Barcelona aside, which team in Spain has the best academy?

[u/SuitableRelease4323]

I want to say Osasuna, their academy has to be so credited so heavily for what the team is, it's such a core part of the team, an invaluable represenation of what Osasuna is, so many amazing players have come from the Tajonar, such as Oihan Sancet, who I hope there will be no debate in saying is world class? They have their own player right now Aimar Oroz who is a baller, technically Nico Williams did play at the Tajonar before Athletic Club so you can even credit his formation as a footballer to Osasuna. It truly is a wonderful academy, with the cream of the crop having to have been Cesar Azpilecueta, so what do you think is the best academy?

[u/sheffield199]

Athletic Club probably stands alone in this regard, but I'm also (obviously) going to chuck Celta's A Madroa in to the ring - not only has it provided a massive percentage of the current first team squad, it's also produced players who have gone on to great things elsewhere.

[u/Beneficial_Hall_2269 → u/sheffield199]

Celta for me has the most underrated academy in the world. I think they will do well in Europe this year.

[u/Emotional-Ad-652 → u/Beneficial_Hall_2269]

I second Celta, they have so many young guys coming through their first team right now

[u/Last_Cauliflower3357]

Aside from Athletic, I am going to throw my team Valencia here. Silva, Juan Mata, Gaya, Bernat, Isco, Paco Alcácer, Mendieta, Ferran, Kangin Lee, Raul Albiol, Alba, the new crop that is steering the club now (Javi Guerra, Diego Lopez, César Tarrega), Albelda.

Almost half of our squad comes from the academy now.

[u/godofreduken → u/Last_Cauliflower3357]

Mata went from Real Oviedo to Real Madrid, and then straight to Valencia's first team at 19. He was never an academy product.

[u/dotty2x → u/Last_Cauliflower3357]

Mosquera as well. Very good CB

[u/Pale_Parking9494 → u/Last_Cauliflower3357]

You forgot psg’s goat carlos soler

[u/LobL]

Real Madrid atleast used to have the most graduates playing in top 5 leagues, so probably theirs. Top 5 in this regard is:

Real Madrid 43

Barcelona 38

Lyon 34

PSG 34

Manchester United 28

[u/SharingFootballClub]

Athletic Bilbao has to be up there: always great talent coming out of their academy

[u/adventurousbat12t]

Don't use to much brain it is Fabrica . 

[u/AdSuccessful2506]

Nico Williams played months in Tajonar, he went to Bilbao with 11 yo…… come on! Tajonar is quite good, but not top. Lezama (Athletic), Zubieta (Real) are much better.

[u/Gunner_Bat]

Athletic Bilbao is the answer, but Valencia has produced a ton of talent as well.

[u/KingCardinal17]

I would say the two big Basque Clubs in Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Sociedad.

[u/Fickle_Experience823 → u/KingCardinal17]

This is the answer, and I say this as a Villarreal fan

[u/Monete-meri]

Real Sociedad.

1 The only B team in the second division and we are talking of a very young team not a B team crowded of 23+ years old players.

Real Sociedad current internacional players from academy Oyarzabal, Le Normand, Zubimendi and Íñigo Martínez ( when he wants) all play for Spain and were European champions with important roles.

Griezmann plays for France and was world champion and a world top player.

Pacheco and Turrientes where olimpic champions with important roles.

Emery, Xabi Alonso, Imanol Alguacil are elite coaches.

Jon Mikel Aramburu international for Venezuela and best right winger in copa america is not academy player but he played one summer in the academy and being the grand son and son of die hard Real Sociedad supporters from San Sebastián and him being also a Real Sociedad supporter i count him as an honorary academy player.

[u/iggy-i → u/Monete-meri]

Zorionak benetan, tons of great players from your academy. Lezama has a lot to offer as well.

Unai Simón, Vivian, Laporte, who will hopefully be back with us soon, Nico Williams (all four Euros champions), Sancet are all Spain players. Paredes has also played for Spain occasionally.

Jauregizar, Unai Gómez, Julen Agirrezabala (recently sold to Valencia) have played for Spain U-23.

Beñat Prados and Peio Canales have played for Spain U-21 and U-18.

Second keeper Padilla has been called by Mexico.

Iñaki Williams played for Spain and is now a Ghana player.

Coaches include Iraola, Valverde, Íñigo Pérez, Mendilibar.

[u/Over_Complaint_8296]

Atletico academy is to great

[u/Khayonic]

Athletic Bilbao does some great work. My club has produced some greats, including the current ballon d’Or holder. Edit- overrated how many people knew that Rodri spent 6 years at Atleti’s academy before joining Villarreal’s. Not saying we have a great one by any means.

[u/Zomhuahua → u/Khayonic]

Are you a Villareal fan?

[u/Khayonic → u/Zomhuahua]

6 years at Atleti then 2 at Villarreal, we share plenty of credit there.

[u/AtleticoFan17 → u/Khayonic]

lol bro we didn’t produce Rodri. We bought him from Villarreal and he played 47 games for us and was immediately sold after 9 months being in Madrid. Unless you’re a secret Villarreal supporter, “we” did not produce him.

Also, what other “greats” have we produced? Torres, Koke, Saul, De Gea, Gabi, the Hernandez brothers, and the rapist are the only ones I can think of. And they don’t really count as “greats”.

[u/Beneficial_Hall_2269 → u/AtleticoFan17]

Would you say Raúl counts as a great produced by Atleti?

[u/Khayonic → u/Beneficial_Hall_2269]

Yes

[u/Khayonic → u/AtleticoFan17]

He was part of Atleti’s youth academy for 6 years, before joining Villarreal at 17 years old. If you supported Atleti closely you’d know that. We also produced Raul and Torres both among the greatest strikers of their generation.

[u/AtleticoFan17 → u/Khayonic]

Torres 100 percent. Raul doesn’t really count imo.

[u/Khayonic → u/AtleticoFan17]

He spent as much a time at both academies but we were fools for closing shop back the

[u/Khayonic → u/Khayonic]

I’d also argue De Gea had a great period as well, though not quite Rodri, Raul, or Torres.