The team led by Jordi Poma arrives at the new edition of the tournament with a renewed squad full of future talents.

FC Barcelona arrives at the new edition of the International Carnaval Cup with the intention of revalidating its title, which was memorably won in 2024 after a thrilling final against its eternal rival, Real Madrid. The team, which showed its quality and determination in that match, now has a renewed roster full of young prospects aiming to continue the tradition of success in this prestigious youth tournament. “First of all, we are very happy to be back at the Carnaval Cup. For us, it’s always a privilege to be here because it’s a unique experience. There are very few tournaments like this with this 11-a-side format, and it’s a moment for everyone to enjoy the experience and adapt to 11-a-side football,” says Jordi Poma, head coach and current head of the youth development area at Barça.

The International Carnaval Cup remains a showcase for the future of world football, a tournament where future stars come together to display their talent in front of coaches, scouts, and fans. In this 2025 edition, FC Barcelona will have the chance to prove that they are still the kings of the academy, while other teams like Atlético de Madrid, Girona, or even Arsenal will try to take the throne in a tournament that promises excitement from start to finish. “Every year there are teams with great renown. It demands this level and it will always be difficult, in a 40-minute match many things can happen,” says Jordi.

The team led by Jordi Poma has bet on a generation of players with great talent but less experience in high-level competitions, which gives them extra motivation to prove their ability. Although the core of the team remains from 2024, some of the standout players from last year have moved up to higher categories, which opens space for new names that promise to bring freshness and creativity to Barça’s play.

The new faces in the team, however, are already showing great chemistry on the field, with a style of play based on ball possession, high pressing, and great movement. The academy continues to be one of the club’s key pillars, and this year, the future stars are expected to shine brighter than ever in the tournament. “At these ages, conditioning is usually the least important. In the end, it’s about them continuing to learn new things about 11-a-side football and we visualize it this way,” says the Barça coach.

Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Junyent, Marc Bernal… among others

FC Barcelona uses these types of tournaments to try new things, but also to discover new talents and showcase the best talent from their academy. Many exceptional players have passed through the International Carnaval Cup, such as Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Junyent, Marc Bernal, the Hernández cousins, or Xavi Simons, when they were in the youth ranks.

In the current team, players like Adam Qaroual Bibi and Moha Akhomach, two well-known talents from Barça’s academy, are part of the squad. Jordi Poma has a very complete team: “I wouldn’t know which player to choose from my team. I have an exceptional group, and I’m very happy to be able to train them,” says the Barça coach, who has been with the club’s youth teams for 7 years.

So far, Barça has made a strong start. In the first match, they defeated RFS Academy 3-0, and in the second, against Shelbourne, they won by the same score, 3-0.