FC Barcelona's football academy, La Masia, has trained some of the best footballers in Europe, such as Pep Guardiola, Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique.
FC
Barcelona
's
football
academy
,
La
Masia
,
has
trained
some
of
the
best
footballers
in
Europe
,
such
as
Pep
Guardiola
,
Lionel
Messi
and
Gerard
Pique
.
Many people believe that Barcelona is the best football team in Europe because of the training programme at the school.
Many
people
believe
that
Barcelona
is
the
best
football
team
in
Europe
because
of
the
training
programme
at
the
school
.
Now, FC Barcelona has opened similar academies all around the world, including in Egypt, Japan, America and Dubai.
Now
,
FC
Barcelona
has
opened
similar
academies
all
around
the
world
,
including
in
Egypt
,
Japan
,
America
and
Dubai
.
It is difficult to join the Barcelona academy.
It
is
difficult
to
join
the
Barcelona
academy
.
Every year, over 1,000 students apply, but only 70 students can live and study at the school.
Every
year
,
over
1,000
students
apply
,
but
only
70
students
can
live
and
study
at
the
school
.
They are aged between 11and 18.
They
are
aged
between
11and
18
.
Seventy coaches, teachers, doctors and cooks look after the students.
Seventy
coaches
,
teachers
,
doctors
and
cooks
look
after
the
students
.
The academy costs about£5 million a year to run.
The
academy
costs
about£5
million
a
year
to
run
.
But the students all have scholarships, so they don't pay any money.
But
the
students
all
have
scholarships
,
so
they
do
n't
pay
any
money
.
FC Barcelona pays for everything: the students'rooms, teachers, books and food.
FC
Barcelona
pays
for
everything
:
the
students'rooms
,
teachers
,
books
and
food
.
However, the students don't only learn football.
However
,
the
students
do
n't
only
learn
football
.
FC Barcelona also wants to give their students a good academic education.
FC
Barcelona
also
wants
to
give
their
students
a
good
academic
education
.
It is important to the club that their students can still get good jobs if they don't become professional footballers.
It
is
important
to
the
club
that
their
students
can
still
get
good
jobs
if
they
do
n't
become
professional
footballers
.
Students travel by bus to local schools each morning for four hours of study.
Students
travel
by
bus
to
local
schools
each
morning
for
four
hours
of
study
.
The footballers return to La Masia after lunch and do football training in the afternoons.
The
footballers
return
to
La
Masia
after
lunch
and
do
football
training
in
the
afternoons
.
But is the students'academic education good enough?
But
is
the
students'academic
education
good
enough
?
All the football training must make the students very tired and they spend less time at school than other children.
All
the
football
training
must
make
the
students
very
tired
and
they
spend
less
time
at
school
than
other
children
.
That doesn't matter if you are one of the students who are good enough to become a professional footballer.
That
does
n't
matter
if
you
are
one
of
the
students
who
are
good
enough
to
become
a
professional
footballer
.
But what happens to all the children who don't make it onto the team?
But
what
happens
to
all
the
children
who
do
n't
make
it
onto
the
team
?
La Masia produces excellent football players, but it is important to ask what happens to all the other children who train there.
La
Masia
produces
excellent
football
players
,
but
it
is
important
to
ask
what
happens
to
all
the
other
children
who
train
there
.
FC Barcelona's football academy, La Masia, has trained some of the best footballers in Europe, such as Pep Guardiola, Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique. Many people believe that Barcelona is the best football team in Europe because of the training programme at the school. Now, FC Barcelona has opened similar academies all around the world, including in Egypt, Japan, America and Dubai.  It is difficult to join the Barcelona academy. Every year, over 1,000 students apply, but only 70 students can live and study at the school. They are aged between 11and 18. Seventy coaches, teachers, doctors and cooks look after the students. The academy costs about£5 million a year to run. But the students all have scholarships, so they don't pay any money. FC Barcelona pays for everything: the students'rooms, teachers, books and food.  However, the students don't only learn football. FC Barcelona also wants to give their students a good academic education. It is important to the club that their students can still get good jobs if they don't become professional footballers. Students travel by bus to local schools each morning for four hours of study. The footballers return to La Masia after lunch and do football training in the afternoons.  But is the students'academic education good enough? All the football training must make the students very tired and they spend less time at school than other children. That doesn't matter if you are one of the students who are good enough to become a professional footballer. But what happens to all the children who don't make it onto the team? La Masia produces excellent football players, but it is important to ask what happens to all the other children who train there.