Ranking Europe’s top 5 leagues based on playing time for U21 players

#3 Serie A - 4.7%

Hickey is one of the many foreign U-21 talents in Serie A

The top flight of Italian football has outdone Spain by the smallest of margins, but it's no coincidence. The league has had a reputation of employing relatively older players, but things are now changing. There are several great U-21 talents in the league, many of whom are from Italy.

Juventus have long dominated Serie A, but the scenario has now shifted. While the bigger clubs still rely on more established names, the relatively mid- and bottom-table clubs invest in great U-21 talents. Eddie Salcedo and Janis Antiste of Spezia are just one example of that.

Aaron Hickey and Ivan Ilic are two of the many names who are yet to cross 22 but have already become starters for their respective clubs. Nicolo Rovella is another incredible talent who is out on loan to Genoa. However, the big clubs are not to be left behind, as seen by Juventus when it invested big in Brazilian wonderkid Kaio Jorge.

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#2 Bundesliga - 7.0%

the duo of Bellingham and Reyna are incredibly talented

Germany has long been known for producing talented youngsters through the rigorous training regimes employed by the clubs. As a result, the current generation of players in the Bundesliga has an incredible presence of U-21 footballers who are already rising stars for their respective clubs.

The beauty of the presence of young talents in the Bundesliga is that the wonderkids are well spread out. Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have an incredible talent in Jamal Musiala. But the list doesn't stop there when one observes Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen.

Jude Bellingham and Giovanni Reyna have already played many minutes, and Jasko Gvardiol is a starter for Red Bull Leipzig. The likes of Jan Thielmann and Manu Kone are some of the lesser-known names, but they are no less talented than the former names.

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#1 Ligue 1 - 9.2%

Nuno Mendes (left) has already secured a starting point in a star studded PSG line up

Nearly one in every ten footballers used by French clubs last semester was a U-21 player. France has an incredible talent pool, and the French clubs directly contribute to it. Unlike other leagues, almost every Ligue 1 club relies heavily on wonderkids.

The league has lost players like Eduardo Camavinga in transfers, but this has not affected the total number of footballers. Benoit Badiashile is widely regarded as one of the best defensive talents, and Monaco have still been able to retain his services for the time being. Nuno Mendes has already become a regular in a star-studded team like PSG.

Arnaud Kalimuendo and Jeremy Doku are two of the French league's many exciting young offensive talents. There is no lack of young midfielders. Joris Chotard and Pape Sarr will soon become big names.