Graduate numbers highlight Youth League strength
Thursday, April 21, 2022
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More than 800 UEFA Youth League players have now graduated into European senior club competitions.
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This season marked an important milestone for the UEFA Youth League, with its 800th player graduating into senior club competitions.
It shows the value of the Youth League, which was introduced in 2013 to further develop European youth football at club level, reducing the gaps between clubs' youth and senior teams, while offering international experience and competitive action for top young players.
In its nine-year history, the Youth League has showcased the emerging talents of some of Europe's most recognisable names, providing the perfect platform before tackling the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and as of this season, the Europa Conference League.
In total, 816 players have now participated in both the Youth League and one of the senior competitions.
Maxwell Scherrer, UEFA chief of football development
"This competition has a huge impact on youth football. We see so many players, about 800, who, since the competition started, have made it to the top UEFA competitions - the Champions League, Europa League and now Europa Conference League.
"It’s the last development step to the elite game, where they have not only the pressure of playing against the best players, but they face this kind of pressure as well that people are watching them, they’re on TV - it’s like you’re in the 'real' competitions, so I think this is key in developing the players - they feel this pressure.
"There is no other competition where you face the best players and the best teams in Europe, so I think it’s a great opportunity for all of them to face different clubs and cultures of football."
Last season saw another important moment in Youth League history, when Chelsea's Andreas Christensen and Mason Mount became the first players to have won both the UEFA Champions League and its age-specific equivalent. Team-mate Reece James was also a Youth League runner-up in 2018.
A select few have now played in the Youth League alongside all three senior competitions, including Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini and team-mate Nicolo Zaniolo, as well as three of their Europa Conference League semi-final opponents in Leicester City's Harvey Barnes, Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho. Pellegrini is quick to recognise the benefits that the competition provides.
Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma
"I think playing in the Youth League helped a lot of guys like me to make the next step up, because the intensity and quality were more like proper football - there are better players in the UEFA Youth League compared to the Primavera (Italian under-19) championship.
"Whichever way you look at it, the Youth League is the Champions League for Primavera sides, so evidently it’s a more select group. The teams are better prepared, so as a result the matches, how you get ready for them, how you line up, the intensity, the quality - it’s all at a higher standard."
The Youth League also provides opportunities for young and developing coaches, with team travel, different playing styles and a group stage to knockout format among the challenges to to navigate. Among 23 coaches who have now taken charge in both the UEFA Youth League and a senior European club competition, notable names include Borussia Dortmund's Marco Rose, who lifted the trophy with Salzburg in 2017, Steven Gerrard, Santiago Solari and Patrick Vieira.
Sir Alex Ferguson on the UEFA Youth League and coaches
"I think the important thing about it is you’re giving young players the opportunity to see how they handle being away from home
"You also, as a coach, have to embrace the idea of a production line of young players to give them futures and also to give foundations to your football club.
"That supply of talent coming into the first team, which then means that if you have a good supply; and you’re giving them the proper education to be footballers; and you give them the experience of playing in the Youth League, then you don’t need to always go and buy. You’ve got the loyalty base there, because the kids will always remember the coach who gave them an opportunity in the first team. They’ll always remember their first journey into Europe. These are all important factors, in terms of what the Youth League is about."
Won the UEFA Youth League and major club competition finals
Andreas Christensen
UYL: 2015 for Chelsea, W3-2 vs Shakhtar Donetsk
UEL: 2019 for Chelsea, W4-1 vs Arsenal
UCL: 2021 for Chelsea, W1-0 vs Manchester City
Mason Mount
UYL: 2016 for Chelsea, W2-1 vs Paris Saint-Germain
UCL: 2021 for Chelsea, W1-0 vs Manchester City
Munir El-Haddadi
UYL: 2014 for Barcelona, W3-0 vs Benfica
UEL: 2020 for Sevilla, W3-2 vs Internazionale Milano
Played in UEFA Youth League final and major club competition finals
Rúben Dias
UYL: 2017 for Benfica, L1-2 vs Salzburg
UCL: 2021 for Manchester City, L0-1 vs Chelsea
Reece James
UYL: 2018 for Chelsea, L0-3 vs Barcelona
UCL: 2021 for Chelsea, W1-0 vs Manchester City
Reinvesting for the good of the game
The Youth League is an example of how UEFA reinvests revenue from its top men's competitions into developing the European game at all levels of the football pyramid. Income generated by the EURO, Champions League and Europa League funds 13 other UEFA men's and women's competitions: Women’s EURO and Champions League, European Under-21 Championship, men’s and women’s Futsal EUROs, Futsal Champions League, Youth League, men’s and women’s Under-17 and Under-19 Championships, Under-19 Futsal Championship, Regions’ Cup.