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FC Barcelona lead the top five European leagues for minutes played by teenagers
Mumbai: The academies of LALIGA EA SPORTS clubs have long been renowned for producing world-class talents, and a new report from the CIES Football Observatory has underlined that Spanish clubs’ youth development remains as strong as ever.
The report, titled “Youth employment: World rankings”, ordered clubs based on the percentage of minutes in their domestic league matches which have gone to young players over the past year, from April 2023 to April 2024. When looking at U20s – that is to say, teenager players – it’s FC Barcelona who comes out on top for all clubs in Europe’s five major leagues, as 15 per cent of the LALIGA EA SPORTS minutes given out by Xavi have been to teenage talents, such as Lamine Yamal, Gavi and Pau Cubarsí.
As Xavi explained earlier this season in a press conference: “We must trust the young players, the homegrown players. I think they’re ready, as I see their faces and they’re hungry. I’m really excited about this because it’s a solid and brave decision.”
It wasn’t only U20s that the CIES Football Observatory analysed. The report also detailed the percentages for other age categories, and FC Barcelona came second in Europe’s top five leagues for the fielding of U19s. 9.0 per cent of the Catalan club’s minutes in the past year were for players who hadn’t yet celebrated their 19th birthday, and only Ligue 1’s Toulouse FC had a higher percentage, at 9.1 percent.
In terms of U21s, FC Barcelona are third with 22.0 per cent, only behind the French sides RC Strasbourg (26.8 per cent) and Lyon (23.2 per cent). And, Barça are joined near the top of this ranking by other LALIGA EA SPORTS sides, as Valencia CF are fifth for minutes played by U21s, with 15.6 per cent, while Girona FC is sixth in the ranking, with 14.2 per cent.
It’s Valencia CF who is the top-rated Spanish club in the report’s rankings for U22s and U23s, sitting second for the use of U22s in Europe’s major leagues, with 28.1 per cent of Rúben Baraja’s minutes going to players in this age category, and fourth on the continent for U23s, with 37.6 per cent.
When looking at the top 20 clubs for use of U23s in Europe’s five major leagues, only France’s Ligue 1 has more representatives than LALIGA EA SPORTS, with Valencia CF, Girona FC, Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona all featuring highly in this ranking.
LALIGA EA SPORTS’ use of homegrown players
This latest CIES Football Observatory looked strictly at age, but another report from the same institution earlier this season similarly studied the use of homegrown players by clubs in the top European leagues. In that study, they counted the players who’d spent at least three seasons at a training club between the ages of 15 and 21.
Five of the top six in the standings for clubs with academy alumni in their current squads were LALIGA EA SPORTS clubs: Athletic Club were first (16 players), Real Sociedad were second (12 players), Valencia CF were third (11 players) and then CA Osasuna, UD Las Palmas and Bundesliga side SC Freiburg were joint-fourth, with nine academy graduates each.
It’s clear to see, then, that Spanish clubs are developing many quality players in their academies and then placing trust in these talents in important LALIGA EA SPORTS fixtures. That’s a brave approach, as Xavi outlined, but one which can lead to very bright futures for these teams.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
