La Liga's Academy Gold Mine: Spanish Youth Products Worth Nearly 1.5 Billion Euros
Spanish football academies continue to outvalue Premier League counterparts, with La Liga's homegrown talents now worth €1.47bn compared to the Premier League's €1bn.
Spanish football continues to lead the way in youth development, with La Liga academies now producing talent valued at an eye-watering €1.47 billion - significantly outpacing their European rivals.
The gap between Spanish academies and the Premier League (€1.005bn) has actually widened since September, while the Bundesliga (€563m), Serie A (€415m), and Ligue 1 (€471m) lag well behind in the Adam and Eve stakes.
Spain’s Academy Dominance
These impressive figures from Transfermarkt come at the perfect time for La Liga, which is just launching the second phase of its Academy Plan - an initiative first implemented in 2022 as part of the broader Impulso Plan.
The first phase of the Academy Plan wrapped up last season with some proper decent results:
- Clubs improved from 46.5% compliance with La Liga’s 44 academy indicators to 71%
- Training facility utilization jumped from 42.5% to 76.9%
- Clubs with youth women’s football sections increased from 55% to 82.1%
It’s a right old transformation in how Spanish clubs view their academies. As David García, La Liga’s Football Projects Coordinator, explains: “Before, academies were seen as an expense, now they’re viewed as an investment.”
Mental Health Focus
The second phase of the plan is putting special emphasis on mental health and protecting underage players. La Liga is creating a psychological support channel for young players, which has already been presented to clubs this week.
“Attention to mental health is no longer taboo,” says José Ángel García, a psychologist for La Liga football projects. “It impacts performance and needs to be cared for from the academy level.”
Clubs improved dramatically in comprehensive player care during the first phase, jumping from 38.3% success in October 2022 to 76% by July 2025. Now La Liga wants to take it further, focusing first on players’ happiness and building their football development from there.
Excellence Certification
Another innovation in the second phase is an excellence certification for clubs that achieve at least 80% success across La Liga’s academy indicators. This certification will be issued by AENOR, with 12 clubs already reaching the required threshold.
While the specific clubs haven’t been named, they’re expected to announce their certifications in the coming weeks if they choose to pursue the official recognition.
With these figures and initiatives, it’s clear why Spain continues to produce some of the world’s most valuable footballers. The Premier League may have the readies, but when it comes to developing top talent, La Liga is still the dog’s bollocks.