Three forgotten wonderkids of La Masia who failed to live up to the expectations | OneFootball

Barcelona’s La Masia academy has produced some of the finest players the game has ever seen, including Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique.

However, not every Barcelona wonderkid manages to become a first-team superstar. 

For every academy graduate who establishes himself at Camp Nou, there are several others who arrive with enormous expectations but struggle to fulfil their potential at the highest level.

Over the years, countless highly-rated La Masia prospects have been labelled as the future of Barcelona. 

Some eventually became club legends, while others watched their careers take a very different path.

Here, we look at three players whose careers took a different turn.

Alen Halilovic – The ‘Croatian Messi’

Alen Halilovic was compared to Lionel Messi. (Photo by Joachim Sielski/Bongarts/Getty Images)

When Barcelona signed Alen Halilovic from Dinamo Zagreb in 2014, the club believed they had secured one of the brightest young talents in European football.

The Croatian midfielder had already broken records in his homeland, becoming the youngest debutant and youngest goalscorer in Dinamo Zagreb’s history. 

His technical quality, vision and dribbling ability led many to compare him with Lionel Messi, earning him the famous “Croatian Messi” nickname.

Barcelona moved quickly to bring him to La Masia’s development system, but his breakthrough never materialised.

Despite arriving with huge expectations, Halilovic spent most of his time with Barcelona B and managed just one senior appearance for the first team. 

A loan spell at Sporting Gijon followed before Barcelona decided to sell him to Hamburg in 2016.

What came next was a career defined by constant movement rather than stability. 

The midfielder represented clubs such as Hamburg, Las Palmas, AC Milan, Standard Liege, Heerenveen, Birmingham City, Reading and Rijeka.

Although flashes of his talent remained visible, he never established himself long enough at any club to justify the hype that surrounded him as a teenager.

Where is he now?

Today, Halilovic plays for Fortuna Sittard in the Netherlands, where he contract is due to expire at the end of this month. 

While he has enjoyed an above-average professional career, he remains one of the most talked-about “what if” stories among former Barcelona wonderkids.

Cristian Tello – Pace, potential, but no breakthrough

Cristian Tello left Barcelona in 2014. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Cristian Tello looked destined to enjoy a long and successful Barcelona career when he broke into the first team under Pep Guardiola.

The winger possessed explosive pace, direct attacking instincts and an eye for goal. 

His ability to stretch defences and attack space made him an exciting option in one of Barcelona’s most dominant eras. However, timing proved to be his biggest obstacle.

Tello emerged during a period when Barcelona’s attack featured some of the world’s best players. 

Competition from Lionel Messi, Pedro Rodriguez, Alexis Sanchez and later Neymar severely limited his opportunities to become a regular starter.

Despite making 86 appearances and scoring 20 goals for the Barcelona first team, he struggled to cement a permanent place in the starting lineup.

Loan spells at Porto and Fiorentina followed before Barcelona sold him permanently to Real Betis in 2017.

While Tello went on to enjoy a solid professional career and helped Betis win the Copa del Rey in 2022, he never developed into the elite winger many expected when he first emerged from La Masia.

Where is he now?

Following his successful spell at Real Betis, Tello continued his career away from the spotlight, playing for Los Angeles FC and Al-Fateh. 

Right now, the 34-year-old is without a club after having played for UAE Second Division League side Palm City. 

Giovani dos Santos – A potential star who could have been

Giovani Dos Santos never established himself in the first team. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

Before names such as Bojan Krkic, Ansu Fati and Lamine Yamal dominated headlines, Giovani dos Santos was considered the next great attacking talent to emerge from Barcelona’s academy.

The Mexican forward dazzled coaches and supporters with his flair, creativity and technical brilliance. Many believed Barcelona had uncovered another future superstar capable of leading the club into a new era.

When Dos Santos broke into the first team in 2007, the excitement surrounding him reached another level.

At just 18 years old, he appeared destined for greatness and looked capable of becoming a long-term fixture at Camp Nou. Instead, his Barcelona career lasted only one season.

Seeking regular opportunities, Dos Santos joined Tottenham Hotspur, but the move failed to deliver the expected breakthrough. 

He struggled in England and was eventually sent out on multiple loan spells before rebuilding parts of his career elsewhere.

The attacker later represented Mallorca, Villarreal, LA Galaxy and Club America, producing moments of quality but never becoming the world-class player many predicted.

Where is he now?

Ironically, Dos Santos enjoyed greater success with Mexico than he did at club level. 

He won Olympic gold in 2012 and earned more than 100 international caps, establishing himself as one of the country’s most recognised players despite falling short of expectations at Barcelona.

After being released by Club America in 2021, the Mexican forward effectively retired from the sport and transitioned his career into business ventures.