FCBARCELONA.CAT

30.06.2008 16:26

In the footsteps of Olivella, Fusté, Pereda and Zaballa

David Saura

With Spain’s victory in Vienna, three more Barça players have won the European Championship. Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol have followed in the footsteps of Olivella, Fusté, Pereda and Zaballa, the last Barça players to do it.

Spain has won the European Championship for the first time since the tournament was played in Spain in 1964. On that occasion, Ferran Olivella, a Barça player, was the Spanish captain and lifted the trophy.

Four in 1964

There were three other Barça players - Josep Maria Fusté, Chus Pereda and Pedro Zaballa – in the side that won the trophy thanks to a goal by Marcelino. The team also featured Luis Suárez, who in 1961 had left Barça for Italy.

Since then no other Barça player had won European Championship until Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol, all products of the Barça academy, picked up the trophy.

Schuster shone in 1980

Other Barça players came to the club after winning European glory. For instance after winning the trophy with West Germany in 1980 at the age of 20, Bernd Schuster signed for Barça after a row with his previous club, Cologne.

Petit wins in 2000

A similar but less significant case is that of Emmanuel Petit. The French defender came to Barça after his side beat Italy 2-1 in the final in 2000, the year when Barça player Kluivert was top scorer with five, but due to injury he was unable to play in the final itself.