Corinthians target 20 academy graduates in first-team squad by 2030 | OneFootball

Corinthians have set a target to reach 2030 with 20 Parque São Jorge academy graduates in the first-team squad, part of the "Corinthians 20-30" project.

"It is no good for a player to be up there and not playing. We believe that by 2030 they can be the main representatives wearing the Corinthians shirt. This is a target we believe can be implemented," said academy market coordinator Crisleison Santos, speaking to Corinthians TV.

To grow the pathway, the club are tracking around 2,800 players from a database near 50,000, using artificial intelligence to filter data, including footage from their own youth sides.

Evaluation is not limited to numbers, with scouts watching on the ground in Ecuador, Nigeria, Ghana, São Paulo’s outskirts, the state interior, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. "The human eye pulls that together when seen live," he said.

Another priority is earlier recruitment, which is seen as reducing costs and extending development time. Marquinhos, Fagner, Jô and Malcom arrived before age 12 and later forged notable careers.

In 2026, the squad includes 10 homegrown players, with Breno Bidon and André Luiz among the 10 highest for minutes. The team also rank among the five clubs using the most under-20s in the Brasileiro.

The plan also aligns with finances, with the 2026 budget projecting R$ 151 million from player sales and FIFA solidarity payments.

Source: Meu Timao

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”