The numbers say that of the 616 soccer players who participated in The league with the teams that will play it in the 2022/23 season (the three promoted are included) 197 had passed through the lower categories of them (including subsidiaries). However, it should be noted that many of these players have enjoyed very few minutes and participated in a merely testimonial way. Translated into a percentage, it is barely 30%, a figure that, without being entirely negligible, makes it more of a resource than a main plan. However, it should be noted that there is no common pattern in the 20 teams, but rather a notorious variability that makes it clear that, depending on the club, the policy followed changes, and a lot.
How could it be otherwise due to his own idiosyncrasies, the Athletic It is at the top of the podium of the LaLiga Santander teams that make the most and best use of their youth academy. 21 of the 26 players who wore the red and white of the lions last year at some point passed through Lezama, and only two players, Inigo Martinez Y Raul Garciamade a hole in the starting ‘eleven’ without having set foot in said school.
The other two drawers of the aforementioned podium are occupied by the Real society and the Barca, counting both with up to six players among the 11 most used so that one can speak of a starting team made up more of homegrown players than foreigners. In the case of the San Sebastian team, of 32 footballers lined up by Imanol Sheriff 22 come from below (69%), with Robin LeNormand, Zubimendi, gorosabel, Aritz ElustondoMikel Oyarzabal Y Zubeldia with a reserved place in the ‘eleven’. As for Barça, of the 38 that played in LaLiga (it was the team that used the most footballers), up to 19 (50%) have passed through the Barça subsidiary or base football teams at some point. And they are Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, Gerard Piqué Y Eric Garcia the six that are among the 11 most aligned along the course.
In a second step in terms of taking advantage of the quarry, we find teams like the Celticthe Villarreal and the Spanish. The three are around 40% of homegrown players with respect to the total number of footballers lined up and the number of those considered as starters is also around that percentage. Also, Iago Aspas, Paul Torres Y Sergio Darder They are footballers who appear on the respective podiums in terms of minutes played, all of them being products of the sky-blue, ‘grogueta’ and blue and white academy respectively.
They are also important Carlos Soler, Guillamon Y Gaya in Valencia, and David Garcia Y Moncayola in Osasunabut leaving these names aside, and although both teams have around 40% of homegrown players compared to players used, most have done so playing a few minutes.
On the other hand, curious is the case of the Betishaving passed through their base teams 11 of the 31 aligned by Manuel Pellegrini but having to go down to 13th in minutes played to find one of them (Edgar Gonzalez).
Between the residual and the null
As for those who make the least and worst use of their quarries, it is worth highlighting the Elcheto the Cadizto the Getafe and the newly promoted Almeria. In all his cases, between little and nothing is seen of his base football in the first team.
read also
Òscar López continues in Juvenil A and leaves Rafa Márquez free for the subsidiary
Madrid fishes in the Getafe quarry
Javier Alfaro
