Barcelona’s La Masia Academy is considered one of the best football training schools in the world.
While the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta have grown up through the Catalan club’s academy and later become legends at Barca, there are plenty of people who have had to move elsewhere but still make it. respectable career. Here are famous names you may not know Barca trained.
Andre Onana
The road between Barcelona and Ajax is very open, but it is usually a one-way street from the Netherlands to Catalonia. Onana did the opposite, moving to the Amsterdam club in 2015 after five years with the Barcelona youth team. He helped Ajax win five major trophies, reach a Europa League final and a Champions League semi-final.
Onana signed with Inter on a free transfer last year and established himself as one of the best stoppers in the world right now, helping them reach the Champions League final in 2023. Manchester United are particularly interested.
Manu Trigueros
A legend at Villarreal, where he played more than 400 games, Trigueros spent a single season with the Barcelona Under-18s. He has established himself as one of the most reliable midfielders in La Liga and has even been linked with a return to Barca in 2021.
Mikel Arteta
Current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spent five years at La Masia, playing for Barca C and Barca B, but never played for the first team. He moved to PSG, before going to England with Rangers, Everton and Arsenal. Now, Arteta is using his experience to help Arsenal develop outstanding young talent.
Pepe Reina
Reina has played 30 games for Barca, the most by far of anyone on this list.
Mauro Icardi
Before moving to PSG, Icardi was one of the most dangerous strikers in Serie A, scoring 124 goals in 219 games for Inter. However, he was at Barca for three years after moving from his hometown of Rosario in Argentina to Catalan as a teenager.
Alex Grimaldo
A favorite in the transfer rumours, Grimaldo has developed into an accomplished attacking left-back at Benfica, winning three Primera Liga titles and three national cups. But he did not grow up in the famous Benfica academy. Grimaldo is from La Masia, spending 8 seasons with the club, 4 seasons in the youth team and 4 seasons playing for Barca B in Spain’s lower divisions.
Hector Bellerin
He is often remembered in Arsenal colors , Real Betis but actually started his career at Barca. Bellerin returned to Barca in his professional career but left quite quickly.
Marc Cucurella
Cucurella spent eight years at Barca, playing for the youth teams and Barca B, making just one appearance for the first team as a substitute for Lucas Digne in the Copa del Rey. He then excelled in the Premier League with Brighton, though things are not going well at Chelsea .
Alex Moreno
Moreno is another player who spent a single season at La Masia and built a solid career in Spanish football. Now 30, he helped Real Betis win the 2021/2022 Copa del Rey before signing for Aston Villa in early 2023.