Bayelsa govt engages FC Barcelona technical experts to drive football development

The Bayelsa State Government has identified two technical staff members of FC Barcelona who will be central to the revolution in the state’s football talents.

The officials: Bernat Villa Gorriz and Alberto Lafuente Rincón.

Bernat Villa Gorriz is an experienced football coach, technical director, and football development specialist. He has over 15 years of professional experience in elite player development, coaching education, and international football projects.

With a degree in Industrial Engineering and the UEFA-A Coaching License, combining strong analytical skills with high-level coaching expertise, Gorriz began his coaching career in Catalonia, working with well-known clubs such as youth-focused CF Damm, Atlètic Sant Just FC, and Sant Cugat FC.

From these experiences, he built a solid foundation in youth development and competitive football.

In 2013, he joined FC Barcelona as a coach at the Barça Academy, contributing to the development of young talents through the club’s renowned training methodology. In 2016, he was appointed Technical Director of the Barça Academy Lagos (Nigeria), leading the sporting structure, coach education programmes, and player development strategy.

Three years later, in 2019, Gorriz became the Technical Director of Barça Academy for the Americas region, overseeing multiple academies and implementing FC Barcelona’s training standards across the continent.

In 2023, he was assigned as Technical Director of Barça Academy for the regions of America, Europe & Africa, managing large-scale international projects, coach education systems, and strategic development plans.

In 2024, Gorriz was appointed Technical Director of Barça Academy for the regions of Europe & Africa, as well as Project Manager for Africa within the FC Barcelona Scouting Department, leading talent identification strategies and long-term development projects across the continent.

On his part, Alberto Lafuente Rincón is a senior football executive and technical leader with over 10 years of international experience in elite player development, coach education, and the strategic management of high-performance football projects.

Armed with a degree in Sports Science and the UEFA-B Coaching License, he combines a strong analytical background with executive-level expertise in football methodology, talent development systems, and organisational leadership.

Lafuente Rincón began his professional career in Spain, working within established club structures such as CD Numancia, where he developed a solid understanding of youth academies, competitive environments, and long-term performance models.

In 2018, he joined Barça Academy in Lagos, contributing to the implementation of FC Barcelona’s global methodology in Nigeria and supporting the development of elite youth talent within an international framework.

A year later, in 2019, he was appointed Technical Director of Barça Academy Pune (India), assuming full responsibility of the academy’s sporting strategy.

His role included designing and leading the technical structure, overseeing coach education programmes, and aligning player development processes with FC Barcelona’s global standards.

From 2019 to 2025, Lafuente Rincón has been appointed as Technical Director across multiple international Barça Academy projects, including Dubai, the United States, and Japan, ensuring technical coherence, methodological consistency, and operational excellence across diverse football markets.

In parallel, he has acted as Global Camp Coordinator, leading Barça Academy camps worldwide (Taiwan, Australia, Argentina, Colombia), delivering standardised coach education frameworks and strategic development plans aimed at sustainable, long-term football growth.

For Bayelsa State and its talented young footballers and coaches, these high-profile officials from FC Barcelona of Spain may just be the trigger of dreams realised.