Li Haoyan Becomes First Chinese Player to Join Barcelona's La Masia Academy
Quick Look
- 14-year-old Li Haoyan has made history as the first Chinese player to sign for Barcelona's famed La Masia academy.
- He will join the under-15 Cadet B team next season, having previously played for CF Damm in Spain.
AI-generated summary
Young footballer Li Haoyan made history on Wednesday by becoming the first player from China to sign for Barcelona’s La Masia academy.
Currently playing for CF Damm in the Division de Honor Catalana Infantil in Spain, the top-tier regional youth league, the 14-year-old will join Barcelona’s Cadet B, the club’s under-15 side, next season.
Born on January 28, 2012, Li began his journey playing for his father’s Dalian No 8 Football Club, which was aimed at grass-roots youth training.
He joined the China Football Juniors – founded by former football journalist and commentator Dong Lu in 2017 – when he turned 10 years old.
Li spent three years in his native country, won numerous age-group titles and was selected for the national junior under-11 squad in 2023 before opting to play in Spain at the age of 13.
