The CIES Football Observatory has released its 99th Monthly Report, evaluating the global educational impact of football clubs from the 2005-06 season to the 2024-25 campaign. The study focuses on players trained by clubs who went on to appear in the five major European leagues and includes data from 55 top football federations worldwide.

According to the findings, Real Madrid’s youth academy ranks as the most productive and influential, with the highest number of minutes played by academy-trained players in Europe's elite competitions over the last two decades. The ranking includes players who spent at least three years with a club between the ages of 15 and 20.

FC Barcelona claims second place, while three other Spanish clubs—Athletic Club (7th), Real Sociedad (9th), and Valencia CF (10th)—also make the top 10. Other prominent academies rounding out the list include Olympique Lyonnais, PSG, Stade Rennais, Manchester United, and Atalanta.

For Real Madrid, the report highlights that 166 players developed at La Fábrica have featured in top-flight leagues during this period. Some are now legends, such as Iker Casillas, Raúl González, and Álvaro Arbeloa, while Dani Parejo leads active players in minutes played, followed by José Callejón, Juan Mata, and Dani Carvajal.

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