27 Facts About Joan Gamper

Joan Gamper founded football clubs in Switzerland and Spain, most notably Barcelona and Zurich.

Joan Gamper is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the amateur beginnings of Barcelona, being the fundamental head behind the foundation of the club in 1899, and then serving as the club's first captain between 1899 and 1903, netting over 100 goals in just 48 matches for Barca and in 1902, he captained his side to a victory in the Copa Macaya, the club's first title.

Joan Gamper then served as its president on five separate occasions between 1908 and 1925.

Hans-Max Joan Gamper was born in Winterthur, Switzerland.

Joan Gamper's mother died of tuberculosis when he was eight and the family moved to Zurich.

Joan Gamper became a citizen of the city and in his later youth started to learn his craft as a tradesman in an apprenticeship at the silk trade house Grieder at the centrally located Paradeplatz.

Joan Gamper was a co-founder and the first captain of the club's history.

Hans Joan Gamper representing Zurich was in 1898 holder of the Swiss records over the 800m and 1600m track distances.

Joan Gamper organized the first international athletics competition in Zurich during autumn of the same year.

In 1899, Joan Gamper went to Barcelona to visit his uncle who was living there.

Joan Gamper was on his way to Africa to help set up some sugar trading companies but fell in love with the Catalan city and decided to stay put.

Joan Gamper joined the local Swiss Evangelical Church and began playing football within the local Christian Protestant community in the district of Sarria-Sant Gervasi.

When Joan Gamper, who had already founded clubs in his home country, decided to do the same in his new city, he contacted Jaime Vila, the director of the Tolosa gym, which at the time was the home of a group of football enthusiasts that was practising the sport in Bonanova.

Joan Gamper proposed to him the idea of creating a well-organized football club, but Vila rejected him as he did not want foreigners in its ranks and ended up founding Catala in October 1899.

Joan Gamper envisaged a club that served as a means of social integration, in which everyone could speak their mind, and create a democratic society that was freely governed by its members.

Joan Gamper played 55 games for Barcelona between 1899 and 1903, scoring 126 goals, thus achieving a game ratio of 2.35 goals per game.

Joan Gamper was the tournament's top goal scorer again with 19 goals, just two more than teammate Udo Steinberg.

In 1908, Joan Gamper became president of Barcelona for the first time.

Joan Gamper took over the presidency as the club was on the verge of folding.

Joan Gamper was club president on five separate occasions and spent 25 years at the helm.

Joan Gamper raised funds from local businesses and on 14 March 1909, they moved into the Camp de la Industria, a stadium with an initial capacity of 1,500 spectators, but in 1916 it increased to 6,000, and it was considered the best in the city.

Joan Gamper launched a campaign to recruit more club members and by 1922 the club had over 10,000.

Joan Gamper recruited the legendary player Paulino Alcantara, the club's seventh all-time top-scorer, and in 1917 appointed Jack Greenwell as manager.

The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera accused Joan Gamper of promoting Catalan nationalism.

Joan Gamper was forced into exile after the events of Les Corts of 1925.

On 30 July 1930, Joan Gamper committed suicide after a period of depression, probably as a result of his business problems.

Joan Gamper's funeral was attended by many people in the city.