Barcelona history
Tribute to Christmas Eve: the culés who wore the number '24' in this century
The twenty-fourth number is not usually associated with big stars, although very important players wore it at FC Barcelona
Football is not just a sport, but its greatness is due to the great social phenomenon it generates. This means that, at any time, everything can be related to football and Christmas is no exception. Boxing Day in the Premier League, the Christmas tree decorations, all the gifts that can be related to this activity... It is logical that the fan thinks about the same thing all day long, the hard thing is not to do so.
Well, just as everything can be related to football, it also happens with Barça. So, in honour of Christmas Eve, December 24, this article will be dedicated to reviewing the Blaugrana footballers who wore the number 24 printed on their backs. The review will go back from the year 2000, so that it will also be 24 years ago. Before continuing down, dear reader of FCBN, the author invites you to reflect on the players that come to mind when thinking about the subject of the article. Let's see how well trained your memory is.
Six Spaniards and four foreigners
So that, little by little, more footballers come to mind, the enumeration will start from the present. Today, the number in question is owned by Eric García and has been so since the 21/22 season, when he arrived at Barça as a free agent. However, during the previous season, with the loan of the defender from Martorell to Girona, the 24 fell into disuse.
Prior to the return of the defender to the team that formed him, from Manchester City, the number had another owner: the Spanish-Dominican Junior Firpo. He arrived from Real Betis in 2019, in exchange for 20 million euros, and left two years later for Leeds United, for 15 million and 20% of a future sale. He played as Jordi Alba's substitute during his time at the club and played 41 games, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists.
Continuing with the list of defenders, in the 18/19 season, Vermaelen was the one who wore the jersey featured in the article. He only did so for one season, as he ended up leaving on a free transfer to Vissel Kobe. A year earlier, and for the same duration, Yerry Mina was his owner until he left the Blaugrana for 30 million euros to sign for Everton. Two centre-backs who did not have a successful time at Can Barça. The previous owner to those mentioned was Jérémy Mathieu, from 2014 to 2017. The Frenchman arrived for 20 million euros from Valencia and served as a complement to Luis Enrique's Barcelona defence, until he left as a free agent for Sporting Lisbon.
There have been several seasons mentioning defenders, so now comes a truce with Sergi Roberto, who in his early days played as a midfielder. In his first season as a player with a roster card, he wore the number 24 in 27 matches. Later, he changed to the number 20, which he wore for the rest of his career, both at Barça and now at Italian side Como.
After numerous consecutive seasons in which the number was in use, from here until the end, a period of irregularity begins, as it did not always have an owner. Thus, in the 12/13 season it was free and, in the previous one, it was fictitiously occupied by Andreu Fontàs. Despite the fact that the Banyoles native was its owner, he went on loan to Mallorca and did not wear it. Again, until 2010, the number 24 remained free. Between 2007 and the World Cup in South Africa, he was worn by the legendary Yaya Touré, the so-called Ivorian bison. He is possibly the best footballer of those mentioned.
Between 2003 and 2007, Andrés Iniesta was the one who had the number stamped on his back. It was his first number as a first team player and, when he left it, it was to wear the '8', a number that practically became his personal mark. Before closing this article with the last footballer, it must be said that the number 24 had one season, 02/03, free. The end of this text is signed by Carles Puyol, who wore the leading number between 2000 and 2002, before switching to 5.
