{"id":1246151,"date":"2022-02-21T18:00:54","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T18:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1246151"},"modified":"2022-02-23T13:58:02","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T13:58:02","slug":"ajax-benfica-talent-factory-champions-league","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/ajax-benfica-talent-factory-champions-league\/","title":{"rendered":"A combined XI of active academy graduates Benfica &#038; Ajax gave football"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Ajax and Benfica meet in the Champions League round of 16 this week, in a contest that will bring two of Europe&#8217;s biggest academy clubs together.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Amsterdam and Lisbon have long been hotbeds for emerging young talent, with many of the game\u2019s greatest players developing and honing their respective crafts at either Ajax or Benfica; they are arguably Europe\u2019s biggest talent factories \u2014 a notion that seems to carry more weight as the years go by.<\/p>\n<p>Ajax\u2019s core <em>Cruyffian<\/em> principle of promoting from within \u2014 rather than frivolously spending \u2014 and cherishing academy products has defined the club&#8217;s philosophy long before the great man first laced up his boots \u2014 and that mantra continues to resonate with their current iteration under Erik ten Hag.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/benfica-vs-ajax\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Squawka Bet&#8217;s predictions for Benfica v Ajax<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Benfica, likewise, has been a talent conveyor belt for quite some time now, exploding in recent years. Their academy alumni of active stars reads like a who&#8217;s who of Ballon d&#8217;Or contenders, and their bank balance has certainly reaped the rewards of their ability to churn out wonderkids by the bucketful.<\/p>\n<p>When these clubs meet for the first leg on Wednesday, the latest batch of starlets will be on display \u2014 one of whom makes it into our best XI of active Benfica and Ajax graduates. There\u2019s a reason their academies are spoken of in the same breath as <em>La Masia<\/em>, and here\u2019s why\u2026<\/p>\n<h2>Goalkeeper: Ederson<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246191 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-1024x586.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-110x63.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-122x70.jpg 122w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-66x38.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-80x46.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-180x103.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-380x218.jpg 380w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-1048x600.jpg 1048w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-240x137.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-1100x630.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-85x49.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-35x20.jpg 35w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150342\/1246151_1246151_PA-30470415-1-330x189.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Benfica appearances: <\/strong>58<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Manchester City<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>\u00a335m<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ederson first joined Benfica&#8217;s academy at the age of 16 after being released by Sao Paulo, but he wouldn&#8217;t stick around for too long. It took spells at second-tier Ribeirao and Rio Ave before the Brazilian would return to the Estadio da Luz and displace compatriot <span>Julio Cesar between the sticks. A number of dextrous and gut-checking performances in goal for Benfica alerted the attention of Pep Guardiola, who was more than happy to make Ederson football&#8217;s second-most expensive goalkeeper at the time \u2014 his \u00a335m price tag now looks a snip.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 class=\"p-rich_text_section\"><b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Benfica vs Ajax Champions League odds from Sky Bet<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul class=\"p-rich_text_list p-rich_text_list__bullet\" data-stringify-type=\"unordered-list\" data-indent=\"0\" data-border=\"0\">\n<li data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\"><strong>Benfica to win &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/m.skybet.com\/go\/event\/28757703\/bet?sels=967115224&amp;btag=a_30870b_22c_&amp;affid=14069&amp;siteid=30870&amp;adid=22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">10\/3<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\"><strong>Draw &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/m.skybet.com\/go\/event\/28757703\/bet?sels=967115226&amp;btag=a_30870b_22c_&amp;affid=14069&amp;siteid=30870&amp;adid=22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">14\/5<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\"><strong>Ajax to win &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/m.skybet.com\/go\/event\/28757703\/bet?sels=967115230&amp;btag=a_30870b_22c_&amp;affid=14069&amp;siteid=30870&amp;adid=22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">3\/4<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">You must be 18 or older to bet. For more information visit <\/b><b data-stringify-type=\"bold\"><a class=\"c-link\" tabindex=\"-1\" href=\"http:\/\/gambleaware.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"http:\/\/gambleaware.org\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" data-remove-tab-index=\"true\">gambleaware.org<\/a><\/b><b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">. All odds and offers in this article are accurate at the time of writing.<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Centre-back: Ruben Dias<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246193 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-110x73.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-80x53.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-85x57.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-30x20.jpg 30w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150555\/1246151_1246151_PA-47988131-copy-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Benfica appearances: <\/strong>137<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Manchester City<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> \u00a365m<\/p>\n<p>A successful shopping spree in Lisbon one summer prompted Pep to plunder Benfica\u2019s ranks once again. In need of a ball-playing centre-back who could seamlessly adopt his play-out-from-the-back, press-and-possession system, Guardiola had no hesitations splurging just around \u00a365m on Dias in the summer of 2020. A risky yet calculated move from modern football\u2019s tactical grandmaster, as City immediately beefed up their backline while simultaneously acquiring a player who could function as a springboard for launching attacks from deep.<\/p>\n<h2>Centre-back: Sven Botman<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246195 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-110x73.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-80x53.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-85x57.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-30x20.jpg 30w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150710\/1246151_1246151_PA-43764358-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ajax appearances: <\/strong>0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Lille<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> \u00a37m<\/p>\n<p>Ajax turned a \u00a37m profit on a player who didn&#8217;t even play a game for their first-team. The Dutchman came through the ranks at Amsterdam, joining Ajax at the age of just nine and featuring extensively for their reserve team, but chances in the senior set-up proved hard to come by. A fruitful loan move to Heerenveen in 2019\/20 proved a breakthrough moment for Botman, which caught the attention of Lille, who happily couriered a seven-figure fee to the Dutch capital for his services. It&#8217;s safe to say Botman hasn&#8217;t looked back, recently forming a crucial centre-back partnership with Jose Fonte as Lille won Ligue 1 last season.<\/p>\n<h2>Centre-back: Matthijs de Ligt<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246196 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-110x73.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-80x53.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-85x57.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-30x20.jpg 30w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150745\/1246151_1246151_PA-48753152-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ajax appearances: <\/strong>117<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Juventus<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>\u00a367.8m<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A player whose mature and authoritative showings belied his cherubic features when he was marshalling the backline for Ajax during their historic run to the Champions League semi-final in 2018\/19. If Dusan Tadic was the reliable goal-getter, David Neres the skilful maverick, then De Ligt was the defensive fulcrum, a player who seemed to treat every game like a Sunday League match, crunching into every challenge like a madman, and yet, timing each tackle with the precision of a Swiss watch. 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General withdrawal restrictions &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.888sport.com\/spt\/betgetpl60\/?utm_campaign=100066364_1859428_nodescription&amp;utm_content=100066364&amp;utm_medium=casap&amp;utm_source=aff#fullTerms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">full T&amp;Cs apply<\/a>. <\/strong><strong>18+ only. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gambleaware.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Be Gamble Aware.<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Right wing-back: Joao Cancelo<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246192 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-300x233.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-1024x794.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-768x596.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-110x85.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-90x70.jpg 90w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-66x51.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-80x62.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-180x140.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-309x240.jpg 309w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-774x600.jpg 774w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-240x186.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-1100x853.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-85x66.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-26x20.jpg 26w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150444\/1246151_1246151_PA-20559719-copy-330x256.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Benfica appearances: <\/strong>2<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Manchester City<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> \u00a313m<\/p>\n<p>Cancelo played just one league match for Benfica which, incredibly, came against Porto. Quite the baptism of fire! He lasted 65 minutes before being replaced by another teenage prospect in the form of Victor Lindelof. Following that single showing in Portugal&#8217;s revered <em>O Classico,<\/em> Cancelo moved to Valencia on loan before completing a permanent move to the Mestalla. He then padded out his burgeoning CV with a few other heavyweight clubs in Inter Milan and Juventus before naturally gravitating towards the north-west of England <span>\u2014<\/span> a magnet for Benfica products under Guardiola.<\/p>\n<h2>Central midfield: Renato Sanches<\/h2>\n<div id=\"bodyContent\" class=\"vector-body\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246197 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-110x73.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-80x53.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-85x57.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-30x20.jpg 30w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150825\/1246151_1246151_PA-62424867-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Benfica appearances: <\/strong>35<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Lille<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>\u00a327.5m<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some clubs love an impulse buy, particularly off the back of an exceptional tournament showing. When Renato Sanches led Portugal to the Euro 2016 title at just 18 years of age, this <em>did not<\/em> feel like one of those impulse buys, but instead a fastidiously savvy signing from Bayern Munich. Of course, Sanches is now more renowned for his partnership with an advertising hoarding than the one he formed with William Carvalho in the heart of Portugal&#8217;s title-winning team. These days, though, he&#8217;s on the comeback trail, and let&#8217;s face it, he&#8217;s still <em>only<\/em> 24. He&#8217;s now pulling up trees with French champions Lille and appears to have recapture his teenage form.<\/p>\n<h2>Central midfield: Frenkie de Jong<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246190 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-110x73.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-80x53.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-85x57.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-30x20.jpg 30w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150304\/1246151_1246151_PA-42696630-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ajax appearances: <\/strong>89<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Barcelona<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>\u00a365m<\/span><\/p>\n<p>It looked like a match-made-in-heaven. De Jong appeared to encapsulate everything Barcelona look for in a player: he oozed midfield elegance, passed with a laser-guided precision and moved with that rhythmic gait so synonymous with his Catalan predecessors. A signing has never made more sense. Unfortunately, he hasn&#8217;t exactly turned out like Xavi or Andres Iniesta at Camp Nou, but time is still on his side and the club will no doubt still harbour hope that he can yet become the midfield maestro they envisaged when they signed him.<\/p>\n<p>De Jong\u2019s Ajax progression wasn\u2019t quite the conventional route as some of the others on this list. He first emerged at Willem II and spent the majority of his youth career in Tilburg, making two senior appearances at the age of 17. Ajax\u2019s heavily-fruitful scouting network naturally caught scent of an emerging midfield dynamo and ultimately pounced. He was immediately drafted into Ajax&#8217;s academy and made nearly 50 appearances for Jong Ajax before eventually breaking into the first-team. A late addition to the club&#8217;s lower ranks, but an addition nonetheless.<\/p>\n<h2>Central midfield: Ryan Gravenberch<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246198 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-110x73.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-80x53.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-85x57.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-30x20.jpg 30w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150927\/1246151_1246151_PA-63516831-copy-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ajax appearances: <\/strong>91<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Ajax<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>N\/A<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Part of the current crop, the 19-year-old Amsterdammer is the real McCoy, racking up just shy of 100 Ajax appearances before he&#8217;s even turned 20, and turning out for the Netherlands on 10 occasions already. A physical presence at 6ft 3in, Gravenberch combines brains and brawn to control the midfield and is the current poster boy of the Ajax academy.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/go\/888-sports?q=uk-all-con-bag-s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1243352 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1399\" height=\"726\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer.jpg 1399w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-1024x531.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-768x399.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-110x57.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-135x70.jpg 135w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-66x34.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-80x42.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-180x93.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-380x197.jpg 380w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-1156x600.jpg 1156w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-240x125.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-1100x571.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-85x44.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-39x20.jpg 39w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/01\/21145227\/1243322_888sport-offer-330x171.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1399px) 100vw, 1399px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Readers interested in the above 888sport betting offer can follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/go\/888-sports?q=uk-all-con-bag-s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this link<\/a> and sign up using the code PREM60. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>A min deposit of \u00a3\/\u20ac10 with promo code is required. 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General withdrawal restrictions &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.888sport.com\/spt\/betgetpl60\/?utm_campaign=100066364_1859428_nodescription&amp;utm_content=100066364&amp;utm_medium=casap&amp;utm_source=aff#fullTerms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">full T&amp;Cs apply<\/a>. <\/strong><strong>18+ only. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gambleaware.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Be Gamble Aware.<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Left wing-back: Sergino Dest<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246194 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-110x73.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-105x70.jpg 105w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-80x53.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-85x57.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-30x20.jpg 30w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10150631\/1246151_1246151_PA-55241251-copy-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ajax appearances: <\/strong>38<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Barcelona<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>\u00a318m<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Name a more iconic duo than Barcelona and a former Ajax player. Dest exploded onto the scene in 2019\/20 in a breakthrough campaign that would see Europe&#8217;s leading lights once again press their noses up against the Ajax shop window. Barca would, of course, win the tug-of-war and captured Dest for a modest fee of around \u00a320m. A right-back by trade, Dest&#8217;s versatility means he can naturally slot in on the left for our combined XI, as he so often does for Barca.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/champions-league-outright-odds-21-22\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Champions League outright odds: UCL 21\/22 contenders from favourites to dark horses<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Shadow striker: Bernardo Silva<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Benfica appearances: <\/strong>3<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Manchester City<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>\u00a313m<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V<\/em>: Silva played just one league match for Benfica which, incredibly, came against Porto. Quite the baptism of fire! Yes, just like Cancelo, Silva played just one league match for Benfica, which came in the exact same <em>O Classico<\/em> as his current City team-mate. Unfortunately, they never met on the turf as Cancelo was withdrawn in the 65th minute, and Silva entered the fray for Filip Djuricic in the 82nd minute. Both would leave on loan that summer, Cancelo to Valencia (as mentioned) and Silva to Monaco, where he would link up with Kylian Mbappe, Fabinho, Thomas Lemar and Co to famously win the 2016\/17 Ligue 1 title. Dissatisfied with the number of ex-Benfica players in his camp, Guardiola moved for Silva in 2017.<\/p>\n<h2>Striker: Joao Felix<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1246199 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1794\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-1024x718.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-768x538.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-110x77.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-100x70.jpg 100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-66x46.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-80x56.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-180x126.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-342x240.jpg 342w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-856x600.jpg 856w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-240x168.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-1100x771.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-85x60.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-29x20.jpg 29w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10151037\/1246151_1246151_PA-42278648-330x231.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Benfica appearances: <\/strong>43<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current club: <\/strong>Atletico Madrid<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sold for:<\/strong> <span>\u00a3113m<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Football&#8217;s fourth-most expensive player ever originated from Benfica. Felix stormed the continent in 2018\/19 as a wonderkid of dazzling imagination, a player who backed up highlight reel flicks and tricks with genuine substance, bagging 20 goals across all competitions as Benfica won the Primeira Liga and reached the Europa League quarter-finals. Now at Atletico Madrid, Felix hasn&#8217;t quite recaptured those heights, possibility due a clash of styles, with his carefree unpredictability not the sort of profile that usually chimes with Diego Simeone&#8217;s esoterically disciplined approach. Still, a delight to watch when he is in his groove.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1246186 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-110x110.jpg 110w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-70x70.jpg 70w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-50x50.jpg 50w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-66x65.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-180x180.jpg 180w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-240x240.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-999x999.jpg 999w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-85x85.jpg 85w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-20x20.jpg 20w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10144635\/1246151_1246151_BENFICA-COMBINED-XI-330x330.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ajax and Benfica meet in the Champions League round of 16 this week, in a contest that will bring two of Europe&#8217;s biggest academy clubs together. Amsterdam and Lisbon have long been hotbeds for emerging young talent, with many of the game\u2019s greatest players developing and honing their respective crafts at either Ajax or Benfica;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":1246189,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"A combined XI of active academy graduates from Benfica & Ajax","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Ajax and Benfica meet in the Champions League round of 16 later this month in a contest that will bring two of Europe's biggest academy clubs together.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1246151","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A combined XI of active academy graduates from Benfica &amp; Ajax<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ajax and Benfica meet in the Champions League round of 16 later this month in a contest that will bring two of Europe&#039;s biggest academy clubs together.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/ajax-benfica-talent-factory-champions-league\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A combined XI of active academy graduates Benfica &amp; Ajax gave football\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ajax and Benfica meet in the Champions League round of 16 later this month in a contest that will bring two of Europe&#039;s biggest academy clubs together.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/ajax-benfica-talent-factory-champions-league\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Squawka | EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SquawkaFootballNews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-02-23T13:58:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2022\/02\/10145832\/1246151_1246151_AJAX-COMBINED-XI.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"675\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@squawka\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/ajax-benfica-talent-factory-champions-league\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/ajax-benfica-talent-factory-champions-league\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ben Green\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7b33a00558813314a222ac17c7bd478c\"},\"headline\":\"A combined XI of active academy graduates Benfica &#038; 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