Spider Flower – Cleome

Ferran Olivella Pons (22 June 1936 – 14 May 2023) was a Spanish footballer who played as a defender.

Club career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Olivella joined FC Barcelona's youth ranks at the age of 17. He started playing as a senior with neighbouring SD España Industrial in the Segunda División, returning to the Camp Nou in 1956.^[1]

Olivella appeared in 320 competitive games during his spell with his main club.^[2] He won back-to-back La Liga championships from 1958 to 1960, scoring his only goal as a professional on 14 February 1960 in an 8–0 home demolition of UD Las Palmas.^[3]

International career

Olivella earned 18 caps for the Spain national team in eight years. He made his debut on 31 March 1957, in a 5–0 friendly win against Belgium.^[1]

When the country won the 1964 European Nations' Cup, Olivella acted as captain. He was also selected for the 1966 FIFA World Cup held in England, being an unused squad member in an eventual group-stage exit.^[4]^[1]

Death

Olivella died on 14 May 2023, at the age of 86.^[5]

Honours

Barcelona

La Liga: 1958–59, 1959–60^[1]
Copa del Generalísimo: 1957, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1967–68^[1]
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1955–58, 1958–60, 1965–66^[1]
Small Club World Cup: 1957^[6]

Spain

UEFA European Championship: 1964^[1]

Spain U18

UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 1954

Individual

UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1964^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Galería de internacionales: Fernando Olivella Pons" [Internationals gallery: Fernando Olivella Pons]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 17 January 1989. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
^ G. Luque, Xavier (14 May 2023). "Ferran Olivella, un señor del balón" [Ferran Olivella, lord of the ball]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
^ "14 de febrero de 1960: Repóquer de Eulogio Martínez" [14 February 1960: Eulogio Martínez repóquer] (in Spanish). FC Barcelona. 14 February 2016. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
^ "España en las Copas Mundiales: planteles, entrenadores y resultados" [Spain at the World Cups: squads, managers and results] (in Spanish). FIFA. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ "Muere Ferran Olivella, exjugador del Barça" [Death of Ferran Olivella, former Barça player]. Sport (in Spanish). 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ Torre, Raúl; Lozano, Carles; García, Javier. "Pequeña Copa del Mundo 1957 (Caracas-Venezuela)". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ "1964 team of the tournament". UEFA. Retrieved 14 January 2023.

External links

Ferran Olivella at BDFutbol
FC Barcelona profile
Ferran Olivella at National-Football-Teams.com
Ferran Olivella – FIFA competition record (archived)
Ferran Olivella at EU-Football.info

[MD-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Galería de internacionales: Fernando Olivella Pons" [Internationals gallery: Fernando Olivella Pons]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 17 January 1989. Retrieved 22 May 2014.

[2] G. Luque, Xavier (14 May 2023). "Ferran Olivella, un señor del balón" [Ferran Olivella, lord of the ball]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 May 2023.

[3] "14 de febrero de 1960: Repóquer de Eulogio Martínez" [14 February 1960: Eulogio Martínez repóquer] (in Spanish). FC Barcelona. 14 February 2016. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.

[4] "España en las Copas Mundiales: planteles, entrenadores y resultados" [Spain at the World Cups: squads, managers and results] (in Spanish). FIFA. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[5] "Muere Ferran Olivella, exjugador del Barça" [Death of Ferran Olivella, former Barça player]. Sport (in Spanish). 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[6] Torre, Raúl; Lozano, Carles; García, Javier. "Pequeña Copa del Mundo 1957 (Caracas-Venezuela)". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[7] "1964 team of the tournament". UEFA. Retrieved 14 January 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]