TIn this presentation we will focus on social, cultural and political effects of football in Spain. Starting with the historical beginnings of the game to its present status we will talk about the game, which has hijacked the country. So much so that this seems to be the only major talking point. We propose to describe the hold that the game has on people across the age and gender divide or in other words from cradle to grave for both men and women. We will detail, from the historical perspective as well, the influence and pressure that the different regions bring to bear on the teams and the individual players.

Analysis
This paper is about how the game of football in Spain has captured the Spaniards. Though it could perhaps have been more easily about bull fighting (or the Spanish flamenco dancing) for which the country is famous. The great American author Ernest Hemingway was an avid fan of bull fighting and his famous novel Death in the Afternoon was set in the backdrop of this sport.
But our topic is a different ballgame called football.

To understand this we will have to go back in time and understand something about the Spaniards. Football’s introduction in Spain can be traced to the 1890s. In the Basque Provinces, the first team was Athletic Bilbao. It was founded in 1898. (Soccer History 2004) The Spanish cup competition which is now called the King's Cup (Copa del Rey) began in 1902. It has been played every season regularly except the World War two years 1937 and 1938 has been played every season. Two competitions were played in 1910 and 1913, and in 1904 Athletic Bilbao were named winners without a final being played. The team with most titles is FC Barcelona with 24, followed by Athletic Bilbao with 23, Real Madrid 17 and Atlético Madrid 9. Since competitive football has been played in Spain for over a century several clubs have celebrated their centenaries. However the Spanish national side is reputed for it’s under achievements in international tournaments like the World Cup. They have won the European championship only once all through this period. Spain has produced many a legendary footballers which include Alfredo Di Stefano, Kubala, Luis Suarez and goalkeeper Zamora, and in recent times Santillana, Michel and Butragueño . Spanish club sides, however, have achieved more success than their national sides. The local championships have been dominated by the big two, Real Madrid and Barcelona, especially since the second world war. (SOCCER-SPAIN History of the Spanish national side 2004)

This explains the tradition of the game having firm roots in Spain. Rest of the European nations too had adopted the game around the same time. The Spaniards have gone a few notches beyond the rest in developing a feverish affinity to the game fueled no doubt largely by their regional, divisive passions as we shall see in greater detail later in this paper.

Recently England captain David Beckham became a Real Madrid player. The transfer symbolizes a combination of business and football skills. Beckham joins The Spanish champions, and nine times kings of Europe acquired Beckham on a four-year contract. This contact is said to be valued at approximately six million euros annually before bonuses. The club had engaged the Brazilian super-star Ronaldo a year earlier. Zinedine Zidane of France and Luis Figo from Portugal were signed on prior to the coming on board of Ronaldo and Beckham.

Real will pay Manchester United up to 35 million euros over the next four years for the transfer depending on the Spanish team's progress in the Champions League.
The above record payments amply reflect the passion for the game in Spain. In fact on December 18, 2000 Real Madrid was declared by FIFA as the best football club of the 20th century. On 6th of March the club celebrated its centenary. RM is the most successful club in history.

The club has a history of such signings. In the late 1920’s Santiago, a former footballer with RM became the club secretary. He signed Ricardo Zamora for 150,00 pesetas from Espanyol. This was a princely sum even though Zamora was the best goalie of the league, which is why the trophy still bears his name.
Some of the well known Spanish football clubs are Athletic de Bilbao, Atlectic de Madrid, FC Barcelona, RCD Espanyol, Real Madrid, Valencia CF, Tenerife, Sevilla FC. (Spanish Soccer League 2004)

The following passage is truly revealing and all meaning would be lost if it is edited so it is best reproduced as it is: “When the football season begins Spain reconvenes as a society. People reluctantly recognise the need for a summer break from football, but it is only when September's lengthening shadows welcome the game back that the country seems to wake up from its collective siesta ………. in Spain, Sunday evening football brings out the whole family. Recovering from the excesses of lunch, grandma and her daughter will sip a glass of wine, chew on a tapa or two and enjoy the spectacle with the rest of the neighbourhood……. Spain's the place to be for the football aficionado. If you can't get down to the game, it really doesn't matter so much these days…..Sunday offers a whole social programme, to be shared with the kids, your mates, and Tom, Ricardo and Harry”. (Soccer Fans Network Forums)

CD Tenerife

Club Atlético de Madrid

FC Barcelona
Malaga C.F.

RCD Espanyol

Real Madrid CF

Real Sociedad
Real Valladolid
Valencia CF (Spanish soccer 2004)
Beckham had rubbish thrown at him as he took corners in Osasuna's hostile El Sadar, one of the few hostile situations he faced after coming to Spain.
(The reign in Spain of one not so plain - www.smh.com.au 2004)
Again in the game against Barcelona radical fans as well as grannies and grandpas hurled cans, stones and abuses at the Real entourage including Beckham. The first time he touched the ball a banner was unfurled with the sign "Beckham is a wanker."
(Guardian Unlimited Football 2004)

The above examples reflect the extremely strong rivalry between teams and the deep regional feelings of their supporters. This fierce rivalry is what the English writer Phil Ball has termed Morbo. This rivalry is rooted in history, language and politics. He calls it a landscape of antagonism. He observes:”The Basque country in the north-west and Seville in the south both provide breeding grounds for a healthy portion of "morbo". (Spanish Football Books)

In Catalonia today people idolize soccer especially when Futbol Club Barcelona is hot. The Catalonians say Barça, is more than big business. "Barça's a religion". And some of its holiest moments come with the contest against its archrival Real Madrid.
Franco tried to obliterate all the regional rivalries in Spain, except in soccer. He promoted soccer as a healthy way for the regions to work out their tensions. But with Barça the policy backfired. Because Catalans had no political parties, no regional government, and no right to use their own language, they made up for all by seeing their cultural pride into Barça. At a Barça match, people could shout in Catalan and sing traditional songs when they could do it nowhere else."

There is a seamy side to Real Madrid’s football exploits too. The club has won so many trophies, tournaments and championship. However, the club is associated with fascism as the pure white ambassador to Franco’s goal of achieving a united Spain with a strong center.

One of the all time great players was Rafael Moreno Aranzadi known by the nickname Pichichi. He played during the period 1892-1992 for Athletic Bilbao the club that was formed by the English expatriates in 1898. His trademark headgear made him a distinct player on the field. He was a member of the side that won Copa del Rey three times in a row from 1914 to 1916.

Summary/Conclusion
We have surveyed the scenario of the Spanish football starting with the origin of the game in that country. Through the decades that followed the game has reached a stage where it has gained a central place in the lives of the Spanish people. The game is followed with great interest and enthusiasm often in the backdrop of regional rivalries expressed through the supporters’ regional teams. Now it is more than a game. It has acquired business proportions where millions are on stake. This financial and commercial development of the game is not unique to Spain though it has acquired even greater proportions there. This trend is likely to continue in the near future so it seems. There is no sport, not even bullfighting or flamenco dancing that can push football in second place in Spain.