11.01.2011 13:17

Unforgettable day in Zurich

Jesús Carrillo

Barça were the winners in Zurich. As well as the nominees and their families, directors, players and coaches past and present plus less known members of the youth structure were there to represent the club on a historic day for all.

People from all walks of the were in Switzerland to attend the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala 2010. Some were unable to attend, because they were at the funeral for former player Ángel Pedraza. But there were still plenty of Barça folk in Zurich to turn the venue for a day into something resembling a mini Camp Nou.

Living history

Almost all of the current directors, led by president Sandro Rosell, were in attendance. Agustí Montal was the only former president that also attended. By the impressive entourage of former coaches included ‘Charly’ Rexach, Radomir Antic, Llorenç Serra Ferrer, Terry Venables, ‘Quimet’ Rifé, Toño de Cruz and Josep Lluís Romero, who have all done their bit to create the magnificent club we know today.

Almost one hundred people

It all made for around a hundred people in representation of Barça. There were even two previous Ballon d’Or winners in Hristo Stòitxkov and Luis Suárez. Switzerland is, of course, the country of club founder Joan Gamper, and many locals made their way to Hotel Hyatt Park in Zurich, where the Barça group was staying, and the Zurich Kongresshaus, where the gala was held.

Unforgettable

January 10, 2010, will go down in club history as the day when Barcelona’s amazing repercussions were sealed in stone. It was plain to see on Monday that Barça is more in fashion than ever, and it was a chance for the world to celebrate the amazing achievements of recent years.