Best Football Academies In The World -Top 10

Every professional football player has started his career in a football academy where only talent it’s not enough. Youth academies are involved in finding unpolished diamonds and convert them into footballers ready to perform at the highest level in the football world.

Another thing, youth academies do is to maintain the traditions and principles of their clubs. Also, teach footballers to self-discipline and respect their opponents on and off the field.

Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are products of one of the best youth academies in the world. With their careers coming to an end. That will also be the end of their era, as well as many other footballers at the same age as them. Thus there will be a need for a fresh crop of world-class players.

That being mentioned, let’s have a look at the Best Football Academies In The World – Top 10 that most likely( we will be very grateful if they do that) will find next Messi or Ronaldo.

10. Real Madrid (La Fabrica)

One of the most famous if not the most famous club in the world, Real Madrid its know for buying the best players in the world know as “Galacticos”, leaving its academy in the shadow. Not known to many, La Fabrica has been successful in producing some of the top players in European clubs. Players such as Guti, Carvajal, Alvaro Morata, Iker Casillas, Markos Asensio, Lukas Vazques and Achraf Hakimi are products of La Fabrica.

9. Schalke 04 (Knappenschmiede)

One of the most recognisable German clubs in Europe, Schalke 04 regular participant in UEFA Champions League and League Europa its also know for the great academy they have. With many players from their academy, Germany has managed to win the Fifa World Cup in 2014, with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer and Benedikt Howedes. Other famous players came out from their academy are Julian Draxler, Jens Lehmann, Joel Matip, Leroy Sane and Christoph Metzelder.

8. Santos

One of the greatest football clubs in Brazil, Santos is also one of the best academies around the globe with 92 academies bearing its name across the world. The academy prioritises not only teaching young footballers how to play football but also making sure that their students will have good education as well as good health.

Apart from producing many world-class talents, Santos academy its most famous for finding the unpolished diamond Pele and making him one of the greatest football players ever lived on our Planet. Other prominent players came out from this academy are Neymar Jr and Robinho. One it is sure that this great Brazilian factory for footballers will produce many more world-class football players who will leave us in disbelieve while we are watching them on the pitch.

7. Southampton

Many of us will not consider Southampton as one of the big teams in England or Europe, but on the Academy level, this club is one of the biggest in the world. The club success in the business of scouting young talents has been a vital part of its management with approving £30m for new training facilities where young talents will have the best environment for development and becoming first-team players. One of the most famous alumni of their academy its Matt Le Tissier becoming club legend with his 443 games and scoring 161 goals for the club. Other distinguished alumni are Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Luke Shaw

6. Sao Paulo

Another big team from Brazil who is not only renowned for its success on the football field but also its academy. Equipped with the modern stadium and modern facilities, Sao Paulo it’s the right place where young talents can develop their skills and become the next big football star. One of the most famous alumni of their academy it’s Ricardo Kaka who became a legend of AC Milan by winning UEFA Champions League and winning Ballon D’or in 2007. Other notable alumni are Oscar, Lukas Moura, Eder Militao and David Neres.

5. Sporting Lisbon

Based in the capital of Portugal, Sporting Lisbon it’s one of the biggest clubs in the country as well as one of the best football academies in the world. Thanks to their academy we have witnessed and still witnessing one of the best players in the 21st century – Cristiano Ronaldo. By destroying Manchester United defence in a friendly game played in 2003, Sir Alex Ferguson straight away noticed the tremendous talent this young player has and as we know, the rest its history.

Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting academy has produced a lot of world-class players such as Luis Figo, Nani, Joao Moutinho, Rui Patricio, Joao Mario and many more who have gone to represent their country at the national level.

4.Bayern Munich

Well know for their incredible discipline and physical strength, German teams are one of the toughest one to play and Bayer Munich are no exception. That’s why their academy it’s worldwide known for one of the best in the world. Most of the academy players are German, and they have been taught of discipline and mental strength as well as football tactics. So far, this has been working out for the team. Some of the 2014 World Cup winners in the German squad were Bayern’s academy alumni, players such as Thomas Mueller, Phillip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kross. This shows us how strong and powerful its Bayern academy with half of the German squad being Bayern Munich players.

“Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win.”
– Gary Lineker.

That phrase explains everything.

3. Manchester United

One of the biggest clubs in the world has achieved so much in the football world. But not without the core of their academy. Which has always been a significant part of their philosophy of creating their players. Under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson, the club academy players were featured regularly in the first team games. One of the most famous graduates is the 92′ team which included players such as David Beckham, Gary and Phill Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt. In recent years the most famous academy players are Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Scott Mctominay, Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams.

2. Ajax

Factory for some of the best players in the past and home to many prospects in European football, Ajax football academy has trained a lot of prominent stars who have progressed to successful careers in the football world.

In terms of scouting Ajax, academy network doesn’t stop only in Europe but extend all around the world with scouts observing promising talents all around the globe. With preaching all age groups of playing fast build-up football with 1-2 passes know as “Johan Cruyff” style this academy its one of the most famous and attractive places for young footballers around the world.

Alumni of Ajax academy in the past are players such as Frank Rijkaard, Ronald and Frank De Boer, Dennis Bergkamp, Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten and in the recent year’s players such as Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong, Justin Kluivert and Christian Eriksen.

1. Barcelona (La Masia)

Without any doubt at our first place is Barcelona’s football academy La Masia. Their academy has produced several talents that have reached the top of the football world. Example for that its 2011, when three of their graduates were nominated for the Ballon d’Or. Which itself it’s a massive achievement for their academy.

One of the most famous if not the most famous graduate of the academy it’s one of the two best footballers in the 21st century, Lionel Messi who has been crowned the best footballer in the world for the record six times. Other prominent graduates are Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Carles Puyol who won the 2010 Fifa World Cup with Spain.

 

Which football academy you would include in our chart? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below. 

 

Petar Leykov

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