FOUNDATION AND THE FIRST YEARS

In 1907, two modest clubs, called Provençal and Madrid, decided to merge to become a more meaningful club in Catalan football. At first, their directors wanted to create a new club, but the registration fee turned out to be too high. Plan B was to take advantage by using the name and registration number of an existing club that was about to disappear, Europa FC. By only applying a small change on their name and paying all the debts of this entity, ‘Club Deportivo Europa’ was born on the 5th of June 1907. This fusion took place in the disappeared Bar Roca on Carrer de Sicília, 290, just a few blocks away from the Sagrada Família. After some years, Europa -still dressing in blue and white stripes- participated in leagues organized by the Catalan Football Federation (FCF) and played in fields around the famous basilica. This underlines the origins of Europa outside of the Vila de Gràcia. In 1919, the europeistes reached the First Category, the highest division possible for any Catalan team, in which they would find teams like RCD Espanyol and even FC Barcelona.

THE TWENTIES: SUCCESS AFTER SUCCESS

Under the presidency of Joan Matas, Europa achieved feats that it held for impossible. A team with modest origins was able to beat much bigger teams. In 1921 and 1922, the graciencs managed to finish second, twice behind the almighty Barcelona. In 1922, another historical moment took place: the first official basketball match in Spain. Europa and CE Laietà had the honor of starring in this historic game, which ended in favor of Europa: 8-2. The location of this ‘pioneer match’ was Europa’s stadium at the time, the Camp del Carrer de Sicília, in front of the factory of La Sedeta. In short, Europa has played an unforgettable role not only in the development of Spanish football but also in Spanish basketball. Back to football. In 1922, President Matas signed the Birmingham-born coach Ralph Kirby and the Spanish striker Manuel Cros, two persons who would be vital in the first team.

The 1922-23 progressed amazingly, and Europa went neck-on-neck with Barcelona for the title. After ending on the same number of points, the teams from the Catalan capital met in an all-deciding tiebreaker in Girona, which was won by Europa thanks to a goal by the legendary Antonio Alcázar. This championship allowed Europa to participate in the King’s Cup, which used to be only accessible to regional champions. After beating Sevilla FC and Real Sporting de Gijón, the Gràcia-based club entered the final, where Athletic Club from Bilbao waited. In a heated final dominated by Europa, Athletic won by just one goal, leaving Europa with the silver medal. Still, Europa was one of the most famous football clubs in Spain at that time, and its star player, Manuel Cros, was the idol of many Catalan kids. Some went even so far as to copy his haircut. Upon entering a hair salon, simply saying ‘Talla’m a la Cros’ (‘Cut me like Cros’) was enough for the hairdresser to know what cut you wanted. Europa would not return to first place despite being very close on multiple occasions, such as ending as runner-up in 1924, 1927, and 1928. By that time, the club had already switched to a white shirt with a blue escapulari, a blue V on the white background, just like Birmingham City. That might be no coincidence. According to the legend, Birmingham City’s visit to Europa’s stadium in 1923 inspired the Catalan directors and led them to adopt this design three years later. Besides the first official Spanish basketball match, the title of the Catalan Championship, and the second place in the King’s Cup, there is one more ‘great’ achievement by Europa in the 1920s: founding the Primera División.

The worldwide famous competition was created in 1928 by 10 of Spain’s best clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Europa. The escapulats -a nickname that refers to the shirt- stayed up for three seasons, after which they entered a crisis, which led to two Europa’s. The first one was the club’s first team, which merged with Gràcia FC in 1931 to avoid dissolution. The new club’s name was Catalunya FC, a team that entered the Segunda División, taking Europa’s place after its relegation. However, this club was dissolved before the season’s end. The second Europa was a continuation of the club by supporters who did not agree with the fusion with Gràcia. This club registered a team in the lowest tier of Catalan football and stayed loyal to the club’s name, crest, and shirt. After Catalunya FC’s disappearance, this reborn Europa was the only one alive.

A FRESH START AND A SECOND GOLDEN ERA

Due to Europa’s low-budget restart and tough statewide political developments, the club was unable to find its way back to the First Division. The club was still known as the representative team of Gràcia but continued with that status playing in different amateur leagues. Only in the 1950s the europeistes made their debut in the Tercera División, the third tier on the Spanish football pyramid. This would become Europa’s ‘home’. However, it would not be the only competition in which Europa participated. In 1963, the graciencs went up to the Segunda División by beating the Asturian side Caudal Deportivo in the playoff final. Even though this division did not dispose of the state’s most prominent teams, Europa would play against the likes of Real Sociedad, Celta de Vigo, and Málaga, for example. Moreover, the escapulats knocked Real Zaragoza -one of Spain’s best teams in that era- out of the King’s Cup of 1966-67 after fantastic performances. In 1968, a drastic competition restructuring set Europa back to the Tercera División, which brought an end to five glorious years.

TWO DECADES OF DESPAIR

The 1968 relegation made a noticeable impact on the club. No matter the money, time, or effort the graciencs put in to go back up, Europa did not succeed. As a matter of fact, the team suffered another relegation in 1974, this time to the amateur Regional Preferent. This was the confirmation that darker clouds were coming together above the old Sardenya stadium. During the 1970s and 1980s, Europa -renamed ‘Club Esportiu Europa’ instead of ‘Club Deportiu Europa’- did achieve promotions, but only after being relegated to the Regional Preferent. Not once did the team qualify for the playoffs for promotion to the Segunda División B, the new third division of Spanish football. The supporters had to wait until 1993-94 for participation in the playoffs, which turned out successfully: Europa made it to the Segunda B.

THE NINETIES: TWO TROPHIES AND A NEW STADIUM

The heroic promotion of 1994 was the beginning of a series of more successes, even though the 1990s was not a period of only successful events. For example, Europa was relegated to the Tercera just one year after outgrowing it. On the other hand, the europeistes won two editions of the Copa Catalunya, a knock-out tournament between the best Catalan teams. In both 1997 and 1998, Europa was stronger than the first team of Barcelona, despite the presence of players like Laurent Blanc, Hristo Stoichkov, and a debuting Carles Puyol. Defeating Barça once is impressive, but doing it again one year later is rarely equaled. Moreover, Europa opened a ‘new’ stadium in 1995 –‘new’ between quotation marks because it was actually the reopening of the Sardenya. To distinguish between the stadium pre- and post-renovation, the stadium was renamed ‘Nou Sardenya’. Apart from a football pitch, it incorporates a gym, a garage, a swimming bath, and more modern facilities, converting the Nou Sardenya into the most prominent football stadium in Barcelona after the Camp Nou and the Lluís Companys.

THE 21ST CENTURY: PROMOTIONS, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND ANOTHER TROPHY

In the current century, Europa has established itself as a potential club. Europa celebrated its centenary in 2007 with many beautiful events. In 2015, the club won its third Copa Catalunya after winning against Girona. Europa recovered its ties with the Vila de Gràcia and is more involved in local culture and society every year. In 2023, the number of members has increased to over 1,700. The first men’s team finished in first place in the Tercera División in 2021 and 2023 -the first two titles in almost 60 years-followed by two promotions to the Segunda Federación. The first women’s team reached the second division in 2023. The eSports team even ended third in the Champions League, the highest European tournament. And finally, the growth of the youth academy forms a vital base for the club’s future. This was, in a nutshell, the history of CE Europa.