Master's thesis "Franco years in Spain through El Clásico: FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid" explores the football rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona teams during the franquismo. The theme of Real Madrid, understood as a team supported and promoted by the Spanish regime is prevailing throughout the paper. Another part describes deep cultural symbolism of FC Barcelona in Catalonian region. The last part unites those two subjects by explaining how their rivalry or El Clásico games, were more than just a match of football. Emotional attachments, political manifestations and historical differences always prevailed throughout their matches.

Cette thèse analyse la fonction politique et identitaire du football en Espagne pendant le franquisme et la transition démocratique, en se focalisant particulièrement sur deux clubs : le Real Madrid et le FC Barcelone. L’un est considéré comme le meilleur ambassadeur de l’Espagne à l’étranger. L’autre, un instrument pour la mobilisation de l’opposition démocratique, et surtout un refuge pour les revendications de types identitaires à cette époque. Réaliser une étude sur le football peut sembler a priori ne pas s’inscrire dans une démarche scientifique. Pourtant, au-delà du sport et du divertissement, le football est un fait social, dont l’analyse est essentielle à la compréhension des sociétés contemporaines. Il mérite de ce fait une attention particulière, notamment lorsque l’on s’intéresse à l’histoire de l’Espagne, laquelle est extrêmement révélatrice des enjeux socioculturels et politiques que revêt le football dans ce pays / This thesis analyzes the political and social function of football in Francoist Spain and during the democratic transition, focusing particularly on two clubs: Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. One is considered the best ambassador of Spain abroad. And the other is an instrument for the mobilization of the democratic opposition, and above all a hub for ethno-social identity related claims at that time. A study about football may at first seem to not to belong within the scientific approach. Yet, beyond sport and entertainment, football is a social phenomenon, the analysis of which is essential to the understanding of contemporary societies. It deserves attention, especially when one is interested in the history of Spain, which is extremely revealing of the socio-cultural and political stakes that football has in this country