This is the first critical, in-depth academic study of FC Barcelona, one of the world's great football clubs, exploring the historical, political, cultural and commercial dimensions of this global sporting institution.

Jim O'Brien is an independent author and scholar, most recently being Visiting Professor at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia, Spain. He has published extensively on football, politics and culture in Spain and Argentina, and is co-founder of SPRING (Sport and Politics Research International Network Group). His other research interests include the songs and music of Bob Dylan. He also writes autographical fiction.

Xavier Ginesta is Associate Professor at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia, Spain. His main research interests are sport management, communication and politics and sport place branding. He regularly collaborates with different media outlets as an expert in sport and politics. He is a member of the research group TRACTE (Audiovisual Translation, Communication and Territory) at the UVic-UCC and co-founder of the research network SPRING.

Jordi de San Eugenio is Full Professor at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia, Spain. His research interests include place branding, public diplomacy, environmental communication and humanistic geography. He is a member of the research group TRACTE (Audiovisual Translation, Communication and Territory) at the UVic-UCC.

Introduction: FC Barcelona, a Club Apart or Just Like All the Rest?, Part I: History and Political Culture, 1. FC Barcelona, Football, Politics and Culture: Foundations and Legacies, 2. The Transformation of FC Barcelona from 'More Than a Club' to a Global Brand, 3. FC Barcelona, Governance, Democracy and the Commercial Impulse: Striking the Balance, 4. Presidential Politics in FC Barcelona and Power in Contemporary Catalonia, 5. Part II: Media, Cultures, and Identities, 6. Folklore, Narratives and Metanarratives: The Commodification of FC Barcelona's Storytelling, 7. FC Barcelona and Media Representations: Scottish Perspectives, 8. A Historical Perspective on Fan Cultures at FC Barcelona: Spectators, Supporters and Hooligans, 9. FC Barcelona and Digital Communication in the Twenty-First Century: Strategy, Values and Entertainment in a Brave New World, Part III: Brands and Commodities, 10. Studying FC Barcelona as a Corporate Body: How to Become a Global Entertainment Multinational in the Post-COVID Era, 11. 12. FC Barcelona and the European Super League: Necessity and Desire, Part IV: FC Barcelona and its International Markets, 13. Lionel Messi as a Global Icon: The Player as Personal Brand in the History of FC Barcelona, 14. FC Barcelona and the Middle Eastern, Chinese and Asian Markets: Eastern Frontiers, 15. FC Barcelona in the United States: A Situational Assemblage, 16. FC Barcelona and Africa: The Blind Spot of Corporate Communication,