In this day and age, youth academies are a prerequisite for all major clubs around the world as they aim to develop potential talent from a young age and provide opportunities to promising youth who envisage a career in football.
Academies generally develop players to build future options for their senior team but it can also serve as a source of additional income by making profit over player sales that are either deemed surplus or want a lucrative big money move to a top club.
Most football academies have several levels of setup, right from Under 6’s to Under 18’s to the Senior team. There have been many famous names in world football who ended up going from the initial level to the top while some have moved on to different clubs and earned success there.
The criteria for selection and ranking are –
- Quality of the players developed by the club
- Academy Setup, Training and facilities
- Transfer Value of their players
Here’s a look at the top ten most successful academies in the world of football –
10. Sporting Clube de Portugal
The Portuguese club Sporting CP has an incredible legacy of producing world class talent on a consistent basis. While some stayed at Sporting CP for a while, most of their illustrious names moved on to greener pastures.
Sporting CP Youth Academy is part of the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo based in Alcochete. Named after their most successful protégé Cristiano Ronaldo and headed by the renowned Aurélio Pereira for several decades, the Sporting CP Academy has scouted and developed one of the world’s best talents.
Their youth development division includes the Pólo Estádio Universitário de Lisboa (EUL) and the Aurélio Pereira Academy situated near their home stadium Estádio José Alvalade. They accept children from age 6-13 years for training.
The names of their most famous youth academy products are –
Luís Figo, Ricardo Quaresma, Paulo Futre, William Carvalho, João Moutinho, Rui Patrício and Nani in addition to one of the greatest players of this generation in Cristiano Ronaldo.
9. Club Atlético Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors is a prestigious South American club from Argentina. Before the 1980’s they competed with River Plate by buying the best South American players on the basis of the size of the club and money. However, this approach stopped working soon and that is when the club took a leaf out of the book of their rivals and shifted their focus towards building a youth academy to produce high quality South American talent.
Since the 1990s, the club has produced many quality players who have moved on to European clubs, which has also coincided with the club returning to the topmost level in South American football.
The Boca Juniors academy is set up in Ezeiza, Buenos Aires in Argentina. Famously known as the ‘Boca Factory’, the youth setup exists from U-8 to U-20 levels. Mentored by experienced coaches, the players are taught the (4-3-1-2) set up from the beginning to the first team. This makes for a seamless integration into the first team.
Some of the top names coming out and making their name from the Boca Juniors youth system are –
Éver Banega, Carlos Tevez, Fernando Gago, Nicolás Burdisso, Nicolás Gaitán, Alan Varela, Rodrigo Bentancur alongside nurturing one of the best players to ever play football in Diego Maradona.
Note: Maradona wasn’t a product of their academy but was bought by Boca Juniors from another South American club.
8. Club Atlético River Plate
One of the most famous and successful South American Clubs in football, River Plate has been famous for nurturing and developing world class football talents who have not only played in South America but also gone to top European Clubs and achieved major success.
River Plate’s academy, La Escuela de Fútbol River Plate, starts admitting players at the under-7 level with the aim of producing professional footballers for the first team. The football played at River Plate demands its players to combine skill, game intelligence, and tactical awareness with the mental strength they bring from playing in the streets and local tournaments. Their footballing curriculum is structured around initially setting up a technical foundation for the young players and then moves into competencies like passing and dribbling that directly helps in game play.
Some of their most illustrious alumni are –
José Manuel Moreno, Javier Mascherano, Pablo Aimar, Hernán Crespo, Enzo Francescoli, Gonzalo Higuaín, Omar Sívori in addition to their most famous alumni, Real Madrid legend and multiple Ballon d’Or winner Alfredo Di Stéfano.
7. Arsenal Football Club
Arsenal Football Club is one of the most successful clubs in England’s top-tier. Nicknamed the Gunners, the club has produced a range of talented players who have gone on to represent top European clubs along with representing Arsenal itself.
Arsenal’s academy has been set up at Hale End in London and famously called the Hale End. Their youth team participates in the Professional Development League, FA Youth Cup and also the FA Youth League competitions. Former Arsenal player, Per Mertesacker is the current Academy Manager.
The Arsenal academy setup focuses on development of the players on the basis of their age and the preferred playing position. They provide individual and team-based coaching curriculum for each player. Their setup ranges from U-9 to U-23 levels and the practice of aligning the playing style with that of the first team begins from the lowest levels.
Some of the high-profile and top-class talents from the Arsenal Academy are –
Tony Adams, David O’ Leary, Martin Keown, Paul Merson, Ashley Cole, Liam Brady, Harry Kane, Jermaine Pennant, Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szcz?sny, Héctor Bellerín, Bukayo Saka, Serge Gnabry, Emiliano Martínez, Eberechi Eze.
6. AS Monaco
AS Monaco is a football club from the French Ligue 1 with their youth academy having been a breeding ground for the top talents in Europe. AS Monaco has one of the best and most reputable training centres in France.
The youth academy was established in 1975 as an initiative of the then-Club President Jean-Louis Campora. Their aim of creating the academy was to scout young talents and develop them as world class footballers which they certainly managed to do in several instances.
The selection criteria for a potential young talent were initially based on three vital parameters and if a player didn’t possess even one of these, the Monaco Academy would dismiss them. The parameters were – speed, quick reflexes and exceptional technique.
Some of the most notable World Class players churned out by the AS Monaco Academy are –
Thierry Henry, Lilian Thuram, Emmanuel Petit, David Trezeguet, Kylian Mbappe, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Benoît Badiashile.
5. Clube de Football Real Madrid
It’s a huge misconception in football circles that Real Madrid doesn’t have a world class football academy. Before they were called the Galacticos’ and started buying stars from other clubs in big money deals, Real Madrid have been known to develop a range of football super stars of their own. Popularly known as La Fábrica, the academy and the training centre are located in Valdebebas, Madrid.
The youth academy system was developed in the 1950s by former Real Madrid player Miguel Malbo under the guidance of the then-Real Madrid president, Santiago Bernabéu. Malbo served as the director of the youth academy for five decades and had a huge role to play in creating a top-class academy.
Since its inception, several academy graduates have moved onto the first team and other European clubs and contributed to the success of their respective clubs. The level of the youth system starts from Under-6’s and goes onto Under-19 levels, all competing in their age-appropriate league and must progress through the ranks to make it to the Los Blancos first team.
The most impressive talents from the Real Madrid academy are –
Raúl, Iker Casillas, Guti, Juan Mata, Dani Parejo, Samuel Eto’o, Juanfran, Marcos Alonso, Saúl Ñíguez, Dani Carvajal, Álvaro Negredo, Nacho Fernández, Achraf Hakimi, Marcos Llorente, Álvaro Morata.
4. Santos Futebol Clube
Anyone who knows about Brazilian football would know that Santos is the biggest football club in Brazil and have been known to produce the most illustrious names in the world of football, players that have not just been greats or superstars but ones that have inspired generations of young children to take up football as a profession.
The Santos Football Academy is based in São Paulo and the players train at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium. The youth level system is divided into five age-groups: Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20. The youth players are not just provided training but their dietary and medical requirements are also taken care of by the academy. The club’s physical development program is top notch and one of the very best in Brazilian football.
The most notable academy graduates who went on to achieve success and play for big clubs are –
Neymar Júnior, Rodrygo, Pepe, Willian, Robinho, Giovanni, Danilo, Elano, Diego, Emerson Palmieri, Clodoaldo, Zito alongside one of football ‘s greatest legends, Pelé.
3. Manchester United Football Club
Manchester United is one of the most popular clubs across the world. They haven’t just achieved success with several trophies to their name but also developed an enviable football academy that produced hugely talented footballers and continues to nurture youth talent. The Manchester United Academy was established in 1998 but the initiation happened as early as 1930 with the establishment of the Manchester United Junior Athletic Club (MUJAC). The current academy is based at the Aon Training Complex in Carrington, Manchester.
The Manchester United academy ranges from the Under-9’s up to the Under-18’s. The club has a wide global scouting network and their process of selection depends on being recommended by a Manchester academy coach or scout. Their eye for talent is second to none and the fact that they have named at least one academy player in 4000 consecutive matchday squads is a testament to their long-standing aim to develop youth and move them into the first team. Their famous ‘Class of 92’ is particularly the best batch of youth players to graduate from the Club’s academy.
The most successful and talented Manchester United Academy graduates are –
David Beckham, George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton, Duncan Edwards, Mark Hughes, Nobby Stiles, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Wes Brown, Duncan Fletcher, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Scot Mctominay, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Greenwood.
2. Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax
AFC Ajax is an eminent football club based in Amsterdam and one of the leading pioneers of the youth academy system. Their academy was established in the 1900’s and is known to have developed the most talented Dutch players of their generation. The academy manages 13 youth teams ranging from Under-7 to Under-18. Their main aim is to develop players for the Ajax first team. They are still churning out top class talent in world football.
Sportcomplex De Toekomst is the training ground of AFC Ajax. The entire complex consists of seven fields and a training center. The style of play they enforce in the academy is the general 4-3-3 with the goalkeeper. The Ajax academy works on the TIPS principle meaning Technique, Insight, Personality and Speed. This model along with their other ingredients forms their core philosophy in football coaching which has brought incredible success.
The most talented graduates from the AFC Ajax Academy are –
Johan Cruyff, Dennis Bergkamp, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Edwin van der Sar, Marco van Basten, Frank de Boer, Ronald de Boar, Frank Rijkaard, Sjaak Swart, Rafael van der Vaart, Ryan Babel, John Heitinga, Daley Blind, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen, Nigel de Jong, Christian Eriksen, Ryan Gravenberch, Matthijs de Ligt, Jurriën Timber.
1. Futbol Club Barcelona
Barcelona is one of the most distinguished football clubs followed globally by millions of fans and a lot of their success can be attributed to their insistence towards developing home-grown players.
The Barça Academy is called the ‘La Masia’, named after the training facility where it was initially housed. The inception of the academy was suggested by Jaume Amat in 1979. Since then, the Barça Academy has seen a lot of change but their aim to develop young talent and blood them into the first team remains the same unlike their arch-rivals Real Madrid who now prefer buying talented and proven players from other clubs.
The Barça Academy develops youth across levels ranging from Under-6 to Under-18. Their current academy is set up at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper in Barcelona, named in honour of their founder, Joan Gamper.
Their core philosophy consists of total football mixed with traditional Spanish one-touch football (tiki-taka). Dutch legend Johan Cruyff introduced the total football idea and merged it along with the traditional approach. The commitment and continuity to this approach has been one of the main reasons for Barcelona’s unprecedented success in club football.
The most famous graduates of La Masia are –
Carles Puyol, Victor Valdés, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Xavier Hernández, Cesc Fàbregas, Sergi Barjuán, Guillermo Amor, Pep Guardiola, Thiago Alcântara, Thiago Motta, Mikel Arteta, Pepe Reina, Pedro Rodriguez, Luis García, Jordi Alba, Albert Ferrer, Sergi Roberto, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Marc Bernal, Pau Cubarsí, Ansu Fati alongside the best player of this generation and multiple times Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
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