Santos top 2026 Brasileirão as academy graduates play 28% of minutes | OneFootball

Santos lead the 2026 Brasileirão for academy usage, with 28% of their minutes played by club-trained footballers, according to CIES Football Observatory.

The ranking places them ahead of Athletico Paranaense on 27.5% and Cruzeiro on 24.2%, with Grêmio on 23.1% and Corinthians on 16.7% completing the top five.

The study counts players who spent at least three years at the club between ages 15 and 21, and measures their minutes for the first team across the competition.

In the most recent round at Mineirão against Cruzeiro, head coach Cuca included five academy products, with midfielder Gustavo Henrique starting.

The board frame academy use as part of long-term planning. President Marcelo Teixeira emphasised its importance, describing it as central to Santos’ identity and a key asset for the future, and pointing to coordinated work across departments.

Santos have also moved to retain talent. In 2025 the club signed 25 training contracts with Under-14 players, all running until 2028, with family involvement and shared responsibility highlighted in developing a new generation.

Source: Diario Do Peixe