Training: SL Benfica’s academy, the most profitable in the world (€589m) since 2016 (CIES)

With €589m received from the sale of 38 players from its academy, SL Benfica (Liga Portugal Betclic) is the club that has generated the most revenue from the sale of players from its academy since 2016, according to the CIES Football Observatory’s weekly post published on 01/04/2026.

The Portuguese club is ahead of AFC Ajax (Eredivisie), which sold 43 players from its academy for €454m over the same period, and Chelsea FC (Premier League), with 33 players sold for a total of €442m.

Olympique Lyonnais, in 4^th place (31 players/€423m), are the leading Ligue 1 McDonald’s club in the ranking, while Real Madrid CF, in 7^th place, are the leading LALIGA EA Sports representative (40 players/€395m).

The highest-ranking Bundesliga club is Bayer 04 Leverkusen, in 10^th place (12 players/€339m), while Atalanta BC, the leading Serie A Enilive club, are in 14^th place (38 players/€288m).

• Academy-trained players are "players who spent at least three seasons there between the ages of 15 and 21" according to the CIES.

Five English and four French clubs among the top 20 that have generated the most…