La Masia

La Masia

        La Masia or Barcelona's youth academy located near the Camp Nou. It can holds more than 300 young players. Its has been praised since 2002 as one of the best in the world because of many factor like FC Barcelona recent success.


HISTORY


La Masia actually was an old country built in 1702, but it been purchase by FC Barcelona in 1954. The idea for the youth academy (La Masia) was proposed by Johan Cruyff to Nunez (Director). The team had been taught to play tiki-taka football derived from total football, this is the important component later in Barcelona's success.


In May 2007, Guardiola was appointed to be the coach of FC Barcelona B. By the end of the 2007-08 season, Barcelona B was promoted to the third tier, Segunda B, and, at the end of 2009-10, to the secong tier Segunda. 


Rory Smith reported in The Daily Telegraph that La Masia "has replaced the fabled Ajax Academy as football's foremost production line."

TRAINING TIME

The teams at Barcelona (Barcelona C, Barcelona B, FC Barcelona) play from August to May.  The mild weather at La Masia allows players to train outdoors throughout the year. Just like any other club, the youth teams train after school while Barcelona B and C as professional teams train in the morning and evening. All of the trainers at FC Barcelona including the couch are former professional footballer.

Josep Guardiola

PHILOSOPHY OF PLAY


The player who has passed through La Masia has something different to the rest, it's a plus that only comes from having competed in a Barcelona shirt from the time you were a child."

— Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola

La Masia consist of the application of tiki-taka football and total football. Former technical director, Pep Segura, attributes the club's success to its "philosophy of play". "It is about creating one philosophy, one mentality, from the bottom of the club to the top". This can bring the continuity of FC Barcelona's success in the future.


ACHIEVEMENT

• Lionel Messi is the first player from la masia to be awarded with the Ballon d'Or prize and the FIFA World Player award.
• On 6 December 2010, top 3 finalist for the FIFA Ballon D'Or are Lionel messi, Xavi Hernandez, and Andres Iniesta  . This is the first time that one youth academy has produced final three players.

Source:  Wikipedia