club's successful eras. Shirts from the turn of the millennium are also incredibly popular, partly due to the start of Lionel Messi 's career. Barcelona also boasted world-class players such as Ronaldinho , Xavi, Iniesta, and many more. Under Guardiola, the club won the Champions League several times. Shirts from that era are incredibly popular.

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