Ed Sheeran to become first male solo pop artist to front the FC Barcelona jersey
Karachi: Spotify and
FC Barcelona are back with their seventh jersey
takeover, and the latest artist to feature will be Ed Sheeran, marking the
first time a solo male pop artist has fronted the shirt. During El Clásico on
Oct 26, FC Barcelona players will wear a version of the iconic blaugrana jersey
featuring the logo of Ed Sheeran’s latest studio album Play.
The launch lands as Play becomes Ed’s eighth studio album
release. Play is rooted in joy and
inspired by the sounds and stories Ed has encountered around the world. That
spirit of exploring different cultures and connecting fan communities maps
naturally to FC Barcelona’s global footprint. By placing Play on the front of the jersey, the collaboration shines a light
on music’s ability to travel across borders and bring people together.
FC Barcelona’s identity has long been
defined by youth and an expressive style of play, shaped by La Masia’s next
generation. Ed’s own love of football anchors the partnership in something
real; a shared belief that creativity, community, and play can move people, on
the field and off it.
Ed
Sheeran said: “Seeing my new album Play
on the Barca shirt is something I'm proud of. I'm a big fan of football and FC
Barcelona, and I love that we get to merge the worlds of music and football in
such a fun way.”
For the first time, we’re
taking a jersey takeover into gaming. On October 23rd, the jersey with Ed’s
latest album on it will be available in eFootball™, putting the moment in front
of a platform that has over 900 million downloads, letting players worldwide
select and play in the jersey in-game.
The release is accompanied by a capsule
collection, including a retro jersey inspired by the 2004/05 season, a nod to
the period when Ed first began recording music, alongside select pieces that
honor both Ed’s creative identity and FC Barcelona’s heritage.
Marc
Hazan, Senior Vice President, Partnerships and Marketing, Spotify said: “We’re excited to bring a true fan of the game into an El
Clásico moment. Ed’s genuine love of football and being one of the world’s
biggest artists made it natural to put Play on the front of the Barça jersey.”
FC
Barcelona player Robert Lewandowski said: “Ed’s songs have been part of our dressing-room playlist for a long
time, so seeing his new album on the front of our shirt for El Clásico feels
really special. Music and football both bring fans together in powerful ways,
and I’m proud to represent that connection on the pitch.”
Manel
del Río, General Manager of FC Barcelona said: “We
are very proud to have an artist like Ed Sheeran featured on our shirt. The
logo change has become one of the most iconic moments of every season and
exemplifies how the collaboration between FC Barcelona and Spotify continues to
successfully explore how far we can go with this union between sport and
music.”
The FC Barcelona
Hub on Spotify has become a go-to place for fans worldwide.
Fans have streamed more than 182 million plays of Barça player
matchday playlists, featuring players such as Lamine Yamal, Jules
Kounde, Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati, and others,
making music an integral part of the pre-match fan experience. FC Barcelona
will share a special edition of the matchday
playlist, curated by Ed Sheeran.
Inspired by the club’s founding year there
will be 1899 limited edition jerseys available to purchase. The Spotify x Ed
Sheeran x FC Barcelona jersey and merch collection can be purchased via Barça
Official Stores in Spain and online from 10am CEST on Oct 15.
The Play logo from Ed’s new
album will feature on the FC Barcelona jersey, which will be worn for the El
Clásico match against Real Madrid on Oct
26. FC Barcelona Femení will be wearing the jersey in their Liga F match
vs. Granada on Oct 19. You can read more about the
partnerships here and check out the
FC Barcelona hub on Spotify.
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