Three players who started at La Masia and signed for Real Madrid | OneFootball

The rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid extends far beyond El Clasico. 

It influences transfer strategies, youth development, scouting networks and even career decisions made by players at a young age.

That is why it always attracts attention whenever a footballer with roots at La Masia ends up wearing the famous white shirt of Real Madrid. 

While direct transfers between the two clubs remain extremely rare, several players who spent part of their development years at Barcelona’s academy have eventually found their way to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Some used Real Madrid as a platform to revive their careers, others struggled to establish themselves in the first team, while a few became valuable financial assets for Los Blancos despite never becoming regular starters.

Here are three players who began their journeys at La Masia before eventually signing for Real Madrid.

Marc Cucurella

Cucurella was developed at La Masia. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The latest addition to this unique list is Spanish full-back Marc Cucurella, who recently completed a high-profile move from Chelsea to Real Madrid despite attracting interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Born in Catalonia, Cucurella joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in 2012 and established himself as one of the most promising young players in his age group. 

However, despite progressing through the youth ranks, opportunities with the first team proved difficult to come by.

His senior involvement at Barcelona was limited, with the defender making just a single appearance before embarking on a series of moves away from Camp Nou in search of regular football.

Loan spells at Eibar and Getafe helped accelerate his development, while a permanent move to the latter allowed him to showcase the attacking qualities and intensity that would eventually earn him a transfer to the Premier League.

After successful spells with Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea, Cucurella rebuilt his reputation as one of Europe’s most reliable left-backs. 

Real Madrid eventually moved to secure his signature, agreeing a deal worth an initial €55 million plus a further €5 million in add-ons.

Victor Munoz

Victor Munoz has now signed for Liverpool. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Victor Munoz has become one of the most talked-about names in recent weeks following his transfer to Liverpool, a move that also generated a significant financial boost for Real Madrid.

Like Cucurella, Munoz was born in Catalonia and spent his early footballing years at La Masia after joining Barcelona’s academy at the age of 11.

However, his path took a different direction in 2017 when he left the club and moved to Damm. Four years later, Real Madrid identified his potential and brought him into their academy setup.

The winger continued his development in Madrid and eventually earned his first-team debut in May 2025. Ironically, that appearance came against Barcelona in El Clasico, when he replaced Vinicius Jr. late in the game.

Although he became remembered for missing a clear scoring opportunity during the match, Real Madrid remained convinced of his potential.

Seeking regular minutes, Munoz later joined Osasuna while Los Blancos retained 50% of his economic rights, a decision that proved highly beneficial when Liverpool activated his €40 million release clause.

As a result, Real Madrid pocketed €20 million from the deal without the player ever becoming a regular fixture in the first team, highlighting the club’s increasingly effective talent development model.

Takefusa Kubo

Takefusa Kubo did not make a competitive appearance for Real Madrid. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for AUDI)

Perhaps the most famous player on this list is Takefusa Kubo.

The Japanese international joined Barcelona’s academy in 2011 after impressing during trials and was immediately viewed as one of the brightest young prospects in the system. 

Kubo spent four years developing within Barcelona’s youth structure before FIFA sanctions related to the club’s recruitment of underage foreign players forced him into an unexpected situation.

The regulations made him ineligible to continue playing competitively for Barcelona, eventually leading to his departure.

Several years later, in 2019, Real Madrid seized the opportunity and signed the talented playmaker on a five-year contract.

Although expectations were high, Kubo never managed to establish himself in Madrid’s senior squad. Instead, he spent time on loan at multiple clubs across Spain to continue his development.

Ultimately, he found stability at Real Sociedad, where he has grown into one of La Liga’s most influential attacking players.