Ansu Fati
Every time the name FC Barcelona comes up, you always hear ‘La Masia’ get a tiny mention or reference as well.
‘La Masia’ (the farmhouse) in English is a term used for FC Barcelona’s youth academy, built in 1702, it was first used by the club to house young footballers.
Children from all over the world, Africa, South America, Europe and from Catalonia as well, would leave their homes and families to stay at the academy. All with the same dream, to play for the first team.
The academy started gaining publicity due to the success of their home grown talent, players who would make their way into the B team and then the first team.
So what did the production line look like? From early 2000s football started seeing these highly technical players, with so much skill, creativity and the ability to see and find gaps on a football pitch. To make it look so big.
“The player who has passed through La Masia has something different from the rest, it is a plus that only comes from having competed in a Barcelona shirt from the time you were a child.” — Pep Guardiola, former Barcelona coach.
You would constantly read about smaller age groups at the academy playing much better than the older age groups, and the players that managed to make their debuts for the first time were always quite young.
On the 25th of August, before even appearing for the reserve team, Anssumane “Ansu” Fati Viera, made his debut for Barcelona at just 16 years of age, becoming the youngest player to debut for the club. He would become the clubs youngest ever goal scorer in the next game.
The young boy from Bissau, Guinea has had an amazing two months. He has kept football fans from around the world on the edge of their seats with his direct style of play.
Football fans love flair players. Players that cause mayhem, that constantly runs at defenders, that are not afraid to make mistakes. The club has needed that spark, especially without their talisman Lionel Messi, who also made his debut aged 16 back in 2004.
As Ansu prepares to celebrate his 17th birthday next month, he will be wishing not to wake up from what must seem like a dream. He’s been live wire since he scored and he will want to keep the momentum going. To keep entertaining and reminding us of that old farmhouse and its famous production line.
