10 most disappointing graduates from Barcelona's La Masia academy in the 21st century

Bojan was supposed to be the next Messi
Bojan was supposed to be the next Messi

#3 Sergi Samper

Sergi Samper (center) with the 99th Emperor's Cup trophy
Sergi Samper (center) with the 99th Emperor's Cup trophy

During his days in La Masia, Sergi Samper was poised to inherit Serio Busquets' throne in Barcelona. His laudable footwork and wide passing range meant that comparisons with Barcelona's number 5 were inevitable. Even though Samper impressed initially, he dropped the ball soon after.

The Catalan midfielder spent most of his senior career, contracted to Barcelona. Samper was groomed from the beginning to succeed at Camp Nou, playing 13 matches for the first team, after a century of appearances with the B team. However, after two mediocre loan spells with Granada and Las Palmas, it became apparent that his career had stalled. In 2019, Samper signed with Japanese side Vissel Kobe on a free transfer.

While his Barca teammates Andres Iniesta and David Villa, joined Vissel in the twilight of their careers, Samper has been with the club since the age of 24.


#2 Bojan Krkić

Bojan with his 8th club, Montreal Impact
Bojan with his 8th club, Montreal Impact

The prodigal son, the original 'next Messi' - Bojan Krkić has seen it all. The Spanish winger had a career trajectory almost identical to that of Messi in his early days at Barcelona. Having come through La Masia, Bojan broke the Argentine's record of being the youngest debutant at Camp Nou when he made his first appearance just 19 days after his 17th birthday.

The then-teenager went on to score 12 goals in his maiden season with Barcelona, adding to the hype. However, his flying start never transpired into anything and he was sold to Roma and then moved to Stoke City from Italy.

After displaying glimpses of his talent with the Potters, Bojan was subsequently acquired by MLS side Montreal Impact. An impactful story of what excessive pressure of expectations can do to a 'wonderkid', the current chapter sees him unemployed for the first time in his career.


#1 Jeffrén Suárez

Jeffren as a Barcelona player
Jeffren as a Barcelona player

With 9 clubs in 8 different countries on his resume, Jeffrén Suárez's 13 year-long career has taken him all over the world. The La Masia graduate's offensive abilities caught the eye of club manager Pep Guardiola, who started including the teenager in his matchday squads thereafter. The crowning jewel of Jeffrén's career came in the 10/11 season's El Clásico, where he came off the bench to score the final goal in a 5-0 win.

However, the Venezuelan international's career took a huge nosedive after that incident. His sub-par performances prompted Barcelona to cash in on the forward, selling him to Sporting CP for €3.75m. He is now worth 6.67% of that amount.

Thereupon, the 33-year-old former resident of La Masia went on to play professional football in Belgium, Switzerland, Cyprus, Croatia and the UAE. In June of 2021, Jeffrén signed with Lamphun Warrior FC, in the second division of Thai football.

Also Read: Fabrizio Romano's Transfer Roundup: Manchester United pushing for 2 more transfers, Barcelona's plans for Lionel Messi and more

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Edited by Diptanil
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