By David Gold
October 21 – European champions Barcelona have unveiled their “New Masia” academy as they look to find future stars of the game to follow the path trodden by Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
The new Masia complex cost €11 million (£9.5 million/$15 million) to construct and sits adjacent to the first team’s training centre.
Barcelona’s famed youth academy is the world’s best and is responsible for producing much of the current side, widely recognised as one of the greatest teams of all time, as well as providing the majority of the dominant Spanish national team, which currently holds the world and European titles.
Among its graduates are Argentine star Messi, who arrived at La Masia at the age of 13, as well as Pamplona-born midfielder Iniesta and legendary midfielder Xavi, and the trio last year finished first, second and third respectively in the World Player of the Year Awards.
Gerard Pique, Cesc Fàbregas, Carles Puyol, Victor Valdes, Sergio Busquets and Pedro are all pivotal members of the Barcelona team who also came through La Masia.
Prior to Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Czech champions Victoria Plzen in this week’s Champions League clash, Messi said: “I ate there every day and spent many hours there so I have a lot of memories.
“It helped a lot in my adaptation and now that I have seen the new building it seems impressive and spectacular.”
Iniesta (pictured), who scored Spain’s winning goal in the World Cup final last year, added his praise of the new centre on the club website: “It’s a world recognised centre and I’m thrilled to be here for the opening.
“The secret is doing things in the right way from the very start and they try to improve you as a player and as a person too.
“They [the students] have to be aware of what they have – to value going to school and being able to train every day – because the time goes by really quickly.
“It’s hard to leave your family and so you have to appreciate what you have here – I’d tell them to enjoy themselves.”
The original La Masia was a concept originally suggested by the legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff, who played for Barcelona after leaving the hugely successful Ajax team of the 1970s.
He also managed the Catalans in the 1990s, and created a training complex, which taught players the relentless passing and movement skills – the hallmark of the current Barcelona team.
Current manager Pep Guardiola was one of the first graduates of the academy in the 1990s, and since its creation, the club have won the European Cup on four occasions.
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