Barcelona already has a host of young players who have the potential to fill the void left by the club's former superstar Lionel Messi.

After almost two decades, who would've thought that Lionel Messi will shock the world and leave Barcelona, his beloved club. At first, many were still hoping that everything was just a big misunderstanding and whatever the issue was with the club's financial woes will be addressed, and in the end, Messi will stay.

However, none of it happened and Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed the beginning of the “post-Messi era.”

“We had hoped that the post-Messi era would start in two years' time, but now we have to bring that forward by two years,” Laporta told the media at the time.

Soon, the Catalans will get it over with and Barcelona will have a face. Or maybe even a “new Messi.”

Over the years, there has been a number of soccer prodigies once dubbed as the “new Messi,” a moniker that only few managed to live up to. Surprisingly, some of them are already at Camp Nou.

Ansu Fati

Ansu Fati made his mark in Barcelona during his maiden season with the club's senior team in 2019. He went along well with Messi on and off the pitch the entire campaign and finished the season with a remarkable eight goals to his name.

As a teenager, Fati was truly exceptional. Aside from impressing at Barcelona, he also made a name for himself in the international stage, having set multiple records in both club and international football.

What's even more interesting, it was Messi himself who gave Fati the privilege to be his understudy.

“I like him and I'll try to help him,” Messi said of Fati. “He is a fantastic player and has what it takes to succeed. But if I look through my eyes, I would like him to have a gradual participation, as happened to me when I started. It must be remembered that he is only 16 years old.”

When Messi left, Barcelona handed over his iconic No. 10 shirt to Fati, a gesture from the club that needed no further explanation.

Emre Demir

After becoming a highly-touted player in Turkey's Super Lig, 17-year-old Emre Demir finally got the opportunity to take his game to another level when Barcelona pounced for him in September.

Demir's left foot, physique, dribbling skills and ability to escape defenders in unimaginable ways made it easy for the media to liken him to Messi.

Despite taking the comparisons as a compliment, Demir made it known early on that he will carve his own path at Barcelona.

“When I started football, I took [Lionel] Messi as an example,” Demir admitted. “I was watching every game. However, I want to be Emre Demir. I'm still at the beginning of the road. I will work harder.”

“I want to show a better Emre Demir by working hard,” he continued. “I would like to meet Messi in Barcelona, ​​ but he left.”

Kays Ruiz-Atil

Like Messi, Kays Ruiz-Atil was honed by Barcelona's famed La Masia Academy during his boyhood years. He left the club to continue his progress at Paris Saint-Germain but he has now made his return to Barcelona.

Apart from the resemblance with Messi'game, Ruiz-Atil and the Argentine also share the same love for Barca.

“I would like to be in the first team and see if I make my debut,” Ruiz-Atil said shortly after returning to Barcelona. “I am very happy to return home, Barça has always been a family to me.”

Ilias Akhomach

Ilias Akhomach has been a standout in the Barcelona youth team. Definitely, he wasn't the first youngster to be compared to Messi. However, what makes the comparison special was that it came from Barcelona legend and former Academy director Patrick Kluivert himself.

“He is the Messi who is coming,” Kluivert said of Akhomach in an interview in 2019. “What's more, he is already somewhat similar. He is left-handed and his agent is Horacio Gaggioli, the representative who brought Messi to Barcelona.”

Francisco Trincao

In this list, Fati may be ahead of everybody else in terms of overall success. But as for the hype, it is Francisco Trincao who earns the title.

After being dazzled by Trincao's potential, Barcelona raided him from SC Braga and secured his future with the club by injecting a staggering €500 million buyout clause. In simpler terms, that is the amount an interested club will need to pay Barcelona should it fancy bringing in Trincao to their team.

What's more, Trincao is not only being branded by some as the “New Messi.” Some are also convinced that he's also the “New Cristiano Ronaldo.”