The true success of an academy isn't measured by the number of trophies lifted at youth level, but by its ability to supply top-tier professional football. That is precisely what the annual CIES Football Observatory study highlights, evaluating not only the number of academy graduates across 49 major leagues worldwide, but also their level of competition, playing time, and age.
Benfica reigns supreme, Spanish giants dominate the Big 5
On a global scale, SL Benfica takes top spot in the overall training index (101.3), narrowly ahead of three Argentine powerhouses: River Plate (97.6), Boca Juniors (96.7), and Vélez Sarsfield (92.0). Ajax (4th) and FC Barcelona (6th), two historic youth development benchmarks, complete this international showcase of excellence. In terms of pure numbers, River Plate leads the way with 94 academy graduates currently playing worldwide, just ahead of the Benfica–Boca Juniors pairing (93).
And what happens when looking exclusively at Europe's Big 5 (La Liga, Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1)? The hierarchy tightens around Spain's two titans: Real Madrid (40 active academy graduates in the top five leagues) and FC Barcelona (34). An impressive testament to consistency for La Casa Blanca and La Masia, both of which continue to export their talent across the continent.
Four French clubs in the Top 15
French youth development, renowned globally for its bottomless talent pool, is also remarkably well represented. With 28 academy graduates active in the Big 5, Stade Rennais secures a magnificent 4th place in Europe, right behind Manchester City (29). The impact of Rennes’ savoir-faire was on full display during the latest France national team camp, which featured no fewer than 7 players who came through La Piverdière (Ousmane Dembélé, Eduardo Camavinga, Désiré Doué, Adrien Truffert, Jérémy Jacquet, Lucas Da Cunha, and Andy Diouf).
Other French academies feature heavily at the top of the standings: Paris Saint-Germain ranks 5th (27 players), level with historic reference point Ajax. Meanwhile, youth setups at Olympique Lyonnais (12th with 20 players) and Toulouse FC (14th with 19 players) are also placed in the spotlight in a study that is bound to generate plenty of debate among youth coaches.
