Thanks to the data exclusively produced by our partner Impect, the 532nd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the ball-friendliest teams in the world. The ranking was established according to four indicators: the proximity of passes (the shorter, the better), the pace of passing during possession, the duration of possessions and the percentage of balls received in the opponent’s third below knee height (on the ground)*.

Of the 915 teams in the 58 leagues analysed, the highest score was recorded for Bayern Munich (Vincent Kompany). The Germans are ahead of Paris Saint-Germain (Luis Enrique), with FC Barcelona (Hansi Flick) in third place and Bayer Leverkusen in fourth (Kasper Hjulmand). Among teams outside Europe’s big-5, Columbus Crew (5th overall) are ahead of Denmark’s FC Nordsjælland (7th) and French second division’s AS Saint-Étienne (8th).

Manchester City (6th), Celtic FC (9th) and Olympique de Marseille (10th) round up the top 10. The top 20 also notably includes Norway’s Bodø/Glimt (Kjetil Knutsen) and Spain’s Elche CF (Eder Sarabia). At the opposite end, the least ball-friendly teams out of the sample analysed are Irish sides Galway United and Drogheda United, ahead of Belgium’s Patro Eisden, Portugal’s CD Feirense, Austria’s SKU Amstetten and Czech Republic’s FC Zlín.

*The data is presented as a ratio relative to the average recorded across the 915 teams analysed (current or last completed domestic league matches only).

>>> Full data

Issue number 531 of the CIES Football Observatory’s Weekly Post presents the 100 teams worldwide whose academy graduates still under contract (in the club or out on loan) total the highest aggregate transfer value. Thanks to players such as Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Fermin López and Alejandro Balde, Spanish giants FC Barcelona top the ranking with a mobilisable asset of no less than €738 million.

Manchester City (€286 million) and Bayern Munich (€284 million) complete the top three. Six other teams have academy graduates under contract whose total transfer value exceeds €200 million : three from Spain (Real Madrid, Athletic Club and Real Sociedad), two from England (Chelsea and Arsenal), as well as Champions League title holders Paris St-Germain. A further Spanish side, Atlético Madrid, complete the top 10.

Two Portuguese clubs, Porto (Rodrigo Mora as main asset) and Sporting CP (Gonçalo Inácio), top the rankings among teams outside the big-5 (11th and 12th position overall). They are ahead of two Dutch clubs (AZ Alkmaar and Ajax), and a further Portuguese side : Benfica. The top three non-European teams are Corinthians (Breno Bidon as their main asset), Vasco da Gama (Rayan Vitor, just transferred to Bournemouth) and Boca Juniors (Di Lollo).

* For players who spent at least three seasons between the ages of 15 and 21 in two different clubs (e.g. Kenan Yildiz), only the first team was considered as the training academy.

>>> Top 100

The last Weekly Post of 2025, the 527th in a series that began in 2012, presents the 100 players worldwide born in 2006 or later who are not yet playing for a big-5 league club having performed best this year. The rankings were established using a method developed exclusively by the CIES Football Observatory and the data meticulously collected by our partner Impect.

The highest score overall was recorded for Dutchman Givairo Read of Feyenoord (85 out of 100). Although currently injured, he should soon be able to celebrate his first cap for Netherlands. This ’well-rounded’ wide back is ahead of Portugal’s Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP, but already signed by Chelsea) and Ghana international Caleb Yirenkyi, from the veritable talent factory that is Danish side FC Nordsjælland.

France’s Joane Gadou (RB Salzburg) ranks first among centre backs and Sweden’s Simon Eriksson (IF Elfsborg) among goalkeepers. This Scouting report presents the top ten U20 players outside the big-5 for fifteen categories established by combining players’ level of activity in six areas (aerial play, recovery, distribution, take on, chance creation and finishing) as per Impect data and their main position (method also here).

>>> Top 100

>>> Full Scouting report (including estimated transfer values for all players)

The 526th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the most physically robust outfield players in terms of minutes played in official matches (club and national team) over the past year. Paraguayan international Júnior Alonso (Atlético Mineiro) tops the list, ahead of Belgium’s Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge) and Argentina’s Nicolás Otamendi (SL Benfica).

Among players born in 2004 or later, the top three are Dutchman Wouter Goes (AZ Alkmaar), Ecuadorian Joel Ordóñez (Club Brugge) and Belgian Matte Smets (KRC Genk). Their ability to play matches at a high frequency will be a major asset for their careers. Colombia is the most represented country in the top 50 (seven players), reflecting both the tight schedule of the Colombian league and the physical strength of their players.

The Post also presents the distribution of minutes according to the type of competition (club national, club international and national teams), as well as the rankings for the last two, three, four and five years. The following players top the tables for each of these periods : Nicolás Otamendi (two years), Bruno Fernandes (three years), Gustavo Gómez (both four and five years).

>>> All the data

The 525th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the players worldwide whose transfer value* is likely to increase the most in absolute terms over the next six months without contract extension and according to a scenario predicting the same performance as in the last six months, both individually (minutes played, starting 11 rate, goal frequency, etc.) and collectively (results).

Ivorian winger Yan Diomandé (RB Leipzig) tops the rankings with a projected increase of €40.1 million. His current value is indeed estimated at €45.7 million, while his expected value on 10 June 2026, according to the scenario described above, is €85.8 million. Newcastle United’s German Nick Woltemade (+€26.2 million) and another Ivorian, Bazoumana Touré of Hoffenheim (+€23.9 million), complete the podium.

In total, the published list includes no fewer than 169 players active in 23 different leagues. The projected increase in their transfer value over the next six months is at least €5 million. This free tool, on the other hand, presents the highest-valued player per club in 67 leagues around the world. However, assessments for all players are available to professionals via a paid platform.

* Further information on the statistical model developed by the CIES Football Observatory to assess from a scientific perspective players’ transfer values and make projections about future values can be found in this scientific article.

>>> 169 players list

Thanks to the data meticulously collected by our partner Impect, this Weekly Post presents the U23 players from 52 leagues around the world who are most skilled at advancing their team’s play with passes towards the opposition’s goal*. The study reveals the extraordinary abilities of Belgium’s Jorne Spileers, who completes an average of 11.8 ‘progressive’ passes per 90 minutes, with a record success rate of 84% and a progression index of 100.

Two other centre backs complete the podium: Spain’s Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid) and Portugal’s António Silva (Benfica). Fourth, Norway’s Häkon Volden (Rosenborg) is the youngest player in the top 10 (18.5 years). Two other players under the age of 20 feature in the overall top 10: Gambia’s Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh (Tromsø) and France’s full international Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain).

Among wide backs, the top three are Álvaro Carreras (Real Madrid), Michal Gurgul (Lech Poznań) and Joaquin Seys (Club Bruges), with Luca Bombino (San Diego) being the youngest in the top 50. For midfielders, Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo) leads the way ahead of Warren Zäire-Emery (PSG) and Amadou Koné (Neom SC). The youngest midfielder in the top 50 is Argentina’s Álvaro Montoro (Botafogo).

* At least 30 meters if starting and finishing position in own half, 15 meters if in different halves and 10 meters if in opponent half.

>>> Full data

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