From Ashraf to Etoo: Reflection and future of Real Madrid s youth training policy

Why do Real Madrid's youth training talents always "turn exports to domestic sales"?

When it comes to Real Madrid's youth training policy, the name "Lafabrica" is always full of imagination. The talent and potential of players who come out from here are unquestionable. However, it is puzzling that many youth training talents only reach the peak of their careers after leaving Real Madrid. Ashraf Hakimi, the Moroccan player who is now shining at Paris Saint-Germain, is the most distinctive example.

Ashraf Hakimi: The story of stars from Real Madrid youth training to Paris is a classic case of "young training exports to domestic sales". He joined Real Madrid's youth training camp at the age of 8, and was promoted from all levels of echelons step by step, and finally entered the first team in the 2017/18 season. However, the wing Lions only got a brief chance at Real Madrid and was then loaned to Dortmund, showing amazing speed and skills in the Bundesliga.

Despite Ashraf's outstanding performance during the loan period, Real Madrid chose to sell him to Inter Milan in 2019 for a transaction amount of 43 million euros. A year later, Ashraf transferred to Paris Saint-Germain and became the absolute main force of the team under Louis Enrique. Recalling this experience, Ashraf once admitted: "Leaving Real Madrid is not my choice, but their decision."

The two sides of Real Madrid's youth training policy: cultivating talents and quickly monetizing

Real Madrid's youth training system has always been famous for its "blood-making" ability. There are countless players who have emerged from "Lafabrica", including Marcos Llorente, Morata, Juan Mata, etc. However, unlike Barcelona's "La Macia", Real Madrid prefers to regard youth training players as "commodities" and obtain short-term benefits by selling them.

Take Ashraf as an example. His sale brought considerable income to Real Madrid, but also made the team lose a future wing leader. The same story also happens to Lorent, who became Simeone's tactical core at Atletico Madrid; Juan Mata left his mark on Chelsea and Manchester United. In contrast, Barcelona's youth training model focuses more on patient training and long-term planning, and players such as Messi, Xavi, Iniesta are the best proof.

Failure cases of youth training policy: Missed opportunities and the rise of competitors

Real Madrid's "abandoned children in youth training" list, the most regrettable one is Samuel Etoo. The Cameroonian striker who grew up in Real Madrid's youth training camp eventually became a legend in Barcelona, helping the "Cosmic Team" to the top of Europe many times.

In addition, Marcos Llorente's story is equally intriguing. This midfielder produced by Real Madrid youth training has found his own stage at Atletico Madrid. Morata, Juan Mata and even Ashraf now have all ushered in the highlights of their careers in teams outside Real Madrid.

Why can these players not get opportunities in Real Madrid but shine in other teams? The answer may be that Real Madrid's youth training policy is too eager for quick success and lacks patience with young players. Instead of waiting for a youth training player to grow into a world-class star, it is better to directly introduce ready-made stars through the transfer market. This seems to be Real Madrid's usual practice.

Future Outlook: How does Real Madrid adjust their youth training policy?

Real Madrid's youth training policy is not useless, but it is obviously necessary to avoid the "Ashraf incident" happening again. Here are a few suggestions:

Introduce longer-term planning: reduce the rapid sale of youth training players, giving them more time and space to grow.

is closer to the first team: providing youth training players with more opportunities to play, rather than letting them waste their time on the bench.

Learn from the youth training model of Barcelona and other clubs: focus on patience training and long-term planning, rather than simply pursuing short-term economic interests.

Case Analysis: How to Avoid the next ‘Ashraf incident’: Taking Ashraf as an example, analyze Real Madrid’s mistakes in decision-making and formulate a more scientific player evaluation system.

Summary

The gains and losses of Real Madrid's youth training policy are a complex issue. On the one hand, "Lafabrica" is still one of the best youth training systems in the world football world; on the other hand, the rapid monetization commercialization strategy has made Real Madrid miss many players with unlimited potential.

In the future, Real Madrid needs to find a balance between commercialization and long-term development to ensure the maximum utilization of youth training talents. Perhaps, only when the starlight of "Lafabrica" no longer belongs to other teams can Real Madrid truly achieve a win-win situation in youth training and competition.