Five of the best
Without football academies, many dreams of becoming professional players would never come to fruition. There are numerous excellent academies throughout the world, but the following five are arguably the best on the planet.
The FC Bayern Munich Junior Team
Created way back in 1902, the German club Bayern Munich’s academy, The FC Bayern Munich Junior Team, is undoubtedly one of the best academies on planet earth. It has trained many players who became regulars in Germany’s Bundesliga, including Franz Beckenbauer, Klaus Augenthaler, Sepp Maier, Markus Babbel, and Bastian Schweinsteiger. The academy’s vision is to have the best development program in club football.
Academia Cristiano Ronaldo
Sporting CP’s academy was inaugurated in Portugal in 2002. In addition to being used by Sporting CP, Academia Sporting was used as a training ground for the national Portuguese team during Euro 2004. The academy is also used for training by other European clubs in the off-season. The academy’s graduates include Beto, Nani, Eric Dier, Joao Mario, and Luis Figo. But by far the most famous name to have emerged from Academia Sporting is Cristiano Ronaldo. Indeed, in September 2020, Academia Sporting was renamed Academia Cristiano Ronaldo. If you want to keep up with all the latest news and odds for the likes of Sporting CP and other football clubs from around the world, check out the Casumo Sportsbook, which makes sports betting simple.
The Manchester United Academy
English club Manchester United is known the world over for developing some of the best footballing talent on the planet. United’s incredible achievements of the 1999-2000 season were due to a core team that had graduated from the Manchester United Academy, which had only been established the previous year. However, the academy has roots tracing back to the 1930s when the Manchester United Junior Athletic Club was established. Notable graduates of the Red Devils’ academies include legends like Bobby Charlton, George Best, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, and David Beckham.
Ajax Youth Academy
Amsterdam’s Ajax Youth Academy, which is the primary source of young Dutch players for the club Ajax Amsterdam, has produced a plethora of notable players such as Dennis Bergkamp, Johan Cruyff, Frank Rijkaard, Clarence Seedorf, and the de Boer brothers. Founded in 1900, Ajax Youth Academy is one of the oldest football academies in the world, and it has consistently remained as one of the best. Most notably, Ajax Amsterdam’s Champions League success of the mid-1990s was largely due to the number of homegrown players that had emerged from the Ajax academy. Today, the organisation manages thirteen youth teams, ranging from ages seven to eighteen. The academy is famous for its Technique, Insight, Personality and Speed model, which helps youngsters improve their innate abilities.
La Masia
Established in 1950, La Masia de Can Planes, which is more commonly known as simply La Masia, has risen to become arguably the best youth academy on the planet. Indeed, La Masia is more than just a football academy as youngsters are taught about the football philosophy unique to Barcelona, and discipline, humility, and teamwork are integral virtues adopted by each generation that passes through the academy. La Masia currently trains over 300 young footballers, and it has produced some world-class players, significantly contributing to Barcelona’s success in European football. In 2010, the Barcelona national team fielded its starting line up with eleven players that had come from La Masia. In the same year, La Masia became the first youth academy to have trained all three of the Ballon d’Or finalists, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Lionel Messi, in a single year.