Eight La Masia players feature in the list of 25 most valuable Spanish footballers

Barcelona’s La Masia academy stands as a testament to football excellence, having produced some of the best players in modern football.

From luminaries like Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, and Sergio Busquets, to the current crop of new-generation talents such as Gavi, Ansu Fati, Lamine Yamal, and Pau Cubarsi, among others, La Masia has always provided for Barça.

Such is the influence and impact of La Masia that according to the latest market value update on Transfermarkt, eight of the 25 most valuable Spanish footballers have come through the Barcelona youth academy.

Indeed, the list is headed by none other than Lamine Yamal himself, who boasts a market value of €150 million – the highest in the Barça squad and the highest value of any Spanish footballer. All of it at the age of just 17.

Following Yamal is midfield sensation Gavi, who sits third on the list with a market value of €90 million. Seen as the future captain, the 20-year-old has been at La Masia since the age of 11 and characterises what the club is all about.

Dani Olmo may have become a Barcelona first-team player only this past summer, having signed from RB Leipzig, but the attacking midfielder spent a good part of his youth career at La Masia before leaving in 2014.

With €60 million market value, the Spanish international occupies the sixth spot on the list.

Meanwhile, Fermin Lopez slots in at tenth on the list of the top 25 most valued Spanish footballers with a market value of €50 million. Having been at the club since 2016 (aged 13), he has become a bonafide first-team star since last season.

The one that got away – Alejandro Grimaldo is next in 11th position with €45 million market value. One of the best left-backs in the world currently, Grimaldo joined La Masia in 2008 at the age of 12 and made rapid strides through the ranks only to leave for Benfica in 2016.

Moving from one left-back to another, Alejandro Balde, valued at €40 million, sits 18th on the list. A La Masia trainee since eight years old, at 21 he is now the first-choice left-back for the Blaugrana.

Pau Cubarsi features in the 19th position, with the same market value as Balde, i.e., €40 million. Having joined the famed academy in 2018 aged 11, he made his senior breakthrough earlier this year and is now a permanent fixture in defence.

Rounding off the list is Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella, who is 25th on the list with a market value of €30 million. He joined Barça at the age of 14 (2012) and made his debut with the Barça first team in the 2017-2018 season before moving on in search of game-time.