The two Barcelona stars who could become the best in the world

Robin Bairner

• 24 Mar 2023 19:27 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona’s financial problems are no secret – but just because their economic position is poor does not mean there is no hope for the future. Quite the contrary as the Blaugrana boast not one but two players capable of becoming the very best in the world.

Barca’s La Masia academy has produced some of the greatest talent that the world has ever seen, including a certain Lionel Messi, and according to data analytics experts SciSports, there is another young man who has come through the academy who could one day stand on top of the football world.

The other, meanwhile, was bought in early in his professional career.

MORE: How Barcelona could line up with Lionel Messi

Yes, Barcelona fans, it is Gavi and Pedri who are the two star names that SciSports believe have what it takes to become the very best in the world.

The data company assigns thousands of players a skill level and also make a prediction on their development with regards their potential skill level. Both Gavi and Pedri have the capacity to become the best in the world, according to their data.

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Gavi vs. Pedri

Gavi is the better bet to become the world’s best, according to SciSports. The 18-year-old has the capacity to reach a SciSkill score of 165, which is the highest potential of any player in the world.

Of course, this is unlikely to surprise onlookers, who have been astounded by the midfielder’s quality since breaking into the Barcelona team in 2021 and quickly establishing himself as a world-class performer for Spain. His qualities are masked by a record that shows he has scored four Barcelona goals and created 11 more in 84 appearances.

Pedri, meanwhile, has a SciSkill potential of 151.8, which is the seventh highest score in the world. This is still above the top current score of 145.6, highlighting the fact that he is another Barcelona player capable of achieving a unique level.

The 20-year-old started his career at Las Palmas before moving to Barcelona, where he has played 104 times, scoring 16 goals and creating seven more.

Barcelona, meanwhile, face a fight to tie Gavi down to a new contract in the summer after his first-team deal was annulled by the courts, leaving him open to a potential transfer as a free agent, even if the teenager has made his intention to remain at the club clear.