La Masia Academy Success

Lore & Background

In 2010, La Masia became the first youth academy to have trained all three finalists for the Ballon d'Or in a single year: Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi. On 25 November 2012, for the first time, Barcelona fielded all eleven players that have come up through La Masia in a La Liga match.

In Their Own Story

The training grounds at Sant Joan Despí are defined by sound before sight: the rhythmic thud of leather against foot during rondo drills. Here, space is compressed, forcing quick decisions that become second nature by age twelve. This muscle memory persists long after graduation. The rain might wash away the mud from training, but the positional understanding remains etched into their play.

Reader's Guide

La Masia is one of the most expensive academies in Europe to run, operating at a cost to the club of €15 million a year as of 2013. The minimum age requirement is six years old; each year, more than 1,000 boys from the ages of six to eight try out for admission. The best 200 are selected. The club employs 15 scouts in Catalonia, 15 in the rest of Spain and 10 scattered throughout the world. Barcelona B and the 12 other youth teams contained 24 coaches and more than 300 players.

Did You Know?

• In 2010, La Masia became the first youth academy to have trained all three finalists for the Ballon d'Or in a single year: Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi.
• On 25 November 2012, for the first time, Barcelona fielded all eleven players that have come up through La Masia in a La Liga match.