16-Year-Old Talent Debuts for Barcelona. Had No Boots in the Summer, But Has Already Made History

A new star is rising in the Catalan capital.

What happened?

On Sunday, Ansu Fati made his debut in the Spanish La Liga match between Barcelona and Betis (5:2). The debut is notable for several reasons: first, he became the second-youngest player in Barcelona's club history; second, in his 15 minutes on the pitch, he made a very good impression. The talent is definitely there, and the fact that he did not break the record of Albert Almaseque, who played for Barça at 14 in 1902, is no big deal. 

What's the story with the boots?

Víctor Valdés, former Barcelona goalkeeper who now coaches the Catalan club's youth team, recalled in an interview a story involving the young player when he came to the team's preseason training camp in Russia.

Ansu had an injury, and his legs hurt. Valdés asked him to show him his boots. “It was a disaster — they were in such bad condition. The pain came from them, — Víctor says. — And we bought him new ones.”

Who is he?

Ansu was born in Bissau, in West Africa, but at the age of six he moved to Spain to join his father, who was already living there. “When he arrived, I didn't know he played football, — said Bori Fati, his father. — Everyone told me I couldn't even imagine how good he was, his name was already well known.”

After becoming a local star in Seville, Anssumane Fati (full name — ed.) attracted the attention of the country's top clubs. As a result, at the age of 10 he moved to La Masia, Barcelona's legendary academy.

“Real offered better conditions compared to Barça, — Fati's father recalled. — But it was Barça that came to my house with a contract and convinced me.”

This summer, Ansu began his preseason training with Barça's U-19 team, but he looked so outstanding among players three years older that when the first team lost Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Ousmane Dembélé to injuries, head coach Ernesto Valverde called him up to the senior squad.

What makes him so good?

In the match against Betis, Fati was 16 years, 9 months and 25 days old, yet he showed a fairly mature game: he handled the ball confidently, tried to combine with teammates, and boldly took control of the game.

Víctor Valdés

He is strong, fast, and cheeky in a sporting way. We must give him complete freedom so that all of this can show. He also has character; he is deadly near the opponent's goal.

Clearly, Spanish specialists and those who followed his development through the youth teams knew about Fati's talent before. But now, after the hugs with Messi, who congratulated the young players on their debuts on social media, the whole football world knows about him.

Vasily Obaraz, TK Media