The Barcelona Academy Stars Who Outshone Messi in Free-Kicks but Took Different Paths

Unraveling the Mystery of Free-Kick Prodigies at La Masia

Two players were reportedly better than Lionel Messi at free-kicks during their time at Barcelona’s ‘La Masia’ academy. While Messi, now 37, is celebrated as one of the greatest footballers of all time, his early days at Barcelona revealed a different story regarding set-piece duties.

The Third-Choice Free-Kick Taker

A former academy teammate, Roger Giribet, disclosed that Messi was often the ‘third-choice’ free-kick taker, behind Victor Vazquez and Juanjo Clausi. Giribet remarked, "Messi almost never took them."

Former academy boss Albert Benaiges confirmed that free-kicks were not a significant focus in their training regimen, stating, "At Barcelona, we used to occasionally do free-kick drills with a wall. It was not a part of the game we worked on particularly hard."

The Fates of Vazquez and Clausi

So, what became of these talented players? Victor Vazquez made three appearances for Barca's senior team but was primarily seen in the ‘B’ team due to the fierce competition. A severe knee injury in February 2009 sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Vazquez, now 38, later joined Club Brugge and had a respectable career, making 173 appearances before moving to Cruz Azul in 2016 and subsequently to clubs like LA Galaxy and FC Santa Coloma.

On the other hand, Juanjo Clausi, now 37, did not make a professional appearance for Barcelona and struggled in the lower divisions of Spanish football. After leaving Barca in 2006, he transitioned into studying electromechanical maintenance. Clausi reflected on a youth tournament where he was the top scorer, while Messi was named best player, reminiscing about their shared trophy moment.