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Top 100 Football Academies Worldwide Revealed in Latest Ranking

Global Ranking of the Best Football Academies Unveiled

A fresh study has identified and ranked the 100 leading football academies around the world today. Every elite player begins somewhere, and the academy where they develop as youths can significantly impact their professional journey.

Grassroots football demands commitment, and the early years spent at academies globally often set a player's future path. While clubs like Manchester United's Carrington Academy, Barcelona’s renowned La Masia, and the consistent output from Jong Ajax are well-known for producing top talent, many other academies quietly nurture exceptional players without much fanfare.

The annual analysis by the CIES Football Observatory examined players currently active in 49 leagues worldwide. The ranking is based on a training index that considers the number of players trained, the level of their clubs last season, and their official minutes played.

Clubs Ranked 100 to 91

Even successful clubs like 2024 Europa League champions Atalanta find themselves down in 93rd place, alongside teams such as Villarreal, Basel, Braga, and Chile’s Colo-Colo. Atalanta’s youth setup, named after mentor Mino Favini, counts players like Alessandro Bastoni and Manchester United favourite Amad Diallo among its graduates.

At the bottom, in 100th spot, sits Le Havre AC from France, which has launched stars like Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet, despite recent competition from bigger Ligue 1 clubs.

  • Rank 100: Le Havre AC, France, 37 players, Index 32.6
  • 99: Caracas FC, Venezuela, 49 players, Index 32.6
  • 98: FC Basel, Switzerland, 31 players, Index 32.8
  • 97: FC Copenhagen, Denmark, 30 players, Index 32.8
  • 96: Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia, 30 players, Index 32.8
  • 95: SC Braga, Portugal, 30 players, Index 33.1
  • 94: Colo Colo, Chile, 47 players, Index 33.2
  • 93: Atalanta, Italy, 25 players, Index 33.5
  • 92: Gimnasia La Plata, Argentina, 26 players, Index 33.5
  • 91: Villarreal, Spain, 30 players, Index 34.1

Ranks 90 to 81 Show Diversity

Inter Milan and Juventus appear here, perhaps indicating Serie A's preference for transfers over relying heavily on homegrown talent. Players like Kenan Yildiz and Federico Dimarco demonstrate exceptions. Clubs like Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor and Peru’s Sporting Cristal highlight that reputation isn’t everything; both have many current professionals despite lacking global star names. Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro enters at 81st with promising talent like Savinho.

  • 90: Pakhtakor, Uzbekistan, 57 players, Index 34.1
  • 89: Liverpool FC (Uruguay), 37 players, Index 34.7
  • 88: Inter Milan, Italy, 29 players, Index 35.0
  • 87: Juventus, Italy, 32 players, Index 35.0
  • 86: Standard Liege, Belgium, 34 players, Index 35.5
  • 85: LDU Quito, Ecuador, 40 players, Index 35.8
  • 84: Sporting Cristal, Peru, 56 players, Index 35.9
  • 83: CA Union, Argentina, 36 players, Index 37.0
  • 82: Deportivo Saprissa, Costa Rica, 45 players, Index 37.1
  • 81: Atletico Mineiro, Brazil, 33 players, Index 37.2

80 to 71: Liverpool's Youth Tradition and Surprises

Liverpool, England’s most successful club, has a proud history of developing talent, producing legends like Steven Gerrard and recent stars such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones. Despite this, Liverpool ranks only 75th, making it the lowest among Premier League academies in the top 100.

They rank above AS Monaco, known for graduates like Kylian Mbappe, but trail behind smaller clubs like Slovakia’s MSK Zilina and Serbia’s FK Vojvodina — a ranking some might find harsh.

  • 80: Chivas Guadalajara, Mexico, 37 players, Index 37.5
  • 79: RCD Espanyol, Spain, 33 players, Index 37.5
  • 78: AS Monaco, France, 36 players, Index 37.5
  • 77: FC Midtjylland, Denmark, 37 players, Index 37.9
  • 76: Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel, 38 players, Index 38.9
  • 75: Liverpool, England, 36 players, Index 39.1
  • 74: Deportivo Cali, Colombia, 54 players, Index 39.7
  • 73: MSK Zilina, Slovakia, 41 players, Index 39.7
  • 72: FK Vojvodina, Serbia, 42 players, Index 39.9
  • 71: CA Banfield, Argentina, 49 players, Index 40.1

70 to 61: Spain’s Basque Country and Atlético Madrid Shine

Basque clubs continue to produce exceptional managers and players. Real Sociedad's La Cantera academy is nurturing exciting talents like Martin Zubimendi, who chose Arsenal over Liverpool and Real Madrid. Atlético Madrid boasts homegrown stars such as Rodri, Koke, Giuliano Simeone, and Pablo Barrios, all regulars in Champions League matches.

  • 70: CA Belgrano, Argentina, 41 players, Index 40.9
  • 69: Montevideo Wanderers, Uruguay, 43 players, Index 41.0
  • 68: FC Nordsjaelland, Denmark, 39 players, Index 41.1
  • 67: Independiente Medellin, Colombia, 43 players, Index 41.9
  • 66: Valencia, Spain, 38 players, Index 42.0
  • 65: Atlético Madrid, Spain, 33 players, Index 42.2
  • 64: Slavia Praha, Czechia, 39 players, Index 42.3
  • 63: Athletic Club, Spain, 28 players, Index 42.5
  • 62: Sparta Praha, Czechia, 41 players, Index 42.8
  • 61: Real Sociedad, Spain, 27 players, Index 43.3

60 to 51: Mid-Range Powerhouses and Historic Giants

Manchester United's Carrington academy still produces stars like Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay, ranking 56th overall. Bayern Munich holds 54th, powered by talents such as Jamal Musiala and Karim Adeyemi.

Feyenoord in the Netherlands remains a vital hub for youth development, with 47 current professionals developed through their system emphasizing balanced growth.

  • 60: Club Guarani, Paraguay, 46 players, Index 43.5
  • 59: FC Porto, Portugal, 38 players, Index 44.0
  • 58: Athletico Paranaense, Brazil, 35 players, Index 44.5
  • 57: Olimpia Asuncion, Paraguay, 55 players, Index 44.5
  • 56: Manchester United, England, 40 players, Index 45.2
  • 55: CA Independiente, Argentina, 43 players, Index 45.2
  • 54: Bayern Munich, Germany, 40 players, Index 45.9
  • 53: Club Brugge, Belgium, 35 players, Index 47.2
  • 52: CF Pachuca, Mexico, 46 players, Index 47.4
  • 51: Feyenoord, Netherlands, 47 players, Index 47.9

50 to 41: English Clubs and South American Giants

Chelsea's Cobham academy produces quality talent but the club’s transfer-heavy approach since 2022 has overshadowed its youth system. Arsenal takes a more patient route, successfully integrating Bukayo Saka and Myles Lewis-Skelly, though they've struggled with players like Eberechi Eze leaving too soon.

South American clubs such as Envigado FC and Racing Club show strong youth development, with many graduates now playing professionally worldwide.

  • 50: Chelsea, England, 34 players, Index 48.3
  • 49: Envigado FC, Colombia, 64 players, Index 48.3
  • 48: Arsenal, England, 42 players, Index 48.7
  • 47: Racing Club, Argentina, 49 players, Index 50.1
  • 46: Hajduk Split, Croatia, 40 players, Index 50.5
  • 45: Argentinos Juniors, Argentina, 48 players, Index 50.8
  • 44: Stade Rennais, France, 43 players, Index 50.9
  • 43: AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands, 43 players, Index 52.8
  • 42: Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine, 60 players, Index 53.1
  • 41: Club Estudiantes, Argentina, 51 players, Index 53.5

40 to 31: Brazilian Powerhouses Lead the Charge

Brazilian clubs dominate this section, with Fluminense spawning Premier League forwards Joao Pedro and Evanilson, SC Internacional backing Alisson’s rise, Cruzeiro fielding 43 professionals, and Gremio boasting 55 graduates.

Santos stands out, having produced Neymar, whose 2017 transfer to Paris Saint-Germain remains football’s most expensive. This confirms Brazil's enduring talent-producing ability.

  • 40: Penarol, Uruguay, 60 players, Index 53.5
  • 39: RB Salzburg, Austria, 50 players, Index 54.3
  • 38: Fluminense, Brazil, 51 players, Index 55.2
  • 37: SC Internacional, Brazil, 44 players, Index 55.4
  • 36: Club Libertad, Paraguay, 51 players, Index 55.5
  • 35: Cruzeiro, Brazil, 50 players, Index 56.0
  • 34: Lyon, France, 48 players, Index 56.1
  • 33: Gremio, Brazil, 55 players, Index 56.4
  • 32: Independiente del Valle, Ecuador, 54 players, Index 56.8
  • 31: Santos, Brazil, 53 players, Index 57.6

30 to 21: Dutch Precision and Argentine Heritage

Manchester City’s academy has quietly contributed key players like Phil Foden and Cole Palmer to their recent dominance, though some young talent escapes their grasp. PSV Eindhoven nurtures stars including Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay. Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys still produce many pros but seem less dominant than during Messi’s era.

  • 30: PSV, Netherlands, 48 players, Index 57.8
  • 29: Danubio FC, Uruguay, 66 players, Index 58.7
  • 28: Cerro Porteno, Paraguay, 57 players, Index 58.9
  • 27: KRC Genk, Belgium, 45 players, Index 59.7
  • 26: Newell's Old Boys, Argentina, 69 players, Index 60.6
  • 25: RSC Anderlecht, Belgium, 52 players, Index 60.9
  • 24: Rosario Central, Argentina, 60 players, Index 61.7
  • 23: CA Lanus, Argentina, 65 players, Index 61.7
  • 22: Atletico Nacional, Colombia, 62 players, Index 63.2
  • 21: Manchester City, England, 50 players, Index 63.2

20 to 11: PSG’s Youth Revolution and Brazilian Excellence

Paris Saint-Germain shifted focus from star-studded lineups to youth under Luis Enrique, with players like Warren Zaire-Emery playing crucial roles in recent Champions League triumphs.

Brazil’s Palmeiras ranks 18th, producing promising talents Estevao and Endrick. Flamengo and Corinthians also feature prominently. Sao Paulo leads Brazilian academies here, with graduates such as Manchester United’s Antony now flourishing at Real Betis.

  • 20: FK Partisan, Serbia, 70 players, Index 63.9
  • 19: Paris Saint-Germain, France, 62 players, Index 65.0
  • 18: Palmeiras, Brazil, 56 players, Index 65.1
  • 17: Club Nacional, Uruguay, 70 players, Index 65.4
  • 16: CA San Lorenzo, Argentina, 66 players, Index 66.8
  • 15: Flamengo, Brazil, 51 players, Index 67.4
  • 14: Sc Corinthians, Brazil, 57 players, Index 68.8
  • 13: Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine, 63 players, Index 70.3
  • 12: Sao Paulo, Brazil, 65 players, Index 71.3
  • 11: Red Star Belgrade, Serbia, 79 players, Index 73.3

Top 10: Benfica Tops, Barcelona Second, River Plate Third

Red Star Belgrade ranks 11th, with a rich history of producing talent like Andrija Maksimovic. Real Madrid ranks ninth, known for graduates such as Achraf Hakimi, considered the world’s best right-back.

Argentine powerhouse River Plate has produced the most professionals worldwide, surpassing even Ajax. Surprisingly, Barcelona’s famed La Masia ranks second, while Portugal’s Benfica claims the top spot for the second year running. Their academy boasts players like Joao Neves, Ruben Dias, Goncalo Ramos, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Cancelo.

  • 10: Velez Sarsfield, Argentina, 70 players, Index 73.8
  • 9: Real Madrid, Spain, 58 players, Index 74.8
  • 8: Defensor SC, Uruguay, 88 players, Index 77.0
  • 7: Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia, 77 players, Index 77.9
  • 6: Sporting CP, Portugal, 76 players, Index 83.4
  • 5: Boca Juniors, Argentina, 86 players, Index 95.0
  • 4: Ajax, Netherlands, 80 players, Index 97.6
  • 3: River Plate, Argentina, 97 players, Index 98.3
  • 2: Barcelona, Spain, 76 players, Index 98.7
  • 1: Benfica, Portugal, 93 players, Index 105.1

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