Barcelona USA Inc.

The 2010 FC California Academy team, consisting of boys from our BU10 teams, recently completed a week-long journey to Barcelona, culminating with an unbelievable turn of events.

After playing friendlies Mon. - Wed. against various Academies around Barcelona, the team finally played it's much anticipated match against Barcelona's Academy team (Benjamin A). 

Everybody had been anticipating this match since the team was assembled back in March.  If this wasn't enough, the team would be playing at FCB's $100,000,000 Academy mega-complex in front of Barca's Academy Director and head scout.

The match would be played over three 15 minute quarters, using a 7v7 format.  As the match was about to begin, nobody could have guessed what was about to happen. 

Our FC California Academy team took control of the game from the on-set and never let up.  After 15 minutes, the score was 3-1 in favor of the visitors.  After the second 15 minute quarter ended, the score remained 3-1.  The final quarter was even more un-real as the boys from the CA. ACADEMY struck again and eventually finished with a 4-1 victory.

Nobody in attendance could believe what they had just witnessed.  This was the first time that a foreign team had ever payed a match at the Academy, against an Academy team, and walked out with a convincing victory. 

The following night at a private dinner engagement hosted by the Academies head scout, what was conveyed to us by him was the following.  Had these boys been born and raised in Barcelona, the Academy would have signed a minimum of two of them.  But, since they are foreigners, kids this age are not ready for a dramatic change of lifestyle and culture.  Not until they are 12 - 13 years of age does the Academy look to sign foreign born players.

So, we left with the satisfaction of knowing that we are closer than ever to one day getting one of our boys signed by Barca's Academy.  We were extended an invitation to bring them back in a couple of years once they are age appropriate to either play some friendlies, or to tryout for a week.

In the meantime, we will continue to develop them and we will definitely return with them in a couple of years to hopefully make history!!