October 12 – Burnley are fielding the youngest average aged team in the Premier League while Fulham are fielding the oldest. In Europe’s Big 5 leagues Toulouse top the age ranking.
The latest report from the CIES Football Observatory ranks 851 teams in the top 53 football divisions worldwide according to the average age of line-ups fielded since the start of the current season. Unused substitutes do not count towards the average, as it would unfairly sway the result in favour of youth.
The age spectrum among the clubs spans from 20.97 years for Belarus’ FK Minsk to 32.12 years for Bolivia’s Independiente Petrolero. On average, across all the clubs under analysis, the age stands at 27.24 years.
Across the top five leagues, Liverpool’s UEFA Europa League group rivals Toulouse have the youngest team at an average age of 24.16, aided by the fact that they are the only team spanning elite European football without a single player over 30 at the club. On the flip side, La Liga’s Rayo Vallecano field an average age of 30.19 years – the only team in Europe’s big five leagues to average over 30.
The report also outlines the breakdown of playing time by player age categories: 21 or under, 22 to 25, 26 to 29, and 30 or over. Notably, in eight teams, players aged 21 or under dominated the majority of minutes on the field. Leading the way are RB Salzburg (60.7%), FC Nordsjælland (56.1%), and AFC Ajax (53.3%).
Ajax’s place amongst the youngest line-ups notably could coincide with their extremely underwhelming start to the league season, generating just five points from six games and sitting in 16th place, a massive 19 points behind arch-rivals PSV, having played two games less.
Newly-promoted Burnley have the youngest side in the Premier League, with 28% of Vincent Kompany’s side yet to see their 22nd birthday. Similarly, Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea, charged by a flurry of young signings in the past 18 months, are stacked with U21 starters such as Moises Caicedo, Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer.
Despite just 4.5% of the team being under 21, joint Premier League leaders Arsenal achieve an average age of 24.96 years by having a mammoth 74.6% of players in the 22-25 age category, including established difference-makers in Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba.
In contrast, Fulham have the oldest team in the Premier League, with just 2.8% of players at the club yet to turn 26. At an average age of 29.28 years, the Lilywhites sit just above city rivals West Ham (28.80) and Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United (27.76), despite some intelligent young signings in recent years that have earned the magpies a European return.
To see the full data, click here.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714725380labto1714725380ofdlr1714725380owedi1714725380sni@g1714725380niwe.1714725380yrrah1714725380