According to a report by Barca Universal on Thursday, November 5, 2026, seven young players from Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy have been selected to represent Spain at the upcoming FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.

Spain’s head coach, David Cubillo, included the Barcelona youngsters in his final squad for the tournament, which will bring together some of the most promising young footballers from different countries. The selected players are Raul Exposito, Sergi Mayans, Baba Kourouma, Jordi Pesquer, Ebrima Tunkara, Roberto Tomas and Iu Martinez.

Their selection highlights the important role La Masia continues to play in developing young football talents for Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Having seven academy players included in the squad is also a sign of the progress they have made through the club’s youth development system.

Four of the selected Barcelona players will strengthen Spain’s defence. They are Exposito, Mayans, Kourouma and Pesquer. Among them, Pesquer has already had an opportunity to experience the senior team environment after participating in Barcelona’s pre-season preparations earlier this year.

In midfield, the Spanish team will have Tunkara and Tomas, who are expected to contribute to the team’s performance during the competition. Martinez is the only forward selected from Barcelona’s academy.

Tunkara’s inclusion is particularly encouraging for Barcelona because the youngster has regularly received invitations to train with the first team. This shows the confidence the club has in his development and the progress he has made at the academy.

According to the Spanish Football Federation, the selected players will report to the national team’s training centre in Madrid on November 9. They will complete their preparations before travelling to Qatar for the tournament.

However, their selection means Barcelona will temporarily lose the services of seven promising academy players. Their absence could affect the club’s youth and reserve teams while the competition is taking place.

Spain have been drawn in Group H alongside Morocco, Fiji and China. The team will be hoping to perform strongly in the group stage and progress further in the competition.

Despite having a history of producing talented footballers, Spain have never won the FIFA U17 World Cup. The upcoming tournament will therefore provide another opportunity for the country to compete for its first title.

For Barcelona, having seven players represented in Spain’s squad further strengthens La Masia’s reputation as one of the leading youth academies in world football.