Barcelona beat Athletic Membership 2-0 in a rescheduled La Liga matchday-one fixture on 29 August, and the membership’s official web site famous that it was the primary time in Barcelona’s historical past that ten gamers born after 2000 began the identical match. All 4 of the squad’s 2007-born gamers, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Bernal and Javi Espart, had been within the beginning eleven.
The 4 gamers had already been collectively for years earlier than reaching the primary workforce. Barcelona‘s web site recalled that within the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons they performed alongside one another within the La Masia U12B and U13A sides, the place they received league titles. In addition they shared these youth groups with Arnau Blanco, who’s now a part of Hansi Flick’s teaching workers.
How every participant made it to the primary workforce
Yamal was the primary of the 4 to interrupt by way of. He made his senior debut below Xavi Hernandez within the 2022-23 season and established himself as an everyday in 2023-24. Cubarsi adopted in that very same season, incomes the man-of-the-match award in a Champions League recreation whereas nonetheless 17.
Bernal received his likelihood after Flick took cost, however a critical harm saved him out for greater than a yr. He has since returned to the extent he confirmed earlier than the setback and is once more an everyday in midfield. Espart made his debut within the last-16 first leg of the Champions League in opposition to Newcastle United at St James’ Park, and this summer time he received the European Below-19 Championship with Spain and impressed in pre-season, incomes the quantity 12 shirt.
Espart’s versatility units him aside
Espart, from Vilassar de Mar close to Mataro, first appeared for the primary workforce at proper again below Flick. He has since performed as a central midfielder, together with within the Joan Gamper Trophy, and began each of Barcelona’s opening La Liga matches of the 2026-27 season at left again.
Barcelona’s web site described his means to carry out naturally in a number of positions as the standard that drew Flick’s consideration from the second he joined the senior squad.
A shared trophy and extra to return
The 4 gamers shared their first senior trophy collectively within the 2025-26 season, when Barcelona clinched the La Liga title with a 2-0 win over Actual Madrid on the Nou Camp. All 4 at the moment are absolutely registered first-team gamers and can practice and compete collectively all through the 2026-27 marketing campaign.
Barcelona have performed one La Liga match within the 2026-27 season, the rescheduled fixture in opposition to Athletic Membership on 29 August.
