^The Barcelona-based club had formerly been known as Reial Club Deportivo Espanyol, with the Catalan spelling reflecting its Catalonian roots.[1] However, after the Spanish Civil War, they were forced to change their name to RCD Español (the Spanish spelling), due to Francisco Franco–– a Spanish nationalist–– ordering the abolishment of the Catalan language in Spain. This spelling of the team's name would last until 1995, when the club reverted to the original Catalan spelling;[2] today the club is once again named RCD Espanyol.