I honestly stumbled into becoming a Barça supporter. In 2006 I was on vacation in Barcelona and bought the away kit as a souvenir. Every time I put on that shirt after I returned home people I didn’t know we're coming up to me and wanted to talk about the team. From then I started following the Club and tried to learn more about fútbol; it snowballed. Now I am an over-the-top passionate supporter, a Barça soci, and president of the Washington DC penya.

Having been born and raised in Barcelona, Barça pretty much runs through my veins! I have enjoyed seeing many of the club’s icons play in person, but Carles Rexach is an all-time favorite. A member of our penya since its inception, it’s an honor and a privilege to serve on our penya’s board. I love being part of the culé family through our penya and I welcome each and every one of you to the family. Benviguts! Welcome! ¡Bienvenidos!

Having caught a couple of cruises out of Barcelona and discovering what a great city it is, and after Mark Roth became interested in FCB and the Penya, he asked me several times if I'd like to go to the Penya to watch a game.  I eventually decided to go.  Seeing the members, the excitement at the games, the camaraderie, and the talented players, I became a member myself and have been since 2013.

Growing up playing football, I have always been a fan of the beautiful game. In my early 20’s, I started following European leagues closer, and found myself as attracted to Barca’s culture and history as their style of play. I quickly fell in love with the team, and I fell hard. One visit to the DC Penya in 2013 was it all it took for my brother and I to find this same spirit and sense of community. I have been a proud member since!

As a first generation Brazilian-American my attraction to Barça was automatic. Simply because Barça always had the greatest Brazilian players. From Romario to Belletti, from o fenômeno to Ronaldinho to Dani. But for me, my all time favorite player is Rivaldo. Watching him play always brought a smile to my face.

While some childhood teams may come and go, my love for FC Barcelona is constant. And discovering the Penya DC has completely brought me even closer to the club. Who knew that was possible? I consider it both an honor and a privilege to be a proud member of the Penya DC family. Força Barça!

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, I became a Barça fan during the times of Ronaldo – the real one. The "fenómeno" left but my allegiance to the club remained. My passion for the team grew much larger once I came to the US for college, even during times where we were not always a winning team. I now feel privileged to share this passion with a family of fellow passionate Barça supporters in DC.  Thanks Penya DC!  Visca el Barça!

Visiting my extended family in Mexico every summer with all my cousins wearing the green El Tri jerseys, I naturally became a fan of the Mexican national soccer team. When Rafael Márquez joined Barcelona in 2003, despite not knowing anything about the team, I decided to support it out of loyalty for him. However, I quickly fell in love with a team that included Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho and soon enough Messi. Through the highs and lows, my love for FC Barcelona has grown so unsurprisingly, the first match I attended at Elephant & Castle back in 2017, I immediately felt like I was home despite living in Philly at the time. I love the sense of camaraderie and passion felt during the matches and I feel incredibly privileged to be part of this wonderful DC Penya family. Força Barça! 

As a kid playing soccer myself, I stumbled across a 1973 Barcelona game against Atletico Madrid and guy named Johan Cruyff. I couldn’t believe the goal he scored, and I spent a year trying to emulate it…without success! My passion only grew from there. Now I have the privilege to cheer on the team with my DC Penya family and I love every minute! It’s an honor to serve on the board surrounded by our amazing members. Força Barça!