Ed Sheeran and Barcelona team up in unexpected El Clásico crossover

Vishal Bhawani

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Ed Sheeran and Barcelona team up in unexpected El Clásico crossover image

Barcelona have done it again — another pop star on their shirt, another global buzz before El Clásico.

This time, it’s none other than Ed Sheeran joining forces with the Catalan giants in a collaboration that has fans saying, “Shape of Clásico.”

The club announced that their players will wear a special-edition kit featuring Sheeran’s new album “Play” during their clash against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on October 26.

The collaboration is part of Barca’s ongoing deal with Spotify, which has already brought music icons like Drake, Rosalía, and The Rolling Stones to the front of their famous red-and-blue shirt.

A week before the main event, Barcelona’s women’s team will debut the jersey in their Liga F match against Granada on October 19.

Only 1,899 limited-edition jerseys — a nod to the club’s founding year — will be available for fans to grab. So, if you want one, better queue faster than a counterattack led by Lamine Yamal.

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What Ed Sheeran about the new Barcelona jersey

The English singer was visibly thrilled about the partnership. “Seeing my new album ‘Play’ on the Barca shirt is something I’m proud of,” Sheeran said.

“I’m a big fan of football and Barcelona. I love that we get to merge the worlds of music and football in such a fun way.”

Sheeran’s no stranger to football crossovers — he’s a lifelong Ipswich Town fan, even sponsoring their shirts for several years.

But this is on a completely different stage. From Portman Road to the Bernabeu, that’s quite the leap.

Inside the Barca dressing room, the announcement struck the right chord — literally. “Ed’s songs have been part of our dressing-room playlist for a long time,” said striker Robert Lewandowski.

“Seeing his new album on our shirts feels really special. Music and football both bring fans together in powerful ways.”

The collaboration comes just before a blockbuster clash between Spain’s two biggest clubs. Real Madrid lead the table by two points, while Barcelona are chasing hard — and now doing it in Sheeran style.

So, when Barca walk out at the Bernabeu, expect the world to hum along. This time, football meets melody — and the rhythm of rivalry might just play louder than ever.

Barcelona news and related links

Vishal Bhawani

Vishal Bhawani is a sub-editor for the Affiliate Content team and a writer and sub-editor for the Football Wires team at The Sporting News. Based in Indore, India, he holds a Diploma in Operations and Management from Maharashtra University.

Before joining TSN in May 2024, Vishal contributed to Football Express and Six Sports and ran his own blog, Anfield Home, as a passionate Liverpool fan. An avid traveler, he follows multiple sports, including cricket, soccer, and tennis.