São Paulo & Corinthians: Surpassing Palmeiras in Youth Rankings

The basic category of the Palm treeswith investments in structure and funding in the last decade, reaped rewards with the revelations of Endrick, Estêvão, Vitor Reis and others who generated more than R$1 billion. There is almost a consensus that, in Brazil, it is the best formation today, but a renowned study placed its rivals Corinthians e São Paulo ahead.

The Football Observatory of the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES Football Observatory) listed the 100 best “academies” in the world, as it does every year, and Brazil has 11 different clubs on the list, the second country with the most representatives, just behind Argentina, with 15.

Historically with a strong base, even if weakened recently, São Paulo is the best Brazilian placed according to the index measured by the institution, in 12th, with 71.3 in average score. In 14th, is Corinthians, with 68.8, just ahead of Flemish67.4. Palmeiras only appears in 18th, with 65.1.

What explains the bases of São Paulo and Corinthians in front of Palmeiras?

Considering the main 49 leagues in the world, CIES analyzed three factors to arrive at the score that ranks the 100 clubs: the number of trained players, the level of the clubs they played for in the last year and the minutes played in official matches in the same period.

To be considered as part of a team, the study took into account the first teams in which players played for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21.

Palmeiras, for example, saw its players have more minutes (2,620) compared to São Paulo (2,485). Tricolor, however, had trained athletes performing at a higher level (score of 0.833), the highest among Brazilians, in addition to having more players, 65, ahead of Corinthians (57), Flamengo (51) and Alviverde himself (56).

There are still seven more Brazilian teams: Santos (31st, 57.6 points), Grêmio (33rd, 56.4), Cruzeiro (35th, 56.0), Internacional (37th, 55.4), Fluminense (38th, 55.2), Athletico-PR (58th, 44.5), Atlético-MG (81st, 37.2)

In the general list, Benfica is the leader, followed by Barcelona and River Plate. Two more South Americans in the top-10 stand out: Boca Juniors, in fifth, and Defensor SC, from Uruguay, in eighth.

1. Benfica (POR): 105.1 points (93 players | 2.582 min | level 0.807)
2. FC Barcelona (ESP): 98.7 (76 players | 2.773 min | level 0.875)
3. River Plate (ARG): 98.3 (97 players | 2.305 min | level 0.805)
4. Ajax (HOL): 97.6 (80 players | 2,690 min | level 0,841)
5. Boca Juniors (ARG): 95.0 (86 players | 2,516 min | level 0.808)
6. Sporting CP (POR): 83.4 (76 players | 2.488 min | level 0.811)
7. Dinamo Zagreb (CRO): 77.9 (77 players | 2.532 min | level 0.732)
8. SC Defender (URU): 77.0 (88 players | 2,222 min | level 0,726)
9. Real Madrid (ESP): 74.8 (58 players | 2.817 min | level 0.853)
10. Vélez Sarsfield (ARG): 73.8 (70 players | 2.406 min | level 0.805)
11. Red Star (SER): 73.3 (79 players | 2,376 min | level 0,718)
12. São Paulo (BRA): 71.3 (65 players | 2,421 min | level 0,833)
13. Dynamo Kiev (UCR): 70.3 (63 players | 2.485 min | level 0.827)
14. Corinthians (BRA): 68.8 (57 players | 2,750 min | level 0,813)
15. Flamengo (BRA): 67.4 (51 players | 2,973 min | level 0.829)
16. San Lorenzo (ARG): 66.8 (66 players | 2,330 min | level 0,797)
17. Club Nacional (URU): 65.4 (70 players | 2,351 min | level 0.731)
18. Palmeiras (BRA): 65.1 (56 players | 2,620 min | level 0,819)
19. Paris Saint-Germain (FRA): 65.0 (62 players | 2.235 min | level 0.854)
20. FK Partizan (SER): 63.9 (70 players | 2,360 min | level 0,712)

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São Paulo at the top of Brazil for the second year in a row

In 2024, Tricolor do Morumbi led among the best Brazilian academies in the same surveybut in 17th position (that is, it rose five positions). The list also included Flamengo (24th), Corinthians (28th) and Fluminense (30th).

👑 Best in Brazil: study places São Paulo base at the top of the country

See the ranking and the other Brazilians on the list ⤵️ https://t.co/mAqgUCq7mY

— Trivela (@trivela) October 30, 2024

Palmeiras, showing the consolidation of the strength of its base, last year was only in 48th place, rising 30 positions in 2025. The growth trend of Alviverde offspring in world football shows that, in the future, the club could be the Brazilian leader in this regard.