FC Barcelona and La Masia: Developing World-Class Talent

FC Barcelona achieved global success in European football by fielding a team comprised mainly of internally developed footballers, some of whom became hailed as the world's best players. In an era where the largest teams fight fiercely to sign the best talent, FC Barcelona has seen internal talent development not only as a necessity but as a way to ensure that the club values and culture are maintained, strengthened, and made into a lever for building sporting success. The case discusses the operations of "La Masia," FC Barcelona's youth development setup, and its integral program for developing young athletes into sports professionals. The issues tackled are talent recruitment, promotion, retention, and professional and emotional development.