Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Barcelona, La Liga, Lionel Messi, Spain, England
Ben McCrum
The exact reason why Barcelona have an English flag on their club badge has finally been revealed.
There are few clubs across the world that are bigger than La Liga giants Barcelona, who boast one of the most impressive trophy cases in football, and have had some of the best players of all time
Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho and, of course, Lionel Messi are all amongst the players to put on the iconic blue and garnet shirt to represent the iconic Barcelona badge.
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While the Barca badge is undoubtedly one of the most loved , fans have always wondered why the Spanish club includes an English flag as part of their badge, and they now have their answer.
Ever since Barcelona was founded on 29 November 1899, the club's official badge has undergone several changes, but it has largely remained the same since the 1910s.
In the top right corner above the club colours of blue and garnet sits the red and yellow stripes of the Senyera, a flag that represents coat of arms of a north-eastern Spain Medieval kingdom called the Crown of Aragon.
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Beside that is what appears to be the English flag, a red cross sitting over a white background, however, the fact that the Barcelona badge shares a flag with England is merely a coincidence.
The design is intended to pay tribute to Saint George, the patron of both England and Catalonia, where he is known as St Jordi.
St George (Jordi) is respected in Catalonia as a military hero, who once killed a dragon that was terrorising a village in Catalonia, saving the King's daughter in the process.
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The story of the patron saint is beloved across Spain, leading to them celebrating him in Barcelona on Saint George's Day in April every year.
Of course, throughout the club's history there have been several English players that have worn St George's cross for Barcelona and their country.
Undoubtedly the greatest of them was England icon Gary Lineker, who scored 51 goals and assisted three across 138 appearances for the Spanish club.