“Without our intervention, FC Andorra probably wouldn’t exist today”

“If we hadn’t intervened, FC Andorra probably wouldn’t exist today.” The remark captures the significance of the intervention in the club’s history, as it celebrates 84 years this Thursday. Founded in 1942, Andorra has experienced hopeful periods and sporting success, but also times when its continued existence was under threat.

Jesús Julián Lucendo looks back on the team’s journey and the changes it has undergone. He arrived in Andorra in 1991 intending to stay for one season, but ultimately made it his home. He had also attracted attention by making his first-team debut for Johan Cruyff’s FC Barcelona in 1989. Later, he played a part in one of the club’s landmark achievements: the 1994 Copa Catalunya. Years afterwards, alongside Justo Ruiz, he helped prevent Andorra from disappearing.

Now that the team is back in the second division, Lucendo reflects on an institution closely bound up with his own life. He has known the club as a player, from the bench and now as a spectator. Andorra holds a central place in his life: he lives in the country, where his family is, and says his whole life is connected to it.

His perspective on the club also leads to a broader reflection on how football has changed. Lucendo says the way clubs are run has transformed considerably. Today, he describes a professional organisation in which responsibilities are clearly allocated. Football as a whole, he says, has also changed greatly.

The 1994 Copa Catalunya remains a defining memory in that story. Andorra eliminated Cruyff’s Barça before beating Espanyol in the final on penalties. Lucendo calls the achievement an important milestone: it was the first Copa Catalunya, in a competition that already included professional teams such as Barça and Espanyol. He recalls the pride and honour his team felt at winning the trophy.

The victory was not followed by a special public celebration. Asked about a possible parade or tribute, Lucendo says there was none. He suggests that a town-hall reception or parade might have been organised elsewhere, but not in Andorra. He also recalls his relationship with Cruyff: their professional relationship, he says, was good from the start and remained so.

From that historic triumph to the difficulties that once put its survival at risk, Andorra’s story informs Lucendo’s account. The club marks its 84th year as its former player reflects, from the country to which he is attached, on what it means to him.