John Carlinson of a Scottish father and Spanish mother, he is a journalist of British origin whose professional career has been very focused on sport. In addition, he is the writer of ‘Playing The Enemy’ (‘The human factor’), the famous book that tells the story of How Nelson Mandela used rugby, a sport that divided South Africa during apartheid, to unite the whole country. Such was the impact of this literary work that the film ‘Invictus’ He was inspired by her for the main plot.
On the other hand, Carlin, who also has Spanish nationality and speaks very fluently the official language of the state, offered an interview for ‘Col·lapse’ (‘Collapse’), a TV3 program broadcast every Saturday night. This is a show that combines interviews, humor, live music and performances, all with the intention that every Saturday you live “As if it were the last night before the end of the world arrives”.
“Barcelona is the link where the quality of life is better”
Throughout the participation of this journalist and writer in the program, he commented the cities in which he has lived throughout his lifeand has signed up for a specific one that is just in Spain. During his statements, which were made in 2024, he said that for only one year he lived in “Nine or ten cities of the world”. However, he has not been able to sayWhich of all is your favorite.
“Barcelona is, with much difference, the place that I like the most, where I feel more comfortable and where the quality of life is better”he says. As you know different destinations, compare the city with several cities around the world. Examples like Washington, London, Johannesburg, Managua, Buenos Aires or Mexicobut none of them surpasses the Spanish territory mentioned above.
“I irritated me when people from Barcelona say that Madrid is better”
One of the things that most irritates Carlin is to meet Catalans who They assure that Madrid is much better. “I irritated me when people from Barcelona, which is quite common lately, says that Madrid is much better and I don’t know what. And I say: What are you saying?”he exposes. The truth is that there may be times in which the streaks are better or worse, in which, for example “Madrid’s economy is more vibrant”.
However, this does not mean that the Spanish capital has to be superior to Catalan. “Objectively, Barcelona is obviously a much higher city”he declares at the same time that he offers another explanation with the world of football so that much of the audience understands well the message he wants to move. “Barcelona, as a world city, will always play in Champions (maximum competition of European clubs) and Madrid is always going to play in the Europa League (Second most important competition in Europe) “sentence.
“There is no city that remains close to Barcelona”
Returning to Barcelona as a world city, John Carlin explains that all Spaniards must be “More proud than we have here. It is a world class city”. In fact, he points out that he is considered “all over the world as the great city of the Mediterranean “. This is something that leaves him, practically speechless, since this is the sea that has “The tremendous story, the cradle of so much of humanity”. Finally, he concludes his speech reflecting that it is impossible for no city to overcome it: “And Barcelona … is that there is no city that is close”.