La Masia, FC Barcelona’s iconic youth academy, has produced some of football’s most legendary players and set the standard for talent development worldwide. Producing technically brilliant midfielders and unbelievable attackers. Here, we dive into the top 10 players who rose from Barcelona’s famed academy to rule the football world.
Lionel Messi
Undoubtedly the greatest talent to emerge from Barcelona's youth academy and arguably the best to ever represent the club, Messi joined the La Liga giants in 2001 from Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys, where he had trained since he was six.
Recognizing his extraordinary potential, Barcelona committed to covering his medical treatment after he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. At 16 years, four months, and 23 days old, Messi made his first-team debut on 16 November 2003, entering the field in the 75th minute of a friendly match against José Mourinho's Porto.
His performance, which included creating two scoring opportunities and a shot on target, impressed the technical staff. Following this, he started training daily with Barcelona’s reserve team, Barcelona B and joined the first team for weekly sessions.
From 2008 to 2021, Messi achieved unprecedented success at Barcelona. He led the club to numerous titles, including 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copa del Rey titles, and 4 UEFA Champions League trophies.
His influence on the field was transformative, as he could play across various attacking positions, adapt to different tactical setups, and still deliver fantastic performances. Messi’s goal-scoring record during this time was astonishing; he became Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing legendary figures like César Rodríguez.
One of his most memorable achievements was scoring 91 goals in the 2012 calendar year, breaking the previous record set by Gerd Müller. Messi became the captain of Barcelona in 2018 and remained so till 2021.
Over his 18-year career with Barcelona’s senior team, he made 768 appearances the most in the club's history became their top goal scorer, and earned 7 Ballon d'Or awards.
Xavi Hernandez
Xavi celebrated as the greatest playmaker of his generation and a symbol of Barcelona’s tiki-taka passing style, joined La Masia at age 10. While initially inspired by Barcelona playmaker Pep Guardiola, he also grew up watching English football. Xavi made his La Liga debut on 3 October 1998 in Barcelona’s 3–1 victory over Valencia.
Starting with a mix of reserve and senior team appearances, his consistent performance soon earned him a spot as a key player in Louis van Gaal’s title-winning squad, ending his debut season with 26 appearances and the 1999 La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year award.
Xavi assumed the role of Barcelona’s primary playmaker after Guardiola was injured in the 1999–2000 season. He was appointed vice-captain of Barcelona in the 2004–05 season, during which he played a crucial role in helping the team secure both La Liga and the 2004 Supercopa de España titles.
His influence on the field continued to grow, and by the 2008–09 season, Xavi was a central figure in Barcelona’s Champions League success. His exceptional playmaking in the 2009 Champions League Final, where Barcelona defeated Manchester United 2–0, earned him the title of "UEFA Champions League Best Midfielder" for his contributions.
Xavi’s influence extended to La Liga, where he was the top assist provider with 20 assists during the season. His excellence placed him among the top three contenders for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or, where he ultimately finished third, trailing only his Barcelona teammates, Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta.
After club captain Carles Puyol retired, Xavi was appointed as Barcelona's new captain, cementing his legacy within the team. On April 25, 2015, Xavi achieved a historic milestone by making his 500th La Liga appearance, becoming the eighth player in history to reach this number.
His illustrious Barcelona career concluded on June 6, 2015, during the Champions League Final against Juventus, where he entered as a substitute for Andrés Iniesta in the 78th minute. This marked his 767th and final appearance for the club, as Barcelona went on to secure their fifth European Cup.
After coaching in the Middle East, Xavi returned to the Nou Camp in November 2021 as Barcelona’s manager. In his stint as Manager, he helped the club to win the 2022/2023 La Liga title joining the League of Players to win a league title as a player and a coach.
Read Also| Latest FIFA Rankings announced: Argentina remains on top, India climbs up to 125th
Andres Iniesta