Cantera - FC Barcelona B and Real Madrid Castilla

FC Barcelona B and Real Madrid Castilla

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 Spanish players. Numerous senior players have graduated through the ranks of FC Barcelona B. These have included Francisco Carrasco, Ramón Calderé, Guillermo Amor, Albert Ferrer, Pep Guardiola, Sergi Barjuán, Iván de la Peña, Francesc Arnau, Óscar García, Roger García, Gabri García, Gerard López, Luis García Sanz, Oleguer Presas, Pepe Reina, Thiago Motta, Fernando Navarro, Xavi Hernández, Cesc Fàbregas, Carles Puyol, Víctor Valdés, Mikel Arteta, Andrés Iniesta, Bojan Krkić, Jeffrén Suárez, Lionel Messi, Giovani dos Santos, Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets and Pedro Rodríguez, though it should be noted some of these were recruited from overseas before signing professional terms, so are not 'home-grown' in the traditional sense, if in the technical sense.

In 1966 Real Madrid won the European Cup with a team of eleven Spanish players and a Spanish coach. It was the first time a home-born team had won the competition. Many great home grown players have since passed through the ranks of Real Madrid Castilla, among them La Quinta Del Buitre Emilio Butragueño, Manolo Sanchís, Martín Vazquéz, Míchel and Miguel Pardeza. Graduates of the cantera include Iker Casillas, Álvaro Arbeloa, Esteban Granero, Raúl, Guti, Luis García, Juan Mata, Borja Valero, Álvaro Negredo, Roberto Soldado, Dani Parejo, Álvaro Míguez, José María Callejón, Juan Francisco Torres, and Javi García. The club has also produced some notable managers including Vicente del Bosque and Rafael Benítez.

As well as producing players from their own regions both clubs have also recruited young players from throughout Spain and internationally. Recent examples include Argentines Lionel Messi and Esteban Cambiasso.