La Masia super talent factory - best footballers that came out of the academy

In most cases, brilliance emerges from hard, well-structured work. That’s why world-class football teams invest not only in international stars but also in homegrown talent. Such is the case of Barcelona FC and its youth academy, La Masia, from which names like Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and many others came out.

Learn more about the magic behind Barcelona’s football school, its most illustrious graduates, and how it’s securing the solid production of future talents.

Betting on the Future

Football fans know that whenever the Blaugrana is on the grass, it’s never the underdog. Those who learn about sports betting by following the SmartBettingGuide have had many opportunities to exercise their knowledge by betting on Barcelona FC.

Last year, the club won 37 out of the 54 matches it played, which included competitions like the Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey. Indeed, Barça always has huge winning potential, regardless of the competition. Still, only the wisest fans know where to find the best odds guaranteed when the situation arises, and it does so quite often, in great measure thanks to its top-notch youth academy.

While La Masia has gained notoriety in the past few years, the youth football academy has existed since 1979. The name means “farmhouse” in Catalan, but it’s not very far from Camp Nou. Fast-forwarding to 2011, the academy moved to a new location, in the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, but the traditional name remained. Nowadays, it’s where rising stars like Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal live, only a few blocks away from where they train.

Since Xavi has become the manager, young players have had many chances to showcase their talent. According to a recent report published by the CIES Football Observatory, Barcelona has the highest proportion of under-20 players in its main squad, with about 15%. Xavi’s bet on the new generation is paying off. Cubarsi premiered in La Liga at 17, and Lamal was even younger, only 15. Despite their young age, both players were essential in crucial moments of the season.

Rising Back

Over the past decade, the Blaugrana had suffered from repeated corruption scandals, financial uncertainty, and mismanagement. Arguably, the Negreira Case, where Barcelona was found to have paid vast sums of money to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the CTA’s (Technical Committee of Referees) vice-president, caused the most damage to the club’s image.

It’s been a challenging period, and the club has little financial power to buy new top-flight players. In this context, La Masia is again saving Barcelona, fostering world-class talent at home. According to Aureli Altamira, who once directed the academy, Barça’s financial struggles are the main reason behind the club’s emphasis on La Masia, noting that the academy has also saved the Blaugrana in the past.

Last season, La Masia also provided Mark Guiu and Hector Fort, both under 18, apart from Cubarsi and Lamal. Many other young players might have a shot at the main squad this year, like Pau Prim, Guille Fernandez, and Marc Bernal, all under 18 players.

Top Graduates from La Masia

Barcelona’s youth academy is proud of crafting some of the finest footballers in history. Most of them were very young when they joined the academy, showing fantastic results in their first professional games. Here are some of the diamonds brilliantly polished by Barça’s academy.

Pep Guardiola

La Masia has huge importance in Pep Guardiola’s career, first as a young athlete and later as a manager. Guardiola trained there for six years until his first chance in the main squad in 1990 against Cadiz for the Winners’ Cup when he was 19. Replacing Ronald Koeman, who was then injured, Guardiola almost didn’t play at all, as the club wanted to buy a new player to replace him.

However, Johan Cruyff convinced the board to give young Guardiola a chance. Barça triumphed over Cadiz and nearly won the competition, but it was defeated by Manchester United in the final. Guardiola joined La Masia at 12 after being invited for a trial, even though he was only accepted after the third trial. Nearly two decades later, he took the academy’s leadership, which at that point already had the likes of Lionel Messi.

In 2009, when Guardiola was already Barça’s coach, five players from the main squad were formed at La Masia. The Tiki-Taka style emerged from the mix of graduates, which was also made famous by Spain’s national squad, which won the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history. In fact, many players from the national team came from Barcelona that year, as did Guardiola himself.

Lionel Messi

The fact that one of the best players in football history has come from La Masia says a lot about the academy. Messi was a 13-year-old boy with fragile health and a growth hormone deficiency, which was diagnosed in Argentina. Despite health issues, Messi impressed Barcelona’s observers with his performances at home.

The club proposed to the family that it could afford his medical treatment as long as he moved to Barcelona to train at La Masia. His parents ended up moving to Spain with him. Messi’s health conditions quickly improved, and he was also a quick learner, shaping his technical skills and game strategies. Over 18 seasons, Messi played in 778 matches (more than any other player with the Blaugrana jersey), scoring 672 goals.

Messi made it into the first team at 17 in 2004. He was the youngest player to join the main squad until then and struck a fantastic first impression. Ronaldinho would have said that “this kid” was bound to succeed him back then. The first goal came in the following year, and by 2006, Messi was the main player in important victories, like when Barça defeated Arsenal in the Champions League, turning him into a global star.

Unfortunately, Messi was among the most painful losses due to the club's financial mismanagement and corruption scandals. In 2021, the legend had to leave Barcelona, as the club simply could no longer afford to have him there anymore. Messi won six Ballon d’Ors, six Copas del Rey, and eight La Liga titles with the Blaugrana jersey.

Andrés Iniesta

Andrés Iniesta arrived at La Masia when he was 12, back in 1996. Nearly three decades later (most of which was spent in Barcelona), he hung up his boots as one of the most accomplished players in the club’s history. Iniesta’s trophy gallery includes three FIFA World Club Cups, four Champions Leagues, nine La Ligas, and 16 other titles.

Andrés Iniesta affirmed on several occasions that La Masia formed him as a person. In his autobiography “The Play of My Life,” Iniesta recalls the early years at the academy and how difficult it was to get away from his loved ones and adapt to a new and incredibly demanding routine.

Indeed, such pain seems to be a common trait of La Masia’s graduates, as many must leave their families and friends behind very early. Yet, Iniesta has no regrets: “The enrichment you get by coming here is unmatched.” Apart from a stellar club career, Iniesta was also part of the team that won Spain’s first-ever FIFA World Cup in 2010.

Xavi Hernandez

The midfielder Xavi Hernandez joined the famous academy at 11 in 1991 and debuted in the first team in 1998, where he remained a key figure for the next 17 seasons. Before retiring, Xavi also played four seasons for Al-Sadd in Qatar. Indeed, Xavi played 767 matches with the Blaugrana jersey, which makes him the second player with the most appearances with the club, only behind Messi.

The young midfielder started his career on the right foot, scoring in his first appearance against Mallorca for the Spanish Super Cup. Xavi made a name for himself with his impressive technique and sharp vision of the game, qualities he honed at La Masia, which were crucial on several occasions, both with Barcelona and the national team.

In 17 seasons, Xavi scored two FIFA World Club Cups, four Champions Leagues, two European Super Cups, and over a dozen national titles. Like Iniesta, he was part of the team that scored the first goal for Spain in the World Cup. Until last year, Xavi was also the team’s head coach, but Hansi Flick replaced him. In a recent interview, the former midfielder claimed to be “too emotional” as a head coach.        

Sergio Busquets

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Sergio Busquets brings the Blaugrana in his DNA, as his father was also a professional goalkeeper there. Sergio Busquets, who friends call “Busi,” entered the academy when he was 17, but getting his first shot at professional football didn't take much time. On September 13, 2008, the defensive midfielder made his shot count and played the next 15 seasons in the main squad.

Busi scored 18 goals during his career, which is a pretty good mark for a defensive midfielder. Like most of the best La Masia graduates, Sergio Busquets spent a long time in the club, making 722 appearances between 2008 and 2023. He was part of the team that won three FIFA World Club Cups and multiple European titles, including Iniesta, Xavi, and Messi. It’s easy to understand why Barcelona was winning everything and everyone then.

Victor Valdes

Victor Valdes, one of the finest goalkeepers of Spanish football, joined the academy in 1995, debuting seven years later. He was the club’s primary choice of goalkeeper from 2002 to 2014. During this period, he won the Zamora Trophy for being one of La Liga’s best goalkeepers five times, more than any other goalkeeper in the league, except for Antoni Ramallets, who also played at Barcelona.

Valdes conceded 442 goals in 534 official games. In the 2011/2012 season, Valdes closed the goal for 896 minutes, or about 10 games. He lifted the World Club Cup trophy twice, won three Champions Leagues, and won nearly 20 national titles, including La Liga, Spanish Supercup, and Copas del Rey. Valdes had an accurate understanding of the field and nerves of steel, noticeably in one-on-one situations.            

Carles Puyol

In a world where millionaire transfer dominates the market, it’s hard to find a one-club player, with few exceptions, like the center-half Carles Puyol. He joined the academy at 17 in 1995, and in 1999, he played his first professional match. Puyol retired at 36 in 2014 without ever playing for another club.

In 2004, Puyol became the squad’s captain under Frank Rijkaard, winning the Champions League in 2005 and successfully defending the club’s league title. He was around when Barça won the World Cup for the first two times, scored three Champions Leagues, and two European Supercups. Puyol scored 23 goals over 663 games, which is pretty impressive for a center half.