French academies are well-known for nurturing talented players who go on to play for major clubs across Europe. This reputation is confirmed by a recent study from CIES.
The CIES study investigated which European clubs have developed the highest number of players over the last 20 years who are now playing in Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1). It’s not surprising that French clubs are prominently featured in these rankings.
Real Madrid tops the list with 166 players who progressed through their academy during this period, while Barcelona, with their renowned La Masia academy, is second with 156. Paris Saint-Germain is ranked third (111), closely followed by their French rivals Olympique Lyonnais. PSG has a long history of developing young players, although historically they haven’t always retained them. This is now changing, with Warren Zaïre-Emery becoming a prime example of this new approach.
Seven Ligue 1 Teams Among Top 20
Stade Rennais is in sixth place in the rankings (94), and AS Monaco is ninth with 88 developed players. Currently, players like Maghnes Akliouche, Eliesse Ben Seghir, and Soungoutou Magassa are making significant contributions for Les Monégasques, all products of La Diagonale academy.
Toulouse FC (11th with 87), FC Nantes (13th with 84), and AS Saint-Étienne (14th with 81) are also listed in the top 20 of the CIES study.