La Masia

La Masia (Catalan pronunciation: [lə məˈzi.ə]; English: "The Farmhouse") is the youth academy of FC Barcelona. It includes more than 300 young players and has been an instrumental factor in Barcelona's European success, producing several world class players and is considered the best youth system in world football. In 2010, La Masia became the first youth academy to have trained all three finalists for the Ballon d'Or in a single year: Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi. In addition to its most prominent role as a youth academy for football, La Masia also houses and trains young players in other sports which operate clubs under the FC Barcelona umbrella, including basketball, handball and roller hockey. Originally based at Can Planes, a traditional farmhouse near the Camp Nou in the Les Corts district of Barcelona, the academy now operates from more modern facilities at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, while retaining La Masia ("The Farmhouse") as its official name.