Barca's 1992 European Cup-winning captain Jose Ramon Alexanco is now a coach at their cantera - literally meaning mine - and he told BBC Sport how crucial it is that the Blaugranes continue to produce world-class footballers. "It is an essential part of what we try to do at the academy, to take kids and let them progress through the club so they have a chance of getting in the first team," he said.
"Whatever their age when they arrive, the kids know they have the opportunity to evolve - not only as footballers but also as people, too.
"They know that if they are trained in the football environment from early on and fulfil their potential, they will get the chance here to play at the top level and that is something they value greatly."
"At Barca, I hardly ever trained without a ball at my feet"
Barcelona's Lionel Messi
The cantera comprises 15 teams, 290 players and 110 employees and of the current squad, Valdes, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Oleguer, Dos Santos, Messi, Bojan and Albert Jorquera have all come up through the ranks at the Camp Nou.
Throw in Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas, Liverpool's Pepe Reina, Everton's Mikel Arteta and Manchester United's Gerard Pique and it is easy to see why there is so much interest in Barca's youth set-up.
Despite spending about £45m in the summer of 2007 on Eric Abidal, Gabriel Milito, Yaya Toure and Thierry Henry, it is cantera graduates Bojan, 17, and Giovani, 18, who have arguably made the biggest impression at the club this season.
"I believe Barcelona has become a club from which many players do develop through the youth system and manage to break into the team on a regular basis," added Alexanco.
Bojan and Giovani are the latest products of the Barcelona academy
"In this sense, we are an example of a club that can construct a team of both large signings and youngsters who have worked to get through from the academy.
"Everything we work towards is for the result that we produce players like Messi, like Giovani, like Bojan.
"Both Giovani and Bojan have many qualities that suggest they are ready for first-team football.
"But the most important part is that the manager Frank Rijkaard counts on them and gives them minutes of play because it is crucial that they gain this experience of playing at the top level."
Messi, who continues to make a case for being the world's best player, has spoken in the past of the importance of his footballing education at Barcelona.
"The Barcelona youth programme is one of the best in the world," said the 20-year-old Argentine. "As a kid they teach you not to play to win, but to grow in ability as a player.
"At Barca, we trained every day with the ball, I hardly ever ran without a ball at my feet. It was a form of training aimed very clearly at developing your skills."
