His permanent position in the future may still be unknown, but Cadet A’s Fermín López has shown that he knows how to attack. Currently playing in the one of the deepest squads in La Masia, the 15-year-old has adapted to playing both central midfielder spots, left-wing and as an attacking midfielder in a number of formations.
Born on May 11, 2003 in El Campillo, Spain, a small town about an hour north of Huelva, Fermín started his football career at local club El Campillo before making the move to Recreativo de Huelva’s academy in 2011. A year later he arrived at Real Betis and joined their Benjamín A squad. Four seasons getting an education and consistently being the top scorer in his age group at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis del Sol gave him the confidence to take the leap and join La Masia in the August of 2016. Major clubs were after the attacker, and even after missing out on the La Liga Promises competition with Betis due to chicken pox, Barcelona still trusted that they were getting a gem.
Despite being over 1,000 kilometers from his family, the youngster’s first season with Barcelona’s Infantil A squad was a considerable success for Fermín, scoring more than 20 goals and taking home the Pichichi during the winter season. His father, also Fermín López, is known to regularly make the 10 hour drive from El Campillo to Barcelona to see his son. A proud family and representative Gonzalo Balbi make up a support system that is great for any teenager to have in his corner.
Standing around 150 cm, Fermín has always been on the smaller side, but his height has never affected his success on the field. His ability to shine brightest in the biggest games, be it tournament finals or matches against Real Madrid, is a defining quality of the young player’s short resume. Under the tutelage of manager Carles Martinez, he made the move from central midfielder to a left-wing or an attacking midfielder. This versatility is necessary in a star-studded Cadet A midfield that includes Xavi Simons, Jorge Alaustey, Txus Alba, Marc Casado and the similarly versatile Arnau Sola.
After seeing numerous talented players leave, Barcelona would be wise to renew Fermín and many of his teammates, including Alba, Simons, Alaustey and Alejandro Balde. There is clearly something special about this Cadet A squad, and Fermín López has as good a shot as any to make it to the Camp Nou. Like any teenager, it’s impossible to tell where a talent like this will wind up, but with plenty of patience and tempered expectations, his should be a rewarding journey to follow.
