Barcelona Hails 16-year-old Israeli as Rare Talent
The 16-year-old Israeli midfielder has already earned praise from Catalan media, who call him a “rare technical talent” with the potential to rise through Barça’s famed academy.
Twitter
At just 16, Oriyan Goren is being tipped as one of the brightest prospects in Barcelona’s football youth ranks. The Israeli midfielder, who signed a three-year deal with the Spanish champions this summer, has already caught the attention of the Catalan press.
In a glowing feature, the sports daily "Sport" described him as “a special technical talent,” praising his rare vision of the game and his versatility. Naturally positioned as a central-left midfielder, Goren has also been tested as a right-sided playmaker, a false nine, and even in a deeper defensive role. “He adapts easily to what the coach demands,” the paper noted.
Goren is under the guidance of coach Pol Planas, who is renowned for polishing raw gems into first-team players. “Oriyan’s natural talent is immense,” the report declared, while stressing that La Masia’s system is designed to refine and shape such players for the highest levels of the sport.
With Hansi Flick promoting several academy youngsters to Barça’s senior squad, opportunities are opening in the reserves and youth teams. Goren, according to Sport, may be well positioned to seize one of those coveted spots.
Competition is fierce. Barcelona’s midfield remains stacked with elite talent both in the first team and at youth level. For Goren, the path forward will be about consistency, development, and standing out among prodigies who are equally determined to rise.
Still, the Catalan media see something unique. For Israeli football, long yearning for a global superstar, Oriyan Goren’s journey at Barcelona could mark the beginning of a new chapter.
As one Barça insider put it: “He is a diamond. The question is how far he will shine.”