Two Barca Residency Academy standouts, Juda Casas and Ezra Vancleave, have been selected for a two-week training stint at FC Barcelona’s world-renowned youth academy, La Masia, taking place October 18–31 in Barcelona, Spain.
This special opportunity allows the players to showcase their talent and fully immerse themselves in the La Masia environment — an exclusive opportunity a part of Barca Residency Academy’s partnership with FC Barcelona, designed to help identify and nurture the next generation of world-class footballers.
“This is an incredible opportunity for players within our program to be exposed to the highest level of youth soccer in the world,” said Barca Residency Academy Director Ged Quinn. “These players are fully deserving of this opportunity.”
Casas, a consistent 2008-born centerback, is in his third season at Barca Residency Academy and represents the U-19 MLS NEXT Homegrown team. “Juda has consistently been a top performer within our teams over the last few seasons,” said Quinn. “As a center back in our system, he shows bravery both in and out of possession and reads the game extremely well. He leads by example on and off the field, and this opportunity to train in La Masia is well deserved. We look forward to seeing how he embraces the challenge he will face in La Masia, and we are sure he will rise to the occasion.”
Vancleave, a rising 2019-born midfielder on Barca’s U-16 MLS NEXT Homegrown team, makes his second trip to La Masia after being invited to the Barca Academy Training Camp last season. “Ezra has continued to prove himself within our program since joining at the start of the 2024-25 season,” said Quinn. “He has an infectious personality, and this comes out in the way he plays soccer; there is a clear love and enjoyment for the game. He has consistently shown a high level of performance and maturity and is fully deserving of this opportunity to test himself against the best in the world at La Masia.”
During their two-week stint at La Masia, Casas and Vancleave will immerse themselves in the same elite environment that has shaped global football icons like Yamal, Messi, Iniesta, Pedri, and Gavi.
They’ll train, compete, and hone their skills alongside some of the brightest young talents in the world. By stepping onto these legendary grounds, they’ll also follow the path paved by Barca Residency Academy alumni such as Julian Araujo, Matthew Hoppe, Caden Clark, Brooklyn Raines, Leo Orejarna, and Isaiah Kaakoush—who all earned the La Masia experience on their journey to the professional ranks.
