They say that experience is the key for any team to be successful. Indeed, according to Alan Hansen, a team can’t win anything with ‘kids’. As it turns out, though, they just might as the right blend of youth and experience is what helps to form a winning unit.
Indeed, if the youth players are never tested at all, how could they grow up to be stars? Joke’s on you, Mr. Hansen.
Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, is regarded as one of the best in the world because of its ability to produce world-class talents. Indeed, Barcelona’s best ever time was led by the youth academy products like Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets and others.
Such was the aura that their golden generation oozed that La Masia became a point of reference for the other clubs to follow. The current scenario of the club might say otherwise, but it is more to do with the club not being able to hold its best youth gems than the academy not producing any.
As we all know, La Masia has produced some of the finest players in the world that debuted for Barcelona in their teens and went on to become some of their most successful players ever. So here is a list of 5 players that succeeded at Barcelona after making their debuts as teenagers:
#5 Andres Iniesta
We begin our list with one of football’s greatest midfielders ever. Andres Iniesta is a prodigy of La Masia who went on to establish himself as Barcelona’s best attacking midfielder of the modern era.
The 33-year-old made his debut in 2002 aged 18 and hasn’t looked back ever since. He might not be the player that he once was, with reports suggesting that the Barca board would have sold him had it not been for new manager Ernesto Valverde’s obstruction, but he remains an icon of the club.
In his time with the Blaugrana, he has won eight La Ligas, five Copa Del Reys and four Champions Leagues coupled with two Euros and a World Cup for Spain, where he scored the winning goal in the final against Netherlands.
He began his Barcelona journey as a kid and he shall end it as a legend.
#4 Thiago Alcantara
In a way, he is the one that got away from the Camp Nou outfit. After progressing through the youth teams at the club, he made his debut at the age of 18 when he replaced Eidur Gudjohnsen in a league match against Mallorca.
After that, he went on to make appearances here and there, but became a regular member of the starting XI in the 2011-12 season. He was all set to replace the ageing Xavi, but newly-appointed Bayern manager, Pep Guardiola, the man who gave him his Barcelona debut, ruined it for his former club by bringing the Spanish midfielder to Allianz Arena.
However, one would be naïve to think that his Barcelona chapter ended then and there as he could yet make a move back to Camp Nou. Regardless of that, with four La Ligas and two Champion League under his name for Barcelona, it could be said that he had a successful career with the Catalans.
#3 Sergi Roberto
Sergi Roberto is the only one who could make it to the Barcelona starting XI as a regular among the likes of Christian Tello, Isaac Cuenca, Oriol Romeu and Rafinha Alcantara. A disappointing fact from a batch that were supposed to be the leaders of Barcelona’s next generation.
One of the key reasons why Sergi Roberto survived is due to his ability to adapt. The La Masia graduate’s versatility allows him to play almost anywhere. Naturally a central midfielder, he now plies his trade at right-back and has done an admirable job while doing so.
His ability to play in a variety of position makes him a very successful utility player for Barcelona. The 25-year-old made his debut for the club in 2010, aged only 18, and has won four La Liga titles and two Champions League medals ever since.
#2 Xavi Hernandez
What does it say about the legendary World Cup-winning midfielder that Barca, two years after his departure, are yet to find balance in midfield since the iconic number 8 left? Just one thing that we all knew: Xavi Hernandez is irreplaceable.
The genius of a midfielder made his Barcelona debut in 1998, aged 18, and went on to become their finest central midfielder ever. The influence he oozed over the team resulted into two treble-winning campaigns for the Catalans.
Indeed, it is no coincidence that his peak coincided with Spain winning back-to-back Euros with a World Cup sandwiched in between. It’s only in absence when someone’s true value is understood properly. Ever since his departure, things haven’t been the same at Camp Nou as Barcelona’s midfield without him looks like a body without a soul.
In his time at the Camp Nou, he was a key member in the teams that won eight La Ligas and four Champions League (except in Barca’s 1998-99 La Liga triumph as he managed only 26 appearances).
#1 Lionel Messi
What? What did you expect? Who else but the record goalscorer of Barcelona? Who else but the greatest player in the history of Barcelona? Who else but Lionel Messi?
The Argentina captain came to Barca as a 12-year old and made his debut in 2004 as a 17-year old kid. The moment he ran with the ball, people knew that it was the beginning of something special. 13 years down the line, ‘special’ is perhaps an understatement to describe Messi’s time with Barcelona.
While Xavi and Iniesta were essential cogs in Barcelona’s glory years, Messi was the one who was the difference between great and legendary. The list of his accomplishments in the red and blue of Barcelona dwarfs almost every other players’ with their respective clubs.
He has scored 507 goals in 583 appearances, has won the Ballon d’Or five times, along with eight La Liga and four Champions League titles, making him one of the most successful players of all time.
