121 years of FC Barcelona: Seven unforgettable moments to relive at Nou Camp

On 29 November 1899, Hans Gamper and others gathered at Gimnas Sole to form an association bearing the Catalan city's name and coat of arms: FC Barcelona. It was the first step in creating one of the best clubs in the history of European football... Barcelona's beloved home ground "Nou Camp" hosted its first game on 24 November 1957. Ever since then, the stadium has been the paradise for countless fans of the Catalan side all around the world. Here are seven unforgettable days from the yesterdays of the iconic stadium.

Updated on:

29 Nov 2020, 3:51 am

2 min read

Hello World Cup '82: When Spain hosted the 12th edition of the FIFA World Cup in 1982, Nou Camp got to host the radiant opening ceremony. The final was played in the national capital of Madrid, the Catalan stronghold hosted five matches including a semi-final featuring Italy, who later went on to beat West Germany to clinch the Cup. (Photo | YouTube screengrab)

United's seemingly-impossible Champions League glory: Housing a highly intimidating side like Barca, the stadium has not given too many good memories for other teams. However, for English giants Manchester United, the stadium hosted one of their most wonderful victories in history. On 26 May 1999, United was trailing German champions Bayern Munich by a goal until the 91st minute in the Champions League summit clash. The Red Devils scored twice through Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the next two minutes to lift the title. The match is remembered as one of the most dramatic games ever in the history of the game. (Photo | AFP)

Rivaldo to the rescue! Not often do we see Barca struggling to qualify for the European championship. The 2001-02 season saw this odd thing happening. The team had to play some 'must win' fixtures to confirm their European berth. In a nervous encounter that Nou Camp will never forget, Barca defeated Valencia on 17 June 2001, thanks to the prolific show by Brazilian Rivaldo. His hat-trick that day remains one of the best individual performances ever that the stadium ever witnessed. (FIle | PTI)

Burn Madridstas, burn! The word 'El Clasico' is enough to give football fans goosebumps. When the two rival powerhouses of Spanish football lock horns, it is guaranteed football fiesta. Nou Camp hosted one of the most one-sided El Clasicos ever in history, when the home side blanked their bitter rivals Real Madrid 5-0 on 29 November 2010. Xavi, Pedro, Villa and Jeffren converted to make the stadium a burial ground for the poor traveling fans of the Las Blancos. (Photo | AFP)

Xavi bids farewell: Barcelona has always treated their legends with the respect they deserve. Be it Kubula, Guardiola or Xavi, all of them were given the kind of splendid goodbye they deserve. When long-serving midfielder Xavi Hernandez finally put an end to his illustrious career with the side, Barca honored him with a special farewell event. The day remains one of the most emotional days in the history of Nou Camp. (Photo | AFP)

'Thank you Johan' mosaic: When club legend Johan Cryuff passed away in 2016, the fans produced a mosaic with cards and colours reading 'Thank you Johan' in Spanish, before the next match the stadium hosted that year. The Dutch legend spent five years at Nou Camp, helping the side to win their first La Liga in fourteen years. (Photo | AFP)

Nothing is impossible: On 8 March 2017, Barcelona took on PSG at home in Champions League in a round of sixteen match with a deficit of four goals. With Edinson Cavani adding one more for the visitors, it seemed mission impossible for Barca. But Nou Camp has been a fortress in which Barcelona can any day depend upon. Neymar turned the game around in matter seven minutes by scoring twice. When the final whistle blew, Barca had done the impossible to march ahead 6 -5 on goal aggregate. Just Nou Camp things, one might say! (Photo | AP)