Understanding La Masia: The FC Barcelona Academy Producing 9 World Cup 2026 Finalists
Established in 1979, La Masia serves as the youth development system for FC Barcelona. Among the players competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final who trained at the academy are Argentina's Lionel Messi, along with Spain's Lamine Yamal, Gavi, Pau Cubarsi, Dani Olmo, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marc Cucurella, and Victor Munoz. The facility is also responsible for developing iconic stars such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, and Gerard Pique.