I wrote a piece about Real Madrid’s youth policy’s remarkable success almost two years ago. The team signed 18 players under the age of 21 between 2017 and 2018. The club made these signings with the knowledge that success does not come easily; these were seeds being planted. It was imperative to exercise patience. After five years, it is undeniable who the team’s greatest players are and who among the world’s best players are Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Valverde, Militao, Brahim, and Camavinga. The club’s efforts have paid off, since there is hardly ever a “transition period” or lag time between two outstanding teams. The team is probably going to sign Kylian Mbappe this summer, the player who has been evading them for a long time. That being said, realizing that a player such as Mbappe is an asset rather than a must is the greatest approach to assess the current project’s performance. Even without the much sought-after Frenchman, the present squad is competitive enough to contend for every championship.

In terms of lifetime, the project, which commenced in 2017, is currently just halfway completed. The next five to ten years are all Vinicius and company’s chance show off their best selves and usher in the next great Madrid era. With that level of recruitment, many clubs would be content to kιck back and relax. especially in light of the upcoming emergence of a superstar on par with Kylian Mbappe. However, Real Madrid has already started to recognize and gather assets for the upcoming generation, dubbed the “Endrick Generation.” Though he may be the face of Youth Policy 2.0, the 17-year-old Brazilian sensation won’t be by himself.

Learnings and insights are gained from the initial project, which also refines the procedure. Madrid seizes talent regardless of what is needed at the time. The best candidates will always emerge, and talent will always triumph over present fit. Consider Arda Guler, who, whatever his function in the present, was swiftly exploited. Arda’s strategy does not include putting him in the limelight right away and giving him leadership duties at the biggest club in the world while still a teenager. Rather, it’s about assimilating him into the club’s principles, training with the world’s finest, receiving instruction from a top-notch coaching staff, and improving his physical and tactical intelligence. Arda is expected to be prepared in five years.

Not every young athlete with skill that signs with the team will be open to this method. Depending on athletic goals, timelines can be sped up or slowed down, but the ultimate objective is always a path to a significant first-team position. Some paths could finish in the three-year loan period that is known as the Brahim road, while others could take the Vinicius path, which involves being catapulted into the starting lineup as a teenager and then spending years in and out of a starting role. With the exception of superstars like Mbappe, Haalands, and Bellingham, very few young players grow completely linearly; instead, most have a career path similar to Militao’s, which is marked by perseverance and patience.

The subsequent generation’s success is influenced by the initial project’s success. It is easy to persuade Endrick and Arda Guler that Madrid is the right destination for them when one considers Rodrygo and Vinicius’ professional trajectories. Leny Yoro, an 18-year-old French center back, is reportedly the next player on the list. Another aim is Mastantuono, a 16-year-old from River Plate’s renowned youth academy who has a left foot like a jewel. Talent from the Cantera, including defenders Jesus Fortea and Jacobo Ramon (who are known for their defensive mindset and high chance of breаking through to the first squad), could potentially be added to this group.

The club pursues the next young project with unwavering zeal as it approaches the peak of the present one. Florentino Perez and his filmmakers are not about to relent. Madrid operates at a level above most other clubs, much like a high-performance athlete who trains at a different level and intensity than the typical person. They cannot afford to take it easy or savor their current prosperity. Endrick, Arda, Yoro, and other players will be reaching their prime at the age of 22–23, whereas stars like Eder Militao, Valverde, Mbappe, and Tchouameni will age above 30 in the following five years. In order to supplement the initial youth policy, veterans such as Nacho, Alaba, Carvajal, and Kroos will be gradually phased out and replaced with the next generation.

Young players’ worth will be inflated as many of Europe’s top teams try to imitate Madrid’s winning formula. This has already occurred, as teams like Manchester City and Chelsea have fought for and signed young players. Over time, adjustments and modifications to the hiring procedure will be required. The club’s initial change to its approach is not all that different from what it already does; the aim is to build on their success by continuing to acquire the world’s greatest young talent, which never ends after the first generation reaches its prime. This way of thinking guarantees that as the current stars get older, the following generation will be ready to step up and continue the success cycle.