Top 5: debutants play more in Ligue 1 than in the other 4 Top 5 leagues combined

The 29 players in Ligue 1 who have appeared in a professional league for the first time in the 2016-17 season have played a total of 11,129 minutes since the start season, reported the CIES Football Observatory, in its 174^th weekly newsletter, published on 30/01/2017. This document shows the number of minutes played in 2016-17 by debutant players in all clubs of the European Top 5 leagues.

"The analysis notably highlights the key role played by the French top division in the promotion of young talents. The French Ligue 1 holds record figures for both the number of debutants (29, of the 91 total debutant players in Top 5 leagues) and total domestic league minutes played (11,129). At the opposite end of the spectrum is the English Premier League: 12 debutants and 907 minutes," stated the CIES.

Debutant players have played 11,129 minutes in Ligue 1 in 2016-17, compared 10,165 minutes in the other four Top 5 leagues combined.

The five clubs of the Top 5 leagues in which debutant players have played the most minutes:
• OGC Nice (Ligue 1, 3 players, 2,245 minutes)
• RCD Espanyol (LaLiga…