13. Ariño

Aitor Ariño started playing handball at the age of seven. His ability did not go unnoticed by FC Barcelona’s youth team managers, and they signed him to the U14 team in 2004. Almost two decades later, he is one of the important men in the first team locker room.

Ariño won a place for himself in the youth academy with handball in his blood given that his father Sergi played for the Club between 1986 and 1988.

He was named the MVP of the U15 Minicup tournament played in Zaragoza in 2008. His progress has been steady and constant, and he eventually earned the confidence of Xavi Pascual, who gave him his first team debut on 6 February 2010, against Cangas at the age of 17. Ariño scored four goals in his first game for FC Barcelona’s first team.

In the following seasons Ariño played for both the reserve and first teams. He was called up to the Spanish national team that went on to win the World Championship in Barcelona in 2013.

He was promoted to the first team at the beginning of the 2013/14 season and the following season he formed part of the squad that recorded the historical feat of claiming all seven trophies in the season 2014/15.

TECHNICAL PROFILE

Aitor Ariño is a player whose talents were forged in the FC Barcelona academy. Explosive, fast and agile, he can defend, break quickly and score with ease.

In positional play he looks to get in behind defenders and he shows a propensity to be lethal in front of goal. Despite his youth, he’s a player that has managed to acquire the necessary experience to play full time for the FC Barcelona’s first team.