Clubs rely on the “citizen player” with 55.5% in “ADNOC Professionals”

Murad Al-Masry (Abu Dhabi)

The average reliance of ADNOC Professional League clubs on national players reached 55.5% of the total playing minutes during matches held between April 2023 and April 2024, according to a study issued by the International Center for Sports Studies, which included the most prominent leagues around the world.
According to statistics, Al-Bataeh is considered the highest participation of national players during the year, at 64%, followed by Baniyas, Ajman 61%, Emirates, Al-Nasr, Khor Fakkan 58%, Shabab Al-Ahli, Hatta 57%, Al-Ain, Ittihad Kalba 56%, Sharjah 55. %, Al Wahda 51%, Al Jazira 46%, Al Wasl 40%.
In terms of the percentage of national players from the club, which he trained in the academy and the Sunni teams, Al Ain came first with 39%, followed by Al Jazira 46%, Al Wahda 32%, Bani Yas 29%, Kalba Union 28%, Shabab Al Ahly 26%, and Al Nasr. 24%, Al Wasl 23%, Ajman and Sharjah 19%, UAE 17%, Hatta 8%, Al Bataeh 2%, and Khor Fakkan 0%.
On the global level, Athletic Bilbao took the lead by fielding 100% Spanish players, due to its own club tradition, of fielding only players of Basque origin or who grew up in the Basque region. It was followed on the list for the five major European leagues by Germany’s Heidenheim, 96%, and Spain’s Osasuna. 88%, France’s Le Havre 82%, Spain’s Deportivo Alaves 81%, Spain’s Las Palmas 78% and Germany’s Cologne 75%.
Athletic Bilbao came at the top of the list with the highest participation of players who were trained in the academy at a rate of 62%, and Spanish dominance was strongly present in the five major European leagues, with Real Sociedad at 51%, Barcelona 41%, Osasuna 38% and Valencia 34%, and among the most prominent in the tournament. The list: Real Madrid is in eleventh place with 28%.