Top 10 Best Youth Academies in Football

In Football we see a lot of young players rise through the ranks to go onto become some of the biggest names in the game, The one thing we sometimes do not notice is what is happening in the big clubs youth academies. usually we mainly focus on the senior side of a club and entrust the management to bring up the players that posses the talent to play in the big leagues.

In this list of Top 10 Best Youth Academies in Football we take a look at the best of the best, the clubs that are the best if you want to make it into professional football. superstars like Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Lionel Messi, who are arguably some of the best players in the world at the moment. all came through the ranks of a good youth academy.

Top 10 Best Youth Academies in Football

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10. Crewe Alexander

In tenth place is Football League One side Crewe Alexander main teams football academy. The academy has mainly been left out due to the clubs unfortunate performances and lack of participation in the premier league division but this has not hindered the upbringing of quality players.The academy has produced players with the likes of Nick Powell, Danny Murphy and Robbie Savage to mention a few. With the clubs lack of success its academy graduates have mainly been liked with big name clubs such as Manchester United.

9. West Ham United

Though the hammers find themselves in 9th place they have played a major part in England’s football revolution being linked with names of Bobby Moore,Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst who played a crucial role in England’s 1966 World Cup campaign. The clubs academy has also produced outstanding players like Chelsea’s veteran defender John Terry and former Chelsea stars Joe Cole and Frank Lampard and Manchester United’s former number 5 Rio Ferdinand. With this its no doubt that they have earned their place on this list.

8. Sporting CP

Sporting Lisbon side Sporting CP are undoubtedly one of the worlds best productive academy side with them contributing massively to the countries squad with the likes of Christiano Ronaldo , Luis Nani , Quaresma and Joao Moutinho. These players have with no argument made it big in the world with their names on everyone’s lips around the world. Ronaldo with no doubt is currently the best player in the world with clubs Real Madrid and Manchester United taking the credit but it all started from Sporting CP academy which also produced Portuguese legend Luis Figo .

7. Anderlect

Belgian club Anderlect have also produced some of the worlds quality players . But unlike most of the other academies it has mainly been linked with upcoming youngsters like Manchester United’s winger Adnan Januzaj and Evertons Striker Romelu Lukaku . Not only have they been linked with youngster but among thier list is also Manchester City’s Captain and main defender Vincent Kompany . With years to come this academy will produce world class players with outstanding talent.

6. Real Madrid

Spanish giants Real Madrid have in recent years been linked with huge cash signing with the likes of Ronaldo and Bale being among a few. The Los Blancos side have also however been very important in the graduation of youth players from their academy but due to the quality of the first team it has seemed impossible for the youngsters to fit in to the ‘A ‘side. They have been responsible for the successful graduation of World Class players such as Manchester United play maker Juan Mata and Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado. The likes of Alvaro Morata departing from the Bernabeu and coming back to haunt the Los Blancos has opened their eyes and have considered starting to keep such talents and currently in has seemed effective with Jese Rodriguez stepping up and proving to be an asset to the club.

5. Southampton

The Saints academy is one of the best in England and has produced world class talent in recent years and in the past generation. Alan Shearer who was very influential in the Newcastle side of olden days. Not only Alan was a successful graduate but also Matt le Tissier was one of the jewels that were from the Saints academy. Now coming to the most recent graduates we have the likes of Adam Lallana who is currently playing for Liverpool and Luke Shaw the Red Devils fullback. Not forget Los Blancos winger Gareth Bale who was also once in the Saints academy. It is a very successful academy which also graduated Arsenal stars Theo Walcott and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain .

4. Manchester United

Best football academies in England? Manchester United’s academy is for surely worthy to be in the top four with alot of talent that has recently graduated from the academy with the likes of youngsters James Wilson, Andreas Periera, Tom Lawrence and Jesse Lingard. These players were recently added to the ‘A’ team and James Wilson has had no trouble fitting in and managed to score a brace in his debut match. The academy has not only recently been active but was also active in the years before producing quality players like David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary Nevile, Phil Nevile, Paul Scholes,Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck .

3. Bayern Munchen

German Machines Bayern Munich falls in at number 3. It has been of some mystery as to why Bayern Munich have been exploiting talent from clubs like Borrusia Dortmund and other German sides. The Club has graduated several top class players like Toni Kroos,Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and veteran defender Phillip Lahm . All these players have been among the best in the world of football to do what they do best.

2. Ajax Amsterdam

The Dutch club has recently been given a lot of credit for the youth team in recent years for the quality players they produce and on how much they depend on their academy graduates. They showed how much they depended on their academy in the 1995 Champions League. Their academy has produced the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Clarence Seedroff, Patrick Kluivert, Rafael Van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder.

1. Barcelona

It is no doubt that Barcelona are taking first cause they have mostly depended on their academy and they have mostly specialised in teaching the passing game played popularly known as the ‘Tiki Taka’. The academy has seen the Graduation of star players like Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas, Gerard Pique, Victor Valdes and Pedro. These players mentioned are high class stars and with no doubt this academy has produced the best player in the world Lionel Messi. It also produced the old stars like Pep Guardiola , Carles Busquests and Guillermo Amor. These names mentioned in the Barcelona academy are some of the best in the business.