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Football Resides Everywhere in Spain: Weddings, Religion & More

Why football is more than life and death in Spain.

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Football
4 min read
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Gareth Bale scores a stunner. Real Madrid make it 2-2 in the 72nd minute at Camp Nou. The entire stadium goes silent and it seems like the players in white are celebrating on mute.

Silence is what defines the Barcelona fans.

Football is not just a game in Spain. It is part of people’s souls. Everyone is a football fan and it’s a festival on match day, especially El Clasico.

Football flows through the pathways of Spain, connecting religion, jubilant celebrations and weddings!

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Football is a Religion

Why football is more than life and death in Spain.
Crests of FC Barcelona and Cadiz CF.
(Photo Courtesy: Pinterest/Wikipedia)

How many times have we heard or seen ‘cricket is my religion, Sachin is my God’. But is it literally? In Spain, football is a religion, so much so that the Athletic Bilbao’s stadium is nicknamed La Catedral, because football is treated as a religion in Bilbao.

The club’s old stadium, which was built near a church, was Spain’s oldest built stadium (1913) until it was demolished and a new stadium was constructed in the same area, retaining its name, San Mames Stadium, in 2013.

Religion can be seen on the crests of the clubs as well. On the left corner of the FC Barcelona crest, there is a St George cross. St George, known as Sant Jordi in Catalonia, is the patron saint in Catalonia.

On the badge of Cadiz CF, a sketch of a Greek god is present. Cadiz, which is supposedly the oldest city of the western world, has a significant role in Greek mythology.

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A Bride’s Miseries

Why football is more than life and death in Spain.
Wedding invitation cards.
(Photo: La Liga)

Football plays a huge part in weddings in Spain. Sometimes, the invitation cards are printed in the ticket formats with the logos of the bride and groom’s favourite clubs or the names and other details are printed over the background of a football ground.

Many weddings have been spoiled because of football matches! PIlar Rosas and Diana Pablos, who run wedding planners company Mylola narrated interesting anecdotes from their experiences.

‘The bride and groom would like to propose a toast’ but when the concerned person looked around, half of the guests who came to attend Javier's wedding at the Hotel Princesa Sofia were missing.

Some of the guests were watching the match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad from the terrace of the hotel. The terrace was like another stand for Camp Nou. And some of them were watching the match on television in a room. Fortunately, not all guests had left and the wedding waltz took place.
Why football is more than life and death in Spain.
Invitation Card.
(Photo: La Liga)

However in 1993-94, a wedding abruptly ended after Barcelona won the La Liga for the fourth consecutive year. Barcelona were behind Deportivo de la Coruna by two points before each of their last league games. Barcelona were playing against Sevilla and Depor was playing against Valencia.

Santi’s bride had strictly instructed that she didn’t want anything to do with football during her wedding, but nobody listened. After the ceremony was done smoothly, the guests along with the bride and groom went for dinner. During that time, the guests who had hidden radio sets, started shouting ‘champions champions’. Barcelona won their match and Depor managed only a draw. The bride didn’t understand what was going on and then suddenly everyone left the wedding venue for Rambla de Canaletas to celebrate Barcelona’s victory. And that was the end of the wedding.

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Girona – Extravagant Celebrations

Remember the reception the Indian cricket team was given when they won the World T20 in 2007. They went through the city of Mumbai on an open top bus, celebrating the victory with the fans. However, similar scenes ensued when a small club in Spain called Girona was promoted to La Liga last year.

Girona drew their last Segunda Division match against Zaragoza and ensured a second place in the league, thereby qualifying for La Liga after 87 years. The players went on an open top bus to the city and then celebrated with the numerous number of fans who came out with red and white to show their support for the Girona team.

The La Liga promotion must mean hugely to the fans for them to come out and celebrate as a big unit.

Why football is more than life and death in Spain.
The famous lioness statue in front of the window with three Girona FC flags.
(Photo: The Quint)

In the city, there is a famous statue of a lioness. People say that if someone kisses the bottom of the lioness, then that person will surely come back to Girona. A tour guide of the city said if Girona book a spot in the Champions League, the lioness will be dressed in red and white.

At the moment, there are three Girona Football Club flags hoisted on a window behind the lioness’ statue.

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Topics:  fc barcelona   Spain Football 

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