Lionel Messi faces Barcelona heir Lamine Yamal in the World Cup final, but that unique showdown is only one of many reasons for Culers to celebrate. Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will be a source of immense pride for FC Barcelona and its fans, if not for everyone else.A total of nine La Masia graduates including Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are part of the squads that will contest the World Cup final. (Instagram)While both nations were widely considered among the favorites to win the tournament, it has unfolded almost like a movie script that the two now find themselves facing each other in the final.Lionel Messi vs Lamine YamalThe reason? Pretty obvious. Lionel Messi, whose love story with Barcelona lasted for more than 20 years, will fight for glory against 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, the young star whose fairytale with the Catalan club has only just begun.What adds another layer to the story is the iconic photograph from a 2007 charity fundraising photoshoot, in which a 19-year-old Messi is seen bathing an infant Yamal.Also read: FIFA World Cup final weather: Could thunderstorms disrupt Spain vs Argentina at MetLife?However, the pride for the Culers is not limited to that one-in-a-million storyline. It also comes from the fact that Spain's squad features eight current FC Barcelona players. But wait—even that's not the end of the reasons to take pride in choosing the Blaugrana as the club of your life.La Masia's grand moment on global stagePerhaps the biggest success story for Barcelona is that its famed youth academy, La Masia, will take center stage in the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.And it can be said quite rightly, because a total of nine La Masia graduates are part of the squads that will contest the World Cup final.While Messi and Yamal are the headline names, the other seven La Masia graduates involved are Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Eric García, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marc Cucurella and Victor Munoz.Lionel Messi: Rosario to GreatnessPerhaps no La Masia graduate embodies the academy's success more than Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who arrived in Catalonia from Rosario as a 13-year-old in 2000.Over the next three years, he quickly became one of the brightest prospects in Spanish football, progressing through Barcelona's youth ranks before making his senior debut in 2004.From that moment, Messi never looked back. He went on to win 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies with Barcelona, while establishing himself as one of the greatest footballers the sport has ever seen.He left the club in 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain following an emotional farewell and has since moved to Inter Miami.Lamine Yamal: The next heirFor Yamal, the journey began even earlier. He was just seven years old when he joined La Masia in 2014, much younger than Messi was when he arrived at the academy.After spending nearly a decade developing through Barcelona's youth system, Yamal earned his senior-team promotion in 2023. Since then, he has won three La Liga titles and has also inherited Messi's iconic No. 10 shirt.Pau Cubarsi: Defensive prodigyCubarsí, who has been one of the toughest defensive walls to break down in this tournament, joined La Masia at the age of 11 after arriving from Girona's youth academy to play for Barcelona's Under-12 side.Pau Cubarsi has high chances to win the FIFA World Cup Young Player of the tournament award.Since then, he progressed rapidly through the club's youth ranks before breaking into Barcelona's first team during the 2023/24 season. He has high chances to win the FIFA World Cup Young Player of the tournament award.Gavi: Golden Boy risesGavi's La Masia journey began in 2015 when he arrived as an 11-year-old. It did not take long for him to catch attention, climbing through Barcelona's youth system at remarkable speed before making his senior debut in 2021 at just 17.The Golden Boy award soon followed, and he established himself as a key figure for both Barcelona and Spain.Dani Olmo: Homecoming completeDani Olmo's La Masia story began in 2007 when he joined the academy as a nine-year-old. Unlike many others, his path took a different turn as he left Barcelona for Dinamo Zagreb in 2014 in search of first-team opportunities.After making his name in Croatia and later shining with RB Leipzig, Olmo completed a homecoming by returning to Barcelona in 2024.Eric Garcia: Captain's comebackEric García entered La Masia in 2008 at the age of seven and grew into one of the academy's standout leaders, captaining Barcelona's youth teams at every level.His development earned him a move to Manchester City in 2017, where he lifted the Premier League trophy before making his return to Barcelona in 2021. Since coming back, he has established himself as a reliable option in the club's defense.Victor Munoz: Unexpected career pathVíctor Muñoz first arrived at La Masia in 2014 as an 11-year-old before continuing his development with Damm. In 2021, the 23-year-old made the switch to rivals Real Madrid, where he eventually earned his senior debut.A standout 2025/26 season on loan at Osasuna paved the way for a high-profile move to Liverpool FC.Marc Cucurella: Rival color awaitsMarc Cucurella joined La Masia in 2012 as a 14-year-old, but despite progressing through the academy, he was unable to establish himself in Barcelona's first team.Successful loan spells at Eibar and Getafe helped launch his career before he flourished in the Premier League with Brighton and later Chelsea.However, in one of the recent transfers completed during the World Cup, the La Masia graduate is now set to wear the colors of Barcelona's fiercest rivals, Real Madrid.Alejandro Grimaldo: Late success bloomedAlejandro Grimaldo became part of La Masia in 2008 at the age of 13 and quickly made history by becoming the youngest player ever to feature for Barcelona B. Despite his promise, a senior-team debut never came, prompting his move to Benfica in 2016.Also read: Who are the 85 people 'missing' from Argentina’s FIFA World Cup final? Israel’s powerful tributeHe went on to establish himself in Portuguese Primeria Liga before enjoying an invincible Bundesliga-winning campaign with Bayer Leverkusen. The Euro-winning left-back has since taken the next step in his career with a move to Atletico Madrid.Ojas Jaiswal is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, currently working with the US Desk, where he covers a wide spectrum of American sports and global news developments. From high-intensity NFL moments on the field to the latest off-court NBA storylines, he specializes in delivering engaging, audience-driven stories that blend factual accuracy with compelling narratives.