By Mark Baber
February 24 – The latest statistical analysis by the Swiss based CIES Football Observatory looks at which clubs have trained the most footballers currently playing in 31 European top leagues, with Ajax, which has long enjoyed a reputation as a training orientated club, topping the list.
Using the criteria of teams where players have been for at least three seasons between the ages of 15 and 21, CIES finds Ajax Amsterdam have trained 77 players employed by the 468 teams of the 31 leagues included in their analysis. In second and third place are Partizan Belgrade (74 players) and Barcelona (57).
As far as national associations are concerned, France tops the league in terms of number of clubs with 15 in the top 100 clubs, well clear of Spain and the Netherlands in joint second place on 8. For what it is worth the eight Dutch teams have produced 304 players compared to 252 for the Spanish team, reinforcing the Eredivisie’s reputation as a feeder league.
CIES Training club Ranking
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