Jokin Aperribay, president of Real Sociedad, manifested a fact that confirms the good work of the LaLiga leader. “We have 16 Zubieta players in the first team, it is an incredible number, it means that we are the First team with the most players trained in their quarry in the first team.” The president pulled chest of Zubieta, part of the engine of the leading team. For something they are the third squad with the lowest average age (25.7, only Barça and Valencia lower it).
You had to go back to the 2002-2003 season to find Real as the first in the table alone. A success for the entire team, from the management, the sports secretariat, the coaching staff and the squad, but which has the epicenter of the formula in Zubieta. La Real's homegrown factory works perfectly and the data is there. They are the LaLiga Santander team with the most players from their quarry in their first squad. A relevant fact but not the only one to praise. Real Sociedad is, only behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, the entity that has more players raised in its quarry, distributed by the twenty First teams. An achievement that is the secret of the success of these good years of the Royal Society … and the envy of other Primera teams such as Atlético, Athletic, Sevilla, Betis, Valencia, Villarreal or Osasuna that do not reach the level of talent production of the txuri-urdin.
Gorosabel, Elustondo, Aihen Muñoz, Zaldua, Zubeldia, Illarramendi, Zubimendi, Ander Guevara, Guridi, Sangalli, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea, Merquelanz and Jon Bautista, along with the newly promoted Roberto López and Arambarri, They are the 16 homegrown players who play in the first team. Along with these there are 11 other footballers who are in First teams and who in their day left Zubieta. Griezmann (Barcelona); Odriozola (Real Madrid); Iñigo Martínez, Yuri, Balenciaga, Unai López, Dani García and Kodro (Athletic); Manu García (Alavés); Roberto Olabe (Eibar) and Pablo Hervías (Valladolid). In the case of foals Yuri and Unai López share their first teachings with Lezama. 27 homegrown players for LaLiga Santander, and not including the French Le Normand, grown in the subsidiary but product of the Stade Brest.
La Fábrica and La Masía, the most productive
Analyzing all the First Division squads, it is from the Valdebebas fields where the most talent has flourished. The Real Madrid has scattered in the twenty teams: 30 ex-Madridistas. Marcos Llorente, Soldado, Pacheco, Óscar Plano or Álex Fernández are some examples. Barça follows closely with 29 homegrown players, although there is more than the white team in the first team. From La Masía, footballers of the stature of Tello, Munir, Masip, Rochina, Miranda, Sergi Gómez or Víctor Rodríguez.
Then come Valencia (22); Athletic (21); Athletic (17); Seville (16) and Osasuna (14). The Royal Society occupies the mentioned third place. While, boasts of Zubieta and foals.