Joan Casals, ‘l’Avi del Barça,’ Passes Away at 90, Leaving a Legacy of Barça Values
Joan Casals Boixader (Guardiola de Berguedà, 1933) has passed away at the age of 90. Best known as ‘l’Avi del Barça’ (Barça’s Grandpa), his legacy will be remembered for embodying all the values of FC Barcelona. In recent decades, he became the true emblem of the world of Barça supporters.
Joan Casals’ presence extended beyond the Blaugrana fan base, often becoming the subject of numerous photographs as he best represented the character portrayed by Valentí Castanys, encapsulating all the qualities of kindness and love for the club’s colors.
His popularity surged 40 years ago when he donned the blue and red jersey, and, within the old Masia walls, someone struck gold: l’Avi del Barça came to life. In 2007, the club officially recognized him as its representative in supporters’ gatherings. Joan Casals received the ‘Socio culé del año 2019’ award, and exactly five years ago, SPORT honored him with the Socio del Año Award in a highly emotional ceremony.
Since the news of Joan Casals’ passing, the Barça supporters’ world has begun expressing their grief over the loss of an irreplaceable figure within the Blaugrana community.
