Forget Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar – Barcelona’s newest signing will have you rubbing your eyes in astonishment. Barcelona Sporting Club in Ecuador, that is.
Maria Guadalupe, at the ripe old age of 102, finally realised her dream of having a kickabout with her heroes having supported the South American outfit since its inception in 1925.
Eutimio Perez, a Spanish immigrant who grew up in Barcelona, founded the club in the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil in the same year as John Logie Baird invented the television – and Maria was on board from the start.
She turned up to a training session and had a kick around with the club’s squad, including giving a big hug to Damien ‘Kitu’ Diaz, one of the stars of the current crop.
Barca are Ecuador’s most successful outfit, having won Serie A in the country a record 14 times, most recently tasting success in 2012.
They made history in 1960 becoming the first team from Ecuador to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores.
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Source: Mirror