Real Madrid sold this summer two important player to top European teams. Álvaro Morata and Mariano Díaz left the club to play for Chelsea and Olympique Lyon with success. This is only the last example of homegrown footballers who had to leave the Spanish capital to triumph in other countries.
According to a report published by the Swiss observatory about football studies CIES, Real Madrid is the club with more homegrown players in the five top European leagues. In this report, CIES have included footballers that played at least three seasons in the clubs from the age of 15 until the age of 21 in 31 different European leagues.
The report shows that Ajax is the club with more homegrown players as professionals in the European leagues. 71 footballers are now playing in Europe, only 7 of them in the Ajax current squad. However, Real Madrid is the club with more homegrown players in the top European league -Spain, Italy, Germany, England and France- with 41, 8 of them in the current squad.
Overall, Real Madrid have 58 homegrown footballers playing in Europe, being the fourth club in this ranking. After Ajax (71), we find Dinamo Zagreb (67), Partizan (61) and Real Madrid (58). FC Barcelona is in the eleventh position in the ranking with 50 players.
The report shows what we’ve been seen in the last years: the power of Real Madrid youngsters. Many young footballers are shining in the club, but Los Blancos are unable to give space to most of them. Unfortunately, the last example was Álvaro Morata, who decided to leave the club although Zidane wanted him in the squad.
Other examples of players around Europe are Álvaro Negredo, Roberto Soldado, Diego López, Marcos Alonso… The list is endless, but it’s a good example of how the things are working in this golden era of the club.
