YOUTH
La Masia fuels Barcelona’s revival on and off the pitch
Barcelona’s resurgence is anchored in La Masia, the club’s academy, which now supplies the majority of Spain’s World Cup squad and underpins a financial jump to €974.8 million in the 2024‑25 season, second only to Real Madrid. The academy’s eight representatives, including Lamine Yamal and Pedri, illustrate how homegrown talent replaces costly transfers.
Sports finance specialist Pedro Weber says producing elite players internally is one of the most efficient investments, generating significant financial returns while strengthening the first team. He notes that Barcelona’s model reduces reliance on expensive transfers and boosts the club’s overall value.
Eight Barcelona players feature in Spain’s World Cup squad, with six—Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Pau Cubarsí, Dani Olmo and Eric García—graduated from La Masia. Goalkeeper Joan García and forward Ferran Torres are the only squad members not developed at the academy.
Sports marketing expert Fabio Wolff believes this success extends far beyond performances on the pitch. He argues that academy graduates excelling on football’s biggest stage strengthen Barcelona’s brand, attract commercial partners, increase fan engagement and raise the value of the club’s sporting assets.
According to the Deloitte Football Money League 2026, Barcelona generated €974.8 million in revenue during the 2024‑25 season, up from €760.3 million the previous year, placing the club second among the world’s highest‑earning teams. Only Real Madrid recorded higher income, bringing Barcelona close to the symbolic €1 billion mark.
The recovery is notable after the financial strain following Lionel Messi’s 2021 departure, when the club relied on various mechanisms to stabilise its accounts. Today, reduced dependence on the transfer market reflects a strategic shift.
Former Bahia president and Squadra Sports CEO Guilherme Bellintani says that clubs consistently producing elite players strengthen their sporting identity, create new revenue opportunities and lessen the need for costly signings. He cites Barcelona’s eight World Cup representatives as proof that sustained youth investment yields both sporting success and financial returns.
Images by Justin Setterfield and Angel Martinez illustrate the academy’s impact on the field and the club’s financial documents. Their photographs capture both the players in action and the revenue charts that underline Barcelona’s resurgence.