This Kid Was BETTER Than Messi, But What Ever Happened? The Story of Victor Vázquez

Barcelona's youth program La Masia has produced some of the greatest football talents in history. It's one of the most prestigious and respected football youth programs in the entire world where only the best of the best are selected. And of the many legendary graduates of La Masia, the class of 1987 stands head and shoulders above the rest. This class includes players like Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas, and last but not least, Lionel Messi. But what if I told you that there was one more. A kid who was ranked even higher than Messi by his youth coaches and teammates. A kid who, instead of Messi, played the 9 position, was the main free kick taker, and was even considered the core of the squad. It might sound hard to believe, but it's true. And it was no other than this kid right here. The La Masia class of 1987 captain, Victor Vazquez. So just how good was he and what ever happened? Victor Vazquez was born in Barcelona as a Catalan native. And naturally, as a kid, he would support Barcelona, as every young footballer growing up in the area normally does. If you were a kid who loved football growing up in Barcelona, it was your dream to one day wear the proud colors of blue, red, and maroon and play for your city. Victor Vazquez was one of those kids that had the talent and opportunity to make that dream come true. At the age of 11, he was chosen to join the elite ranks of Barcelona's prestigious La Masia youth program. And just to give you a bit of information on La Masia, it was essentially a boarding school focused solely on football, where only the best of the best were chosen. Made to develop players to learn the play style and culture of FC Barcelona. That meant there was a huge focus on technical skill, passing, and playmaking. I mean, after all, La Masia literally translates to the farmhouse, and was basically Barcelona's way of preparing kids to play for the senior team in the future. Being part of the program was incredibly competitive, with only 1 out of 10 players on average being selected for Barcelona's men's team. There, students would eat, sleep, study football, train their skills, and repeat. Out of a thousand boys from ages 6 to 8 to try out for admission, only around 200 of them would make it. A mere 20%. But even if you think those odds aren't bad, I can almost guarantee you that if you were the same age, any single one of those 1,000 kids applying could dance circles with the ball around you. Many legends have risen through the ranks of La Masia, like Pep Guardiola, Xavi, Iniesta, Carlos Puyol, and much more. But there was never a class more promising than the La Masia class of 1987. The players born on that year won every single title there was in their youth competitions for at least 5 continuous seasons, and matches where they would win 10-0 was not uncommon for the legendary class. In defense, there was Gerard Pique, who was seen as the most immature of the group, which I think he never really changed from given the way he tweets on Twitter. Then in midfield, Cesc Fabregas distributed passes, initiated plays, and showed flashes of a great midfielder and maestro. And of course a skillful Argentinian kid who loved to dribble the ball and attack but didn't really talk much, who at the time was known only as Leo before everyone would know his last name. But the main star was a little further ahead, a person who was always sending the ball to the back of the net and the star of the team, Victor Vazquez. He could play left wing, right wing, or even attacking mid as he was so good at playing with both feet, had incredible pace, and was great at scoring goals. In fact, Vazquez was so good, the La Masia class of 87 was once nicknamed Generacion Vazquez, or in English, the Vazquez Generation. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. Even Cesc Fabregas admits it. In an interview, when asked about his memories of the iconic La Masia class and who was the best, he of course said it was himself. But after laughing and saying it was a joke, he then said, we were a great team, but everyone pointed out that Victor was the best. They would always compete to see who would score more goals. They would go in for head-to-head duels. If one scored four in one game, the other would hit five, which says a lot seeing how Vazquez even pushed Messi to try harder as his rival. And Gerard Pique said, when Leo arrived, the best of the team was Victor, a player who was a natural leader for the group and very outgoing. But whatever happened to him, what became of the man who the greatest generation of La Masia graduates was named after? Unfortunately, it's a story we hear all too often in football. Physical problems on top of serious injuries ultimately halted Victor Vazquez's rise to football greatness. Minor injuries during his youth days would cause him to lose a significant amount of speed he once had, which by many accounts was even faster than Messi. These minor injuries would cause him to stay longer in Barcelona's second team, while his peers would continue on and play huge roles in first teams, with Fabregas going to Arsenal, Pique moving to Manchester United, and Messi advancing to the first team and enchanting the hearts of every FC Barcelona fan, while the star of the legendary Barcelona class was left behind and devastated. Vazquez would go through a period of anxiety during this long wait where many were left Expectations were rising and never had a La Masia graduate have so much pressure to perform. After all, he was the face of the class of 1987. Many Barca fans knew him and expected him to outperform Messi. And not everyone can handle that kind of mental pressure. It's not an easy thing to do and can be very negative to the development of not only players, but to everyday people like you and me as well. Then after a few years of going nowhere, in February 13, 2009, after a Barcelona second team match against Villarreal's second team, on top of the injuries that already slowed him down as a player, Vazquez would be diagnosed with a dislocated knee. Doctors told him it would only be 4 months of recovery. But even after 9 long months, Vazquez could still feel the pain in his knees. Vazquez would finally get his chance for Barcelona's first team in December 2010 during the Champions League group stages against Russian club FC Rubin Kazan. Pep Guardiola would put him in as a substitute where he scored his first and only goal in a 2-0 win for the Catalan club. Everything seemed to be turning around for Vazquez and the hope he once had of being a star for his club did not fade just yet. However, his contract was due to expire in 2011, just a few months away. Unfortunately, Barcelona had no plans on renewing it. Vazquez was heartbroken to see that the club who had raised him and once held him as the future of their team had suddenly cast him aside. However, that never stopped him from working hard and continuing to keep his dream of playing football alive. In 2011, he would move to Belgium to play for club Bruges. And although it wasn't a top European club or anywhere close to as popular as Barcelona, he embraced it and dedicated himself to play as best as he could for the club. There, he would rejuvenate his career, being known as a masterful and composed playmaker who could pass beautifully and link up with any of his teammates, even scoring 25 goals in 165 appearances. And in the 2014-2015 season, he would be named the Belgian Footballer of the Year. With club Bruges, he would win one Belgian League title and one Belgian Cup. However, after four years, Vazquez never turned out to be the legendary player everyone thought he would once become back in his days at La Masia. His early injuries took too much out of the flair and speed that he once had, and the unbelievable pressure he had to recover quickly and perform was just too heavy to handle. It was never a lack of discipline or failing to work hard, it's just that not everyone can be fortunate enough to avoid such injuries and overcome them. After all, we humans are very fragile beings. But the important thing is that Vazquez never let that stop his love and passion for the game. Even though he's fallen from his insane potential, he remains humble, hardworking, and dedicated. Something we can all look up to and learn from, as you often hear stories of footballers falling apart, turning to drugs or alcohol, or even end up in prison after losing the limelight or suffering injuries. It hasn't been an easy path for Victor Vazquez, but he continues to push through, even if it meant him being a journeyman playing in Mexico, Qatar, Belgium, and now in the MLS, where he currently plays for LA Galaxy. If one thing is for sure, Vazquez is loved by his teammates, coaches, and club supporters. He's known as a leader, rule model, and kind man who works hard for his family and gives it his all in both training and matches, keeping his feet on the ground and staying humble no matter how prestigious his footballing background might be compared to his peers. And for that, I give the man my utmost respect. So remember, no matter your situation in life, make the most out of it, stay kind and humble, and enjoy the good times as they might not always be there forever. Vazquez might have been one of the biggest what-ifs or superstars that never were, but what he did become was a respectable player, teammate, father, and person. But that's all for today guys, what do you think of Victor Vazquez's story? So if you enjoyed, make sure to leave a like to help others see this video on their feed and learn more about this inspiring story. For me, it's pretty sad yet inspiring and I wish the man the best. Let me know what you think in the comments below and let me know what topic I should do next. I'm glad I can make a video on someone like him as I believe he needs his story to be told and known to the world. Lastly, don't forget to subscribe for more awesome videos like this, I appreciate all of you for your support and staying until the end, and I'll see you in the next one.