A Demographic Analysis of Four Latin American Leagues CIES Football

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CIES Football Observatory Monthly Report n°51 - January 2020

A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

Drs Raffaele Poli, Loïc Ravenel and Roger Besson

1. Introduction

For the first time, a CIES Football Observa- tory report turns its eye exclusively to Latin America. Based on the model of the annual study carried out since 2009 for 31 European leagues, this Report compares four top division Latin American championships from the point of view of the demographic characteristics of players. It comprises the Brazilian Serie A, the Argentinean Superliga, the Chilean Prim- era División and the Mexican Liga MX. The analysis covers seven complementary thematics: the number of players used, their age, their height, the percentage of expatriates, that of club-trained footballers and the percentage of new recruits within the squads. The sample is made up of players fielded in domestic league matches during the second semester of 2019. In total, the study covers 79 clubs and 2,015 footballers.

1 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

2. Number of players used Figure 1: number of players used, by league

On average, the teams studied used 25.5 play- 1 ers during domestic league matches played 2 255 from the 1st July 2019 onwards. Important dif- 22 22 ferences exist between championships. With 31.6 footballers used per club, the Brazilian Serie A teams fielded the greatest number of players (+24% in comparison to the average observed for all of the leagues taken into ac- erie A uperliga Liga rimera ivisin count). R R ME CI otal Fourteen of the fifteen teams having fielded at least 30 players are Brazilian. The high number of matches played in Brazil during the period Figure 2: clubs having used the most players studied only partially explains the differences observed. The desire shared by the clubs and 1 ois EC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 38 the empresários to showcase players in order . rmio Foot-all orto Alegrense (RA)IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 38 to stimulate interest from foreign teams and 3 Ava Futebol Clube (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 37

increase their value on the transfer market 4 o aulo FC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 35

also enters into consideration. 5 port Club Internacional (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 34

6 CA aranaense (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 33

. E almeiras (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 33

8 Fluminense FC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 32

. otafogo de Futebol e Regatas (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 32

. Club de Regatas asco da ama (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 32

. CA an Loreno (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 32

12 CA ineiro (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 31

. Associao Chapecoense (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 31

14 Centro portivo Alagoano (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 30

. Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 30

2 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

3. Age Figure 3: average age on the pitch, by league

The leagues analysed present similar charac- 22 21 teristics from the point of view of age. While 20 2 the Chilean clubs fielded the most experi- 25 enced line-ups (28.2 years of age on average), the youngest championship, the Argentinean Superliga, also regroups relatively seasoned players (27.5 years of age). This result reflects the same tendency to transfer to Europe the rimera ivisin Liga erie A uperliga most promising young players, who only re- CI ME R R otal turn to South America at a relatively advanced age.

The only three teams whose average age on Figure 4a: youngest clubs (average age) the pitch is under 25 are Argentinian. With an average age on the pitch of 23.1 years, CD 1 C odoy Cru (AR) IIIIIIIII 23.1 Godoy Cruz stands out from the crowd. How- 2 CA Talleres (AR) IIIIIIIIIIII 24.3 ever, during the writing of the present report, 3 CA Vélez Sarsﬁeld (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIII 24.9

this team occupied the last place of the Ar- 4 antos Laguna (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 25.8

gentinian Superliga. The two oldest teams 5 C Huachipato (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 25.9

are Chilean: Universidad de Conceptión (30.8 . Fluminense FC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 25.9 years) and Curicó Unido (30.1 years). 7 uertaro FC (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 26.1

8 Club nin Espaola (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 26.3

. C efensa y usticia (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 26.3

10 Audax Club portivo Italiano (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 26.4

Figure 4b: oldest clubs (average age)

1 niversidad de Conceptin (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 30.8

2 C Curico nido (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 30.1

3 CA Tucumn (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 30.0

. CF Tigres de la ANL (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 30.0

5 C Tiburones Roos de eracru (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 29.9

6 Racing Club Avellaneda (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 29.8

. C niversidad Catlica (CHI) (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 29.8

8 Associao Chapecoense (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 29.6

. eportivo Toluca FC (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 29.6

10 CF uebla (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 29.5

3 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

4. Height Figure 5: average height on the pitch, by league

The average height on the pitch varies be- 1 tween 177.4cm in the Chilean top division and 179.9cm for the top-flight Brazilian league. The 1 1 1 general average is 178.9cm. By way of com- 1 parison, this value is around 182cm in Europe. Though it can make migration more difficult, the height deficit is often compensated by a greater technical mastery. This state of affairs erie A uperliga Liga rimera ivisin makes the South American market very at- R R ME CI otal tractive for international scouts. There are no Brazilian clubs among the ten teams with the lowest values in terms of av- Figure 6a: shortest clubs (average height in cm) erage height on the pitch. On the other hand, there are seven among the ten with the high- 1 Everton de ina del ar (CHI) IIIIIIIII 174.8 est values. Aside from the differences in the 2 Club Len (E) IIIIIIIIII 175.0 average height of populations in the countries 3 C Curico nido (CHI) IIIIIIIIII 175.2

concerned, this result probably also shows the 4 C Huachipato (CHI) IIIIIIIIII 175.3

preference of Brazilian teams for taller players, 5 Audax Club portivo Italiano (CHI) IIIIIIIIIII 175.9

who are easier to transfer abroad. 6 uertaro FC (E) IIIIIIIIIIII 176.1

7 CA Talleres (AR) IIIIIIIIIIII 176.2

8 C Tiburones Roos de eracru (E) IIIIIIIIIIII 176.3

9 onarcas orelia (E) IIIIIIIIIIIII 176.5

10 AA Argentinos uniors (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIII 176.8

Figure 6b: tallest clubs (average height in cm)

1 CA Tucumn (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 182.2

2 Fluminense FC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 181.5

3 Club de Regatas asco da ama (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 181.3

4 CA atronato de la uventud Catlica (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 181.1

5 Crueiro EC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 181.0

6 CF Tigres de la ANL (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 180.8

7 Ava Futebol Clube (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 180.6

8 Cear C (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 180.5

. rmio Foot-all orto Alegrense (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 180.5

10 otafogo de Futebol e Regatas (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 180.4

4 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

5. Expatriates Figure 7: % of minutes by expatriates, by league

51 Important differences exist at the level of the percentage of expatriate players. This notion

refers to footballers who have grown up out- 1 side of the association of their owner club. At 2 one extreme, players imported from abroad 1 were fielded for only about a tenth of minutes 10 in the Brazilian Serie A. At the other, this percentage is over half in the Mexican MX league. The value measured in Argentina is close to ME CI R R otal that of Brazil, while that observed in Chile is situated in the middle.

The ten clubs where expatriate footballers Figure 8a: lowest % of minutes by expatriates played the most minutes are Mexican, with a maximum value of 65% for Club Tijuana. The 1 Arsenal de arand FC (AR) 0.0% highest figure for a non-Mexican team was re- . Cear C (RA) 0.0% corded for Curicó Unido (48.1%). In contrast, 3 CA Lans (AR) I 0.1%

many Brazilian and Argentinian teams are 4 Associao Chapecoense (RA) I 0.7%

among those where expatriates are less nu- 5 C uadalaara (E) I 0.9%

merous. Two of them, Arsenal de Sarandì and 6 CA Tucumn (AR) I 1.7% Cearà SC, did not field any. 7 EC ahia (RA) I 2.4%

8 rmio Foot-all orto Alegrense (RA) II 4.4%

9 E almeiras (RA) III 6.1%

10 CA Central Crdoba de antiago del Estero (AR) III 6.8%

Figure 8b: highest % of minutes by expatriates

1 Club Tiuana (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 65.0%

2 CF onterrey (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 64.3%

3 Atlas uadalaara (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 62.6%

4 eportivo Toluca FC (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 61.0%

5 Club achuca (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 59.0%

6 Atltico an Luis (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 58.1%

7 Club Len (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 57.0%

8 CF uebla (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 56.2%

9 CF Tigres de la ANL (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 54.9%

10 Cru Aul FC (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 53.5%

5 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

With 138 nationals, Argentina is by far the most Figure 9: main expatriate origins represented origin among the expatriates in 1 Argentina 138 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII the leagues analysed. Argentinians are par- ticularly numerous in Mexico and Chile. They 2 Colombia 67 IIIIIIIIIIIII are also the primary source of foreign labour 3 ruguay 66 IIIIIIIIIIIII

in Brazil. In total, they account for almost one- leagues) (4 Total 4 araguay 52 IIIIIIIIII third of expatriates. Three other countries have 5 Chile 25 IIIII

substantial expatriate contingents: Colombia, 6 eneuela 18 III

Uruguay and Paraguay. On the contrary, only 7 Ecuador 17 III eight Brazilians are expatriated in the leagues 8 eru 11 II studied (all are in Mexico). 9 pain 9 I

10 rail 8 I

1 ruguay 26 IIIII

2 araguay 22 IIII

3 Colombia 20 IIII

uperliga (AR) uperliga 4 Chile 8 I

5 eneuela 2 I

1 Argentina 15 III

2 Colombia 13 II

3 araguay 9 I erie A erie A (RA) 4 ruguay 7 I

5 eneuela 3 I

1 Argentina 61 IIIIIIIIIIII

2 ruguay 12 II

3 eneuela 12 II

4 araguay 8 I

rimera ivisin (CHI) ivisin rimera 5 Colombia 4 I

1 Argentina 62 IIIIIIIIIIII

2 Colombia 30 IIIIII

3 ruguay 21 IIII Liga (E) Liga 4 Chile 16 III

5 araguay 13 II

6 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

6. Training Figure 10: % of minutes by club-trained players, by league Club-trained players are footballers having

played at least three seasons between the 22 ages of 15 and 21 at their owner club. This category of footballers played 16.8% of minutes 1 1 1 in the leagues taken into account. The lowest 1 percentage was measured in the Mexican Liga MX (13.3%), where clubs employ many players imported from abroad. Conversely, the highest proportion was recorded in the Argentin- uperliga rimera ivisin erie A Liga ian Superliga (22.6%), where more clubs rely R CI R ME otal on players from their academies to make up their squads.

Club-trained footballers played a majority of Figure 11a: lowest % of minutes by club-trained domestic league minutes in only three of the 79 clubs taken into account: CA Banfield, Gim- 1 FC ure (E) 0.0% nasia y Esgrima and Pumas UNAM. The latter . Atltico an Luis (E) 0.0% club constitutes a notable exception in the . Centro portivo Alagoano (RA) 0.0% Mexican context. Two of the three teams not 4 Cear C (RA) I 0.2%

having fielded any club-trained players are . Club Necaxa (E) I 0.2%

Mexican: FC Juárez and Atlético San Luis. The 6 Club Tiuana (E) I 1.1% third, CS Alagoano, is Brazilian. 7 E almeiras (RA) I 1.3%

8 CA Tucumn (AR) I 2.0%

9 EC ahia (RA) I 2.1%

10 Arsenal de arand FC (AR) I 2.2%

Figure 11b: highest % of minutes by club-trained

1 CA Banﬁeld (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 60.3%

2 Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 54.6%

3 Pumas UNAM (MEX) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 52.4%

4 CA Vélez Sarsﬁeld (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 44.8%

5 CA Lanús (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 39.8%

6 CD Godoy Cruz (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 35.7%

7 Audax Club Sportivo Italiano (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 33.8%

8 AA Argentinos Juniors (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 31.6%

9 CA Newell's Old Boys (ARG) IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 31.3%

10 Fluminense FC (BRA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 31.1%

7 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

Boca Juniors is at the top of the rankings for Figure 12: main training clubs clubs having trained the greatest number of players within the leagues analysed. The Bue- Players [In the club] nos Aires team is ahead of three other Argen- 1 CA oca uniors (AR) 46 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII [5] tinian clubs: Vélez Sarsfield, River Plate and 2 CA Vélez Sarsﬁeld (ARG) 39 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII [14] Newell’s Old Boys. The most important train- . CA River late (AR) 39 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII [9] ing clubs for the countries of the other three 4 CA Newell's Old Boys (ARG) 33 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII [11]

championships surveyed are São Paulo FC in 5 o aulo FC (RA) 31 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII [13]

Brazil, Atlas Guadalajara in Mexico and Univer- 6 Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas (BRA) 29 IIIIIIIIIIIIII [13] sidad de Chile in Chile. . Atlas Guadalajara (MEX) 29 IIIIIIIIIIIIII [12]

8 CA an Loreno (AR) 28 IIIIIIIIIIIIII [11]

. Universidad de Chile (CHI) 28 IIIIIIIIIIIIII [6]

10 CD Universidad Católica (CHI) 27 IIIIIIIIIIIII [8]

. CSD Colo Colo (CHI) 27 IIIIIIIIIIIII [6]

. AA Argentinos uniors (AR) 27 IIIIIIIIIIIII [9]

. Sport Club Internacional (BRA) 27 IIIIIIIIIIIII [8]

. Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima (ARG) 27 IIIIIIIIIIIII [15]

15 CA Rosario Central (AR) 25 IIIIIIIIIIII [8]

. Santos Futebol Clube (BRA) 25 IIIIIIIIIIII [5]

. CA Lans (AR) 25 IIIIIIIIIIII [10]

18 CA Banﬁeld (ARG) 24 IIIIIIIIIIII [14]

19 CD Godoy Cruz (ARG) 23 IIIIIIIIIII [13]

20 Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense (BRA) 22 IIIIIIIIIII [12]

. CD Huachipato (CHI) 22 IIIIIIIIIII [6]

. Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (BRA) 22 IIIIIIIIIII [8]

8 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

7. Recruitments Figure 13: % of new recruits, by league

New recruits are players having joined their employer club during the year (from the 1st of January 2019 onwards in this case). Foot- 5 ballers promoted from youth academies are 2 not included in the new recruit category. The 0 percentage of new recruits is high in each of the four leagues studied. In all of the championships, more than 40% of players have been rimera ivisin erie A uperliga Liga present in their employer club for less than CI R R ME otal one year. The greatest instability was observed in the Chilean top division (47.4%).

Numerous bottom-ranked teams are among Figure 14a: lowest % of new recruits those with the highest proportion of new recruits in their squads. The record high was 1 CA River late (AR) IIII 18.5% observed for CS Alagoano (76.7%), who were 2 umas NA (E) IIII 19.0% eventually relegated. Conversely, many suc- 3 CF onterrey (E) IIII 19.2%

cessful teams figure among the most stable. 4 CF Tigres de la ANL (E) IIIII 21.1%

At the top of the list are the finalists of the 5 rmio Foot-all orto Alegrense (RA) IIIII 23.7%

Copa Libertadores, River Plate, followed by 6 CA Vélez Sarsﬁeld (ARG) IIIIII 24.0% three ambitious Mexican teams (Pumas UNAM, 7 onarcas orelia (E) IIIIII 25.0% CF Monterrey and CF Tigres of the UANL). 8 E almeiras (RA) IIIIII 27.3%

. Cru Aul FC (E) IIIIII 27.3%

10 port Club Internacional (RA) IIIIIII 29.4%

Figure 14b: highest % of new recruits

1 Centro portivo Alagoano (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 76.7%

2 Fortalea EC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 72.4%

3 C Tiburones Roos de eracru (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 70.8%

4 CA Central Crdoba de antiago del Estero (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 70.4%

5 Club Necaxa (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 70.0%

6 nin La Calera (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 69.6%

7 Club Tiuana (E) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 68.2%

8 ois EC (RA) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 65.8%

9 Couimbo nido (CHI) IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 63.6%

10 CA atronato de la uventud Catlica (AR) IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 63.0%

9 Monthly Report 51 - A demographic analysis of four Latin American leagues

8. Conclusion

The Report highlights some of the essential characteristics of the principle Latin American leagues. It notably illustrates the specificity of the Brazilian Serie A regarding the plethora of players used by teams. This situation reflects the status of Brazil as a global source of labour par excellence. From this point of view, just playing a few matches can open the doors towards a transfer abroad, even though not in the most prestigious football countries. The study also shows the central role of Ar- gentina as a provider of players for the leagues analysed. Indeed, Argentinians constitute the most numerous contingents of expatriates in Mexico, as well as in Chile and Brazil. On the contrary, only eight Brazilians are expatriated in the leagues studied (all in Mexico). The other countries with many expatriates in the championships taken into account are Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay. The study also illustrates the unique case of the Mexican MX league from the point of view of the presence of players imported from abroad. Expatriates account for the majority of players in line-ups, while they only play about a tenth of minutes in Brazil and Argentina. With about one-third of minutes played by expatriates, the Chilean Primera División occupies an intermediate position. The championships studied do not differenti- ate themselves greatly when it comes to the footballers’ age, which is quite high every- where (almost 28 years of age on average on the pitch). This result reflects a tendency to transfer abroad, mainly to Europe, the most promising young players, who only return to South America at a later age. The Report also brings to light the greater em- phasis on the promotion of talents from youth academies by Argentinian teams. Boca Juniors is the most important training club, followed by three other Argentinian clubs: Vélez Sars- field, River Plate and Newell’s Old Boys. The most important training clubs for the other three countries studied are São Paulo FC in Brazil, Atlas Guadalajara in Mexico and Univer- sidad de Chile in Chile.