Barcelona youth coach Jordi Roura revealed details of recruiting Yamal to La Masia and the discovery process of Cubas on Cadena SER radio.
Following Spain's victory in the 2026 World Cup, the focus has once again shifted to the team's young talents, particularly Cubasi and Yamal. Roura was the one who discovered and brought these two players into Barcelona's youth academy. He recalled his "love at first sight" encounter with them on a television program.
Roura stated that Yamal was contacted by scouting networks when he was about seven years old, so they decided to watch him play. "He was seven at the time, and he did have some unusual behavior. He looked a bit thin, but at that age he was already capable of doing things exceptionally well." Roura decided to sign him after watching the game. As Yamal integrated into Barcelona's youth academy, they gradually realized that "he was a special player."
A similar situation occurred with Cubasi. Roura revealed that they had been tracking Cubasi in multiple competitions, primarily because "Barcelona's first team was severely lacking in central defenders at the time." Roura emphasized the development trajectories of both players, noting that both are only 19 years old yet have already reached the pinnacle of the football world.
Journalist Hector González asked Roula, based on his years of experience scouting young players, whether talent is predetermined. Roula replied, "Obviously, all players who reach the highest level must possess talent, but talent alone is not enough. I coached at La Masia for many years and saw many extremely talented players, but not all of them ultimately succeeded." Talent is a necessary condition, but other key factors are also required.
Rula further pointed out that, psychologically, these young players must be extremely strong to withstand the pressure of high-level competition, and also require "enormous sacrifice, commitment, hard work, and a very strong desire to improve." "Talent is certainly essential, but without mentality, hard work, and sacrifice as support, they will find it difficult to go far." Yamal and Kubasi possess these qualities, achieving so much at just 19 years old, and their potential for future improvement is enormous.
