Barcelona’s La Masia academy is widely considered the best youth academy in world football. The club from Catalonia has a long history of developing young talent, relying on this pipeline to strengthen their first team.
Even during the tenure of their former coach, Xavi, several players have emerged from the academy to make their mark on the first team.
Notable examples include Fermin Lopez, Pau Cuabarsi, and Lamine Yamal. These players have successfully transitioned from the academy to the senior squad, showcasing the high level of talent and training provided at La Masia.
Interestingly, Transfermarket recently published a report in which it has highlighted the value of Under-21 players at various clubs around the world.
In this assessment, Barcelona come out on top, boasting the highest-rated young players compared to other top clubs such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich.
This evaluation isn’t just about the number of young players at these clubs but focuses on the total market value of their Under-21 talent.
Barcelona’s 14 Under-21 players are collectively valued at €444 million. Leading the pack are Lamine Yamal and Gavi, each valued at €90 million.
Other highly valued players include Pedri (€80 million), Alejandro Balde (€40 million), and Cubarsi, Fermin, and Vitor Roque, each at €30 million.
Aside from Pedri and Roque, the significant aspect here is that most of these players were trained at La Masia, emphasising the academy’s role in nurturing top talent.