A recent report by Kicker has shed light on the playing minutes granted to homegrown talents in the Bundesliga, and the findings are fascinating. This weekend’s fixture between SC Freiburg and Mainz 05 brings together two clubs that have excelled in giving their academy products ample game time. The two teams are among the top performers in the league, with Freiburg sitting fifth in the table and Mainz pushing for a Champions League spot in third.
The data reveals that SC Freiburg has given an impressive 8,411 minutes to its homegrown stars, with players like Christian Gunter, Noah Atubolu, and Mathias Ginter leading the way. Mainz 05 follows closely, with 7,545 minutes allocated to its local talents, including Robin Zentner, Paul Nebel and Jonathan Burkardt. These numbers suggest that investing in homegrown players can be a recipe for success, as both teams are reaping the rewards of their youth development programs.
The report also highlights the disparities between Bundesliga clubs in terms of promoting homegrown talent. While TSG Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich round out the top three, with 5,962 and 5,692 minutes respectively, other clubs like Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig trail behind. In fact, RB Leipzig has allocated a mere 23 minutes to its local players, while Union Berlin, Augsburg and Heidenheim also lag behind in this regard.
The findings also reveal that some clubs, like St. Pauli and VfB Stuttgart, have not given a single minute to players from their own academy paths. This raises questions about the effectiveness.
