Benfica have been rated as having the best academy in world football in 2025, in terms of the talent produced by the Portuguese club.
has compiled a ranking of top 100, based on the number of active professional players across 49 global leagues analyzed. Clubs have been given an index score that also takes into account the quality and level that those players are at, as of October 1, 2025.
The standard of player produced by Barcelona, of which there are 76 active in the leagues analyzed, is considered higher than that of River Plate, who have 97 academy graduates active at clubs around the world. Barça rank second overall, with River Plate third.
Ajax, Boca Juniors and Sporting CP, all clubs renowned for developing home-grown players that may ultimately go on to enjoy their best years elsewhere, feature in the top 10. So do Real Madrid, whose much lower number of active academy graduates (58) than all the clubs ranked around them, suggests a high level.
Reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain, whose local catchment is one of the world’s greatest breeding grounds of football talent sneak inside the top 20, with Manchester City ranked 21st. Arsenal and Chelsea are 48th and 50th respectively, while Bayern Munich and Manchester United are a few places further back in 54th and 56th respectively.
As many as 30 countries are represented by the clubs that rank inside the top 100, with Argentina (15) and Brazil (11) accounting for 26% of all the teams listed. South America as a continent is heavily represented, with clubs from Colombia, Peru, Chile and Venezuela also featuring.
To be considered an academy player at a particular club for the purpose of the research, a player must have been registered for at least three years between their 15 and 21st birthdays.
