May 8 – FC Barcelona have once again cemented their reputation as world football’s premier talent incubator, with the latest CIES Football Observatory study ranking them among the top three clubs in Europe’s big five leagues for minutes played by Under-21 footballers this season.
According to the CIES study, an impressive 38% of Barcelona’s squad is composed of players under the age of 21 — including emerging stars Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, and Gavi. It’s a striking reminder that despite their financial struggles, Barcelona remain a global powerhouse when it comes to youth development. Their reliance on young players places them just behind France’s RC Strasbourg and ahead of Stade de Reims in the big five European leagues.
The broader CIES study, covering 65 leagues worldwide, paints a picture of a sport that’s increasingly looking to youth — either out of philosophy or necessity.
Leading the global ranking is Belgian second-tier club Lommel SK, owned by City Football Group, where 69.4% of domestic league minutes have been handed to U21 players. That trend is echoed by other CFG-linked clubs, suggesting a clear organisational mandate to focus on emerging talent.
RC Strasbourg, now under BlueCo (Chelsea’s ownership group), are the poster child for youth dependency. A staggering 59.4% of their Ligue 1 minutes have been played by U21s, and a world-record 98.8% by players aged 25 or under. It’s a bold experiment in player development that has delivered surprise performances in France this season — and may offer a glimpse into Chelsea’s long-term planning.
Chelsea themselves make an interesting case. The CIES data shows that 0% of their squad is over the age of 30. It’s a dramatic generational reset, even if it hasn’t always translated into consistent performances on the pitch.
Across the Premier League, Brighton top the charts for U21 minutes, with a quarter of their squad falling into that bracket. Manchester United also register strongly, with 21.3% of their squad under 21 and over half aged 25 or younger. It’s a sign of intent, but one that perhaps also explains their inconsistencies in a turbulent season.
In contrast, title winners Liverpool appear to be skewing older, with just 2.6% of their squad under 21 and 32% over 30. That number is unlikely to change soon, with veteran duo Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk penned to stay on until at least 2027.
Outside Europe, youth remains central to clubs like Uruguay’s River Plate, Colombia’s Envigado and Uzbekistan’s Sogdiana — all of whom rank among the most youth-dependent teams globally.
CIES’ findings confirm what many in the game already sense: the future of football is arriving fast, and in some cases, it’s already on the pitch. The question now is which clubs can turn youthful promise into sustained success — and which are merely buying time with potential.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1746725452labto1746725452ofdlr1746725452owedi1746725452sni@g1746725452niwe.1746725452yrrah1746725452