Excellent youth facilities are crucial to the long term success of a club. When you are producing your young talents not only that you have a stable base of players for the senior team without the necessity to buy finished products, but also, you have a lot of potential money in your pocket by selling those who you need no more.
Productive academy ensures the much-needed stability in the squad selection, and also financial benefits.
It could be a key to the long term success of a club. Here’s the list of FM20 top 10 football academies:
10. Southampton
Southampton FC was founded in 1885 and has been competing in tier 1 of England’s football league (Premier League) for the last 8 years. The Staplewood Football Development & Support Centre is the club’s training ground and also the youth academy.
- Top tier experience
- Very good facilities
- Notable Graduates: Adam Lallana, Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Luke Shaw, Wayne Bridge, James Ward-Prowse
Before setting up a proper football academy Southampton produced some talents such as Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier but that was pretty random. Nowadays Southampton's academy is producing very good talents regularly. Very good facilities, staff, and overall conditions are contributing to the continuous production of some of England's finest players. The club is offering the first-team experience in maybe the best league in the world of football.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/fc-southampton/jugendarbeit/verein/180
9. Partizan
FC Partizan Belgrade was founded in 1945 as a military football club and has been competing in tier 1 of Serbia’s football league (Super Liga) since then.
- Fantastic coaches with plenty of experience
- Good facilities
- Notable Graduates: Stevan Jovetic, Matija Nastasic, Adem Ljajic, Lazar Markovic, Miralem Sulejmani, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Simon Vukcevic
The FK Partizan Youth School, also known as Belin–Lazarević–Nadoveza youth school, is the youth school for the Serbian football club Partizan Belgrade. It was founded in the 1950s and named after former Partizan players Bruno Belin, Čedomir Lazarević, and Branko Nadoveza. The school is well known for its dedicated work with youngsters.
Partizan has won several awards for its youth work, including "Best European Youth Work" in 2006. The Youth School produced some fantastic players for the Serbian national side and the club itself, and some of them are playing for the most famous football clubs in Europe.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/fk-partizan-belgrad/jugendarbeit/verein/669
8. Dinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb was founded in 1911 and has a rich history playing in the top tier of the Croatian league (Yugoslavian league before 1991). Their academy is among the best in Europe, producing and finding talents who usually develop into top players.
- Tradition in producing talents
- Very good facilities
- Notable Graduates: Luka Modric, Eduardo da Silva, Mateo Kovacic, Sime Vrsaljko, Robert Prosinecki, Dario Simic, Dejan Lovren, Vedran Corluka
Not so attractive Croatian league doesn’t contribute to keeping young talented players in the first team for a long time and thus there is not much success in the European competitions for Dinamo. Because, young players, as soon as they make first successful appearances in the first team and on European scene, are targeted by the top clubs which tend to sign them sooner than later, paying less money for their contracts this way.
However, Dinamo made more than 50 million EUR in the last 4 years selling their youngsters to top European clubs. With more than 200 youngsters currently training under their supervision, it is certain that this will be the case for the years to come, also.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/gnk-dinamo-zagreb/jugendarbeit/verein/419
7. Manchester United
Manchester United was founded in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club, by the railway workers. The club has been competing in tier 1 of England’s football league (Premier League) since it starts and has collected the most trophies of all English clubs in that era. Their football academy in the Carrington training center is top of the notch in Europe, producing a magnificent amount of quality young players over the years.
- Top tier experience
- Excellent facilities
- Notable Graduates: Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary, and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Jonny Evans, Danny Welbeck, Scott McTominay, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford
Last year MUFC met the milestone of 4.000 consecutive games featuring at least one academy graduate in the first-team squad. It’s a run that stretches from 1937. This amazing piece of data is just one more proof of long term dedication of MUFC to the development of their young players to become first-teamers.
The club's orientation to their academy product has become legendary with the ’92 generation (Giggs, Scholes, Neville brothers, Butt) under Sir Alex. But no matter who the manager is, the Red Devils keep on turning to their production line. Youngsters simply always get the chance.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/manchester-united/jugendarbeit/verein/985
6. Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich was founded in 1900 and has been winning trophies along the way, both domestically and on the international scene. Their youth academy is crucial to this success and has produced some fantastic players over the years.
- Top tier experience
- Excellent facilities
- Notable Graduates: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos, Holger Badstuber, Thomas Muller, David Alaba, Owen Hargreaves, Dietmar Hamann, Markus Babbel
Bayern’s academy is absolutely among the best in the world. Their products are just stunning and there have been periods of Bayern’s first-team squad holding up to 10 graduates (Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos, Holger Badstuber, Thomas Muller, Diego Contento, and David Alaba – all playing key roles in the squad).
However, there’s been a significant pause in Bayern’s production in first-team materials ever since David Alaba. Production didn’t halt but graduates haven’t been able to hold the first-team place for a significant amount of time, and make any considerable impact. Nevertheless, in FM20 with Bayern you’ll have fantastic academy and staff, and it’s up to you to start making stars again.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/fc-bayern-munchen/jugendarbeit/verein/27
5. Sao Paolo
São Paulo Futebol Clube, known as São Paulo, is a Brazilian professional football club founded in 1930. SPFC is the most successful team from Brazil, and also one of the most successful South American clubs (12 international titles, 21 state titles, etc.), and among the most popular clubs in SA with more than 16 million supporters.
- Fantastic competition experience
- Outstanding facilities
- Notable Graduates: Hernanes, Jean, Denilson, Oscar, Lucas Moura, Breno, Cafu, Kaka, Rogerio Ceni, Éder Militão, David Neres, Casemiro
Probably every football club in Brazil has a serious academy. On any list of top youth academies one should include at least 3 or 4 Brazilian sides. However, no academy has been producing talents with such regularity in quality like Sao Paolo’s. The club's youth sides are regularly among the leading contenders for major youth titles in Brazil, and their products are more than often in key roles of the Brazilian national side.
Rodrigo Ceni, the legendary goal-scoring keeper and also an academy graduate, is responsible for Sao Paolo’s star-making machinery. He brought fresh ideas from his studying in Europe after the retirement, and some European faces as well (Michael Beale, who worked in Chelsea’s and Liverpool’s academy). Outstanding facilities, fantastic competitions experience, magnificent fan base, and extra quality staff are what’s waiting for you if you choose to try yourself in charge of Sao Paolo FC in FM20.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/fc-sao-paulo/jugendarbeit/verein/585
4. Sporting Lisabon
Sporting Clube de Portugal is a football club based in Lisbon, Portugal. Founded on 1 July 1906, Sporting is one of the "Três Grandes" (Big Three) clubs in Portugal, along with rivals S.L. Benfica and FC Porto, that have never been relegated from the top flight of Portuguese football, Primeira Liga, since 1934. Sporting is the third most decorated Portuguese football team, with a total of 50 trophies.
The Academia Sporting, Sporting's training facilities located outside Alcochete is the first of such size and quality to be constructed in Portugal. The Academy is one of the most modern and well-equipped academies in Europe. Devoted to training and management, the complex is situated in a tranquil environment and climate that is recommended for the preparation of football teams.
- Top tier experience
- Excellent facilities
- Notable Graduates: Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho, Nani, Miguel Veloso, Luis Figo, Paulo Futre, Beto, Simao, Ricardo Quaresma
The fact that Sporting’s academy produced 8 of starting 11 of Portugal’s national side that started the match in 2016 Euro Cup final speaks for itself. They have fantastic facilities and experienced staff. Their products are introduced early in the top tier football and develop rapidly. Many of them are key members of top European clubs. There is a slight favor towards wingers in Sporting’s academy (Ronaldo, Nani, Figo, Quaresma) but that’s not exclusive. Their philosophy is that they are developing people, not just players.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/sporting-lissabon/jugendarbeit/verein/336
3. Benfica
Benfica was founded in 1904 and since then has won many trophies domestic and international. In the process Benfica has produced many top players, earned a lot of money by selling them to top European clubs, and winning trophies along the way.
- Top tier experience
- Excellent facilities
- Notable Graduates: Eusebio, Rui Costa, João Cancelo, Renato Sanches, João Félix, Bernardo Silva, Ederson
Benfica has produced some of the best players in football. Not only that, but their production is also constant and fruitful. Facilities are on the level of the best ones in the football world and staff too. There is a lot of room to install graduates into the first-team squad and give them much needed first-team football in the very challenging top tier Portuguese league.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/benfica-lissabon/jugendarbeit/verein/294
2. Ajax
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax (named after the legendary Greek hero) has been the most successful club in the Netherlands, and one of the most successful clubs in the world. Ajax is one of four teams to win the continental treble and the Intercontinental Cup or Club World Cup in the same season/calendar year, and one of the five clubs to have won all three major UEFA club competitions. Their youth academy, Sportcomplex De Toekomst is one of the best in the world.
- Top staff experience
- Outstanding facilities
- Notable Graduates: Clarence Seedorf, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong, John Heitinga, Maarten Stekelenburg, Frankie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt
Ajax has developed the so-called TIPS model, which stands for Technique, Insight, Personality, and Speed. Their work with young players is extraordinary and so detailed, that every kid has an Ajax passport to help easily follow his achievements and progress. Ajax devotion to youngsters is legendary, and even if the club itself hasn’t been that successful lately, their academy continues to produce miracles. Managing Ajax in FM means that you’ll have only the best European prospects to work with.
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/ajax-amsterdam/jugendarbeit/verein/610
1. Barcelona FC
Futbol Club Barcelona or Barça has been founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, Spanish, English, and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, hence the motto "Més que un club" ("More than a club"). This heavily projects to club’s philosophy and development of a specific football mentality in the development of young talents through worldwide famous La Masia.
- Worldwide famous academy
- The best facilities
- Notable Graduates: Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Pedro, Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Cesc Fabregas, Gerard Pique
La Masia, or “The Farmhouse,” has been in operation since 1979 and has graduated numerous footballers into Barcelona’s first team. Barca achieved something that most clubs never had: 11 products of their academy on the field at the same time for an official La Liga match. This was back in 2012, but their academy never stopped producing top talents. Their work with youngsters is remarkable, their staff is magnificently experienced, and their facilities are beyond par.
However, in recent years there’s been a series of wrong decisions and moves from the management that led to a serious decline in the quality of talent production. It’s up to you (at least in FM20) to change the course of La Masia to the better tomorrow. Do you have what it takes?
Details on: https://www.transfermarkt.com/fc-barcelona/jugendarbeit/verein/131
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