Real Madrid Tops Charts in Youth Academy Success

A recent study by the CIES Football Observatory has revealed that Real Madrid’s youth academy, La Fábrica, is the most prolific in developing players for Europe’s top five leagues. The research, which examined player development over the past two decades, shows that Real Madrid has produced 166 players who have gone on to compete in the Spanish, Italian, French, German, or English top divisions.

Following closely behind is Barcelona, with 156 players, while Paris Saint-Germain rounds out the top three with 111 players. The study’s criteria for considering a player as a youth product includes spending at least three years at the club between the ages of 15 and 21.

The top 10 clubs in terms of youth development are:

1. Real Madrid (166 players)
2. Barcelona (156 players)
3. PSG (111 players)
4. Olympique Lyon (103 players)
5. Manchester United (103 players)
6. Stade Rennes (94 players)
7. Atalanta (94 players)
8. Athletic Club (89 players)
9. AS Monaco (88 players)
10. Valencia (87 players)

Real Madrid’s youth products have accumulated over one million minutes of playing time in the top five leagues, demonstrating not only the quantity but also the quality of players emerging from their academy. This achievement underscores the club’s commitment to nurturing young talent and its significant impact on European football.