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Youth Academy Selected for FIFA’s “TOP Football Academies” Analysis

RCD Espanyol de Barcelona was one of the 13 clubs selected for the evolution of young talent around the world

FIFA has selected the categories of the RCD Espanyol de Barcelona youth academy to be a subject of study in “TOP Football Academies”, an analysis that is designed to get to know how the talent of the players is currently developed, who can reach the football elite.

This analysis, which is carried out with some of the most prestigious clubs around the whole world, enables a study into how the teams operate, including their intrinsic elements such as their philosophy, culture or knowledge of their members by means of interviewing some of them.

RCD Espanyol has been chosen as one of the 13 clubs from all the confederations in a process carried out by FIFA itself, and in collaboration with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). This selection of RCD Espanyol as one of the representatives to be studied in the “TOP Football Academies”, shows the importance of the youth academy in the club’s philosophy, and the good results it has produced.

The club has continually supported their ‘cantera’ (youth academy), which has resulted in a first team made formed by 50% of the players coming from younger age group categories, and receives an average of three home-grown players from the B team each season. In addition, there are more than 70 players trained in the Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque who make up part of a professional first division club in the world.

The Belgian company Double Pass is responsible for the analysis of the club, and is specialised in the analysis and development of football entities with experience in the Premier League, Bundesliga, United States Soccer Federation, and several European, African and South American teams.

TOP Football Academies, the study of RCD Espanyol and the 12 other participating clubs will allow FIFA to develop a programme that supports youth teams in order to improve the level of the younger age group categories of national teams from 2021.