9 forgotten Barcelona academy graduates who became cult heroes elsewhere

Essential for producing world-class players over the years have been Barcelona, though not all of them find their fortunes at the iconic Camp Nou.

There are numerous examples of Barcelona academy alumni, like Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, who go on to build successful careers at other clubs outside of Barcelona.

We've examined the players who have come out of Barcelona in the past and identified nine individuals who became revered figures at other clubs.

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal's current head coach Arteta spent five years at La Masia, where he played for Barcelona's reserve team C and Barcelona B, yet failed to earn a spot on the first team.

He moved on to Paris Saint-Germain, before enjoying great success on the British Isles with Rangers, Everton, and Arsenal.

"I was staying in La Masia, it was a room of eight and I shared it with Pepe Reina, Victor Valdes, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol, all in the same room," Arteta said in 2019.

I learned at La Masia that we had internal competition among ourselves, as we all shared the common goal of becoming first-team players, which, unfortunately, not everyone could achieve, so it was a competition that grew from within.

What I found particularly noteworthy is the importance of collaboration and mutual support within a competitive environment.

Mauro Icardi

Before joining PSG and gaining a high level of fame surpassing my abilities as an actual footballer, Icardi was one of the deadliest strikers in Serie A, scoring 124 goals in 219 games for Internazionale.

He is probably the least typical Barcelona forward we can picture.

Icardi usually didn't make a great deal of work outside the penalty box when his team had possession of the ball, instead waiting for opportunities to capitalize on close-range chances in front of the goal.

He spent three years at Barcelona after moving from his native Rosario in Argentina to Catalonia during his teenage years.

Presently, he is utilizing the experience gained at La Masia for his current position as the leader for the Turkish Super League team, Galatasaray.

Pepe Reina

Reina indeed appeared in 30 matches for Barcelona, the highest number among all individuals mentioned in this list.

We find it even more challenging to envision him proudly wearing the Barcelona crest than we do picturing him without hair, and yet this happened simultaneously.

After leaving Camp Nou, the goalkeeper rose to fame at Liverpool, enjoying successful periods of play at Villarreal and Napoli as well.

Andre Onana

The connection between Barcelona and Ajax is well-established, but it's typically from Amsterdam to Barcelona.

He, on the other hand, transferred to the Amsterdam club in 2015 after training in Barcelona's youth ranks for five years.

The Cameroon goalkeeper's performance at Manchester United should be set aside, as he was truly exceptional during his time at Ajax, contributing to the club's achievement of securing five major titles and participating in a Europa League final and a Champions League semifinals.

Marc Cucurella

Cucrella was listed with Barcelona for eight years, playing for the youth teams and Barcelona B, and only once made a senior appearance as a substitute for Lucas Digne in the Copa del Rey.

Sources say it was also due to his football education that he achieved considerable success with Brighton after spending time with Eibar and Getafe.

The attacking abilities and ball handling skills he acquired at La Masia undoubtedly proved valuable for Graham Potter's skilled Seagulls team.

Cucurella faced difficulties at Chelsea following his 63 million pound transfer in 2022, but has since adjusted to life at Stamford Bridge and earned the respect of Chelsea supporters for his dedication and perseverance.

Takefusa Kubo

Kubo spent four years in the Barcelona academy, but never appeared for the first team.

The Japanese winger launched his senior career with FC Tokyo before returning to Europe and joining Real Madrid.

Currently listed with Real Sociedad, Kubo has been giving impressive showings and gaining the attention of top-tier European clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United.

Alex Grimaldo

A former fixture in annoying transfer rumor reports, Grimaldo developed into a skilled attacking left-back at Benfica before excelling at Bayer Leverkusen.

It was not at the renowned Benfica academy that he gained his initial experience.

Grimaldo developed through La Masia, spending eight seasons with the club, four at the youth ranks and four playing for Barca B in the Spanish lower divisions.

Another player with a reported potential return to Barcelona would not have been an unexpected development.

Nayim…

from the middle of the field.

Yes, referring to the person mentioned earlier, someone who spent nearly a decade at Barcelona as a young player and even made seven senior appearances.

Remembered most fondly on English soil as a Tottenham legend – primarily due to the remarkable goal he scored against Arsenal while playing for Zaragoza in the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup final, rather than his accomplishments at White Hart Lane.

Manu Trigueros

He is an absolute legend at Villarreal, where he played more than 477 games. In the 2007-08 season, he briefly played for Barcelona's Under-18s.

He only just managed to join the team and then moved on to Murcia before signing with Villarreal, initially playing for the reserve team.

He then established himself as one of the most dependable midfielders in the Spanish top-tier league, helping Villarreal win the 2021 Europa League title, and was even considered for a transfer back to Barcelona around the same time.