Barça Residency Academy USA has named Liam Lacy as its new Academy Director, bringing more than two decades of experience developing players, leading technical programs, and mentoring coaches across elite youth academies, collegiate soccer, professional soccer, and national governing bodies in the United States and Europe.
Lacy took the helm of Barça Residency Academy in August following leadership and coaching roles with Phoenix Rising FC and Grand Canyon University. Throughout his career, he has built high-performance environments centered on technical excellence, tactical intelligence, coach education, and long-term player development—principles that closely align with FC Barcelona’s world-renowned methodology.
Most recently, Lacy served as Technical Director and MLS NEXT Academy Director for Phoenix Rising FC Academy, where he oversaw the club’s technical direction, player development framework, curriculum and methodology, and coach education. He also managed the Academy’s sporting and administrative operations, player pathway and placement process, and coached the Academy’s two oldest teams.
Lacy also served as an assistant coach for Grand Canyon University’s NCAA Division I men’s soccer program during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. He is an experienced coach educator and holds advanced coaching qualifications from U.S. Soccer and the Scottish Football Association, including the U.S. Soccer ‘A’ License and UEFA ‘A’ License. He also holds the United Soccer Coaches Master Diploma and U.S. Soccer National Youth License, along with additional certifications in talent identification, performance, coaching, and leadership.
As Academy Director at Barça Residency Academy, Lacy oversees the Academy’s technical and sporting operations and works closely with the coaching staff and FC Barcelona-appointed Technical Directors to further implement and develop Barça’s globally recognized methodology. His role encompasses creating a high-performance environment that challenges and supports student-athletes while fostering their development both on and off the field.
Lacy’s appointment comes as Barça Residency Academy continues to build on its established reputation as one of the nation’s premier youth development environments. Since its inaugural season, the Academy has produced professional players, youth and senior national team players, and collegiate student-athletes, while maintaining a 100 percent placement rate for graduates through college scholarships or professional contracts.
“I am excited to be named as the Academy Director at Barça Residency Academy. The Academy has a great reputation across the country, so when the opportunity presented itself to lead the program, the decision to come here was an easy one for me, both personally and professionally,” said Lacy in August. “I believe Barça Residency Academy is unique within U.S. youth soccer, and I’m excited for the opportunity to work within one of the world’s most widely recognized clubs for player development.”
Since taking on the role in August, Lacy has focused on working with the Academy’s players, families, and coaching staff while establishing his vision for the next phase at Barça Residency Academy.
“My goal is to provide a positive sporting experience for all of our student-athletes and help them develop both as people and as players,” Lacy added. “We want to continue the great work from previous years while building on this foundation to provide further opportunities for our players to grow within the game.”
Under Lacy’s leadership, Barça Residency Academy will continue to build on its foundation while creating new opportunities for student-athletes to pursue their goals at the collegiate, professional, and international levels.
