Cantera
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Cantera, literally meaning "quarry" in Castilian Spanish. The term is used in Spain to refer to youth academies used by sports clubs, especially football clubs and also to basketball clubs. It is also used to refer to the local area that these clubs recruit players from. The best known canteras belong to Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Although FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are well known for regularly recruiting foreign players, both have a very respectable record for producing local players. Along with Athletic Bilbao, both clubs have notable reserve teams, predominantly made up of local players.
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The Basque Canteras
Since 1912 Athletic have employed a cantera policy, recruiting only Basque-players. Fellow Basque club, Real Sociedad operated a similar policy until 1989. One of the main beneficiaries of the policy has been Spain. The Basque Country has been a breeding ground of great Spanish players. Athletic Bilbao has provided more players for the national team then any other club, including Real Madrid. These include the likes of Pichichi, Zarra, Agustín Gaínza, José Ángel Iribar, Goikoetxea and Zubizarreta. Graduates of the Real Sociedad cantera include Roberto López Ufarte, José Mari Bakero, Luis Arconada and Xabi Alonso.
Cantera Barcelonista
Numerous senior players have graduated through the ranks of FC Barcelona B. These have included Francisco José Carrasco, Ramón María Calderé, Guillermo Amor, Albert Ferrer, Josep Guardiola, Sergi, Víctor Valdés, Andrés Iniesta, Iván de la Peña, Carles Puyol, David Sánchez and Lionel Messi. Players such as Luis Garcia and Jose Reina have also found success with other clubs.
Real Madrid Castilla
Many great players have also passed through the ranks of Real Madrid Castilla, among them Emilio Butragueño, Manolo Sanchís, Martín Vazquéz, Míchel and Miguel Pardeza. More recent graduates have included Raúl Bravo, Guti and Íker Casillas. The club has also produced some notable managers including Vicente Del Bosque and Rafael Benítez.
Recent developments
One issue for cantera clubs is the increasing amount of poaching by wealthier clubs. After the cantera has trained a player another club will attempt to recruit them. Arsenal recently persuaded Cesc Fàbregas to leave FC Barcelona. The Bosman ruling of 1995 has legalised this practice.
External links
- Template:Es icon Voluntad de tradición, an article on the Athletic Bilbao cantera policy in Spanish.
- The lost boys of Barcelona, by Ronald Atkinnl:Cantera