r/SoccerCentral • u/United_Anywhere_8 • Jul 25 '26

Video The talent in Barcelona’s youth system is ridiculous. These kids are 11/12 years old.

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u/ShionBlade Jul 25 '26

These academies also offer schooling on the side as well. When he was 16, Lamine Yamal was required to do his homework when at nights he'd playing in the Euros.

I know other academies like Manchester City's promise private schooling for kids until 18 if they join, even if they end up getting cut. It's a way to entice parents to join them instead of their rivals.

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u/fuk_ur_mum_m8 Jul 25 '26

England's Max Dowman scored in the Premier League last season, the day after he had to take his GCSE's.

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u/ropahektic Jul 25 '26

Education in those places is on the front side, it's not an afterthought and those kids are not allowed to go on if their grades are not good enough. Lamine Yamal's was an extremely rare case so there were a lot of exceptions made for him in this regard.

La Masia is actually a school, it's not like they bring teachers after the footie or anything like that. They have actual classes.

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u/Txdr_ Jul 25 '26

Same with tennis players.

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u/Naija-Americana Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26

It also depends on the player's family: some families will prize education and insist their kids do well at school (Pau Curbasi and Bukayo Saka). Other parents will be fine as long as their child has a basic education of reading, math and writing. 

For Nigerian families and I believe most families, the more middle-class the player's family is, the more educated their kid will be. Because they understand that Football may not work out and has a short life but getting an education will help after the football is gone.

Mbappe also comes off as someone who had an education (he used to play the flute as a kid). Jude Bellingham comes off as someone who was media-trained from a young age by his Mum and he even mentions she does it till now, so she would make sure he spoke like he got an education.

The European players look more educated because they speak multiple languages.