They are getting closer.

Closer to Manchester United in rivaling them as Pakistan’s most supported club.

Almost a decade ago, most of their current supporters hadn’t even heard their name. That was before Ronaldinho arrived in Catalonia.

Their worldwide fan-base rose and Pakistan wasn’t to be left behind.

Now, Barcelona’s following is increasing exponentially in Pakistan and if they continue on this trend, they might as well leave United behind.

At least, that is what social media statistics show.

As football evolves into becoming the country’s second-most followed sport in Pakistan, the younger generation is falling in love with the Catalans’ playing style just like United stole the hearts of another generation of Pakistanis at the turn of the millennium.

Cable television had by then become a part of the country’s culture and with a lot of other things, it also brought with it unparalleled coverage of international sport.

Before that, the state-run Pakistan Television used to include some English Premier League (EPL) news in its bulletins from time to time. But cable TV brought live coverage of the EPL.

And if there was a team which was at the top of its game at that time, it was United — with its poster-boy David Beckham.

In 1999, the Red Devils had just won the treble — the EPL, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League and while the Champions League by then hadn’t become a part of Pakistan’s table-talk, EPL had.

In a country where winners are feted, it was only natural that United were going to be the ultimate benefactors. They gained a wide number of glory fans in Pakistan. Fans, who after some time, became ‘proper’ fans.

With Arsenal becoming United’s closest rivals, pipping them to a few titles in between, they also gained a large number of fans in Pakistan. And a year into the millennium, the country had two major sets of football fans—United and Arsenal fans with a smattering of Liverpool fans in between.

Liverpool had also won a treble in 2001 — only that they had won the FA Cup, League Cup and the UEFA Cup. But they didn’t come close to United in terms of fan following in Pakistan because they didn’t win the EPL and secondly, UEFA competitions weren’t followed by many football fans here back then.

But all that changed after the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

The World Cup in Korea and Japan attracted a lot of audience in Pakistan and it set the tone for what was to follow in the next decade.

The star of the tournament was Brazilian legend Ronaldo.

And when he moved to Real Madrid following the showpiece event, it generated a flickering interest for La Liga in Pakistan.

That Real side was truly a Galaxy of Stars — Los Galacticos, as they were known in Spain — with the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Raul and Roberto Carlos.

Back then, Real were the big boys in Spain as Barca were struggling, both financially and structurally.

The earliest group of Barca supporters in Pakistan goes back to that time.

“I initially found out about Barcelona when I was searching for the clubs Ronaldo played in,” says Absar Taqvi, an ardent supporter of the Catalan club since 2004.

Barca’s fortunes changed after they signed Ronaldo’s Brazil team-mate Ronaldinho in 2003, the same summer in which Beckham moved to Real.

And while Beckham’s move drew many fans in Pakistan towards Real, those supporters had little idea that Barca were going to reclaim their stature in Spain and the world.

Ronaldinho and then-Barcelona coach Frank Riijkaard turned things around very quickly.

European football, and the UEFA Champions League, became the table-talk for many football fans in the country. Liverpool’s victory in the 2005 Champions League final served to increase the interest in Pakistan for Europe’s premier club competition. A year later, Barca were crowned European champions to the dismay of a large Arsenal fans in the country.

“The arrival of Ronaldinho started my love affair with the club,” says Absar.

“He really transformed Barca into a European powerhouse.”

Still, at that time, the Catalans were nowhere near to the support enjoyed by EPL clubs United, Arsenal, Liverpool and increasingly-competitive Chelsea — who had won back to back Premier League titles — in Pakistan.

United reaffirmed their status as Pakistan’s most-followed team following their Champions League triumph in 2008 which attracted more football-loving Pakistanis towards them.

Barca, though, kept that in check when they beat the Red Devils in the Champions League final a year later.

It surely was the turning point.

“In 2009, when I saw them playing in the final, I realized that they are the best team in the world,” says Syed Kashif Ali, a CA student and another one of the countless Barca fans in the country.

“My support for them hasn’t wavered since.”

With another generation of Pakistani football fans coming through and football starting to rival cricket as the country’s staple sport in terms of television viewership, Barca became the heartbeat of many Pakistanis.

From 15-year-old Mohammad Nabi, who works in his brother’s shop in Karachi’s flea market of Lighthouse, to Fatima Niazi, a journalism student in one of Pakistan’s top universities, all share profound love for Barcelona.

“I started watching football four years ago and I didn’t support any team in particular,” says Fatima.

“But then I saw an ‘El Clasico’ which Real won but it was Barca who inspired me and since then I have been supporting them.”

Others Barca fans agree.

“I have been supporting Barcelona for the last four years,” says Rushan Riaz, an ACCA student.

“Their game-play fascinates me the most.”

Their game-play surely does.

If Ronaldinho and Riijkaard set the tone for their tiki-taka style, their respective successors, a certain Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola, perfected it.

Messi became the star of the Barca team since Ronaldinho departed in 2008 and a catalyst of their success that has followed in the coming years, including another Champions League victory in 2011 after beating United again in the final. And for most Barca fans, he is their idol.

“He is the best player in the world,” says Rooshan Jawaid, and 11-year-old grade six student while trying to replicate one of Messi’s tricks at a playground in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

“He strikes fear into the heart of the other teams because of his tricks and dribbling ability.”

That he surely does.

Paris St Germain succumbed to exactly that in the Champions League quarter-final earlier this month when a half-fit Messi inspired Barcelona to put them out of the competition.

According to Absar, that is a worrying sign.

“Our dependency on him worries me and that needs to be mended as we reach the crunch stage of the competition,” he says.

For others like Nabi, it doesn’t really matter as long as they are winning.

Despite Barca’s 2-0 loss to AC Milan in their first-leg knockout round match, Nabi was confident that his favourite club would turn it around.

That they did.

“Barca never let us down the way Pakistan cricket team does,” says Nabi.

“They reward us for their support by providing us moments of sheer ecstasy.”

Such has been the extent of their popularity here that the teams in the country’s top division, the Pakistan Premier League want to play their brand of football.

Champions Khan Research Laboratories are feted as the ‘Barcelona of Pakistan.”

Even KRL and PPFL’s top marksman, Kaleemullah, dreams of emulating Messi.

On Tuesday, Barca face Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final. And while they have shown their defects of late, Pakistan’s Barca fans are optimistic they will overcome their latest hurdle.

“We’ll beat them for sure,” says Rushan.

“The stage is set for us to go all the way and win the final.”

With United already out of the competition, a third Champions League title in six years would certainly help them close the gap on the Red Devils and move closer to become Pakistan’s favourite club side.

What is for sure though is that Pakistan’s next generation doesn’t want to bend it like Beckham, instead, they want to be as masterful as Messi.