Special Edition Barça Tour USA 2024 | Page 10

HISTORY

A TOUR TO GO DOWN IN

B A R Ç A U S A T O U R 2 0 2 4

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Barcelona ' s tour of Mexico and the United States in 1937 is considered one of the most important chapters in Barça ' s history , as it raised the Club ' s international prestige exponentially at a time when Spain was entrenched in the Spanish Civil War , and allowed it to raise money that would help it to move forward in the post-war period . In order to save its economy , Barça decided not to play in the 1937 Copa de la República and sent a group of around twenty people to North America . Initially Mexico was the only destination , but the journey was extended to New York , where the Barça team would play four matches . The financial proceeds from that undertaking came to 461,799.10 pesetas , which was kept in a bank in Paris while the war lasted . This money was essential to be able to rebuild after the conflict .
On Tuesday 18 May 1937 , the Barça group began its journey by train to the French town of Saint-Nazaire . The journey from Barcelona to the border with France , in the midst of the conflict , proved to be fraught with danger . In fact , just before arriving at Portbou , the train had to

AS A RESULT OF THE MATCHES THAT WERE PLAYED IN MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES , BARÇA GAINED INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CLUB TO SURVIVE AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

MANEL TOMÁS FC BARCELONA
The 1937 Tour Newsletter .
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