Following the expansion of Wyscout’s Youth Competitions Pack, we run the rule over some of the most prestigious tournaments included and discover what insights can be gained by analyzing their data.

The search for the next star is one of the most competitive areas of the modern football landscape. Clubs and agents are scouring the globe more than ever before and identifying talents at a younger age to boost sporting success and drive revenues. 

Wyscout’s video and data play a huge role in that search, allowing recruiters to identify and monitor prospects, whilst saving time and money that would have otherwise been spent traveling. 

However, scouting at only senior level is no longer enough and, for clubs looking to truly elevate their game, having the tools and resources to scout and develop talent at youth level is essential.

With Wyscout’s new and upgraded Youth Competitions Pack - covering various age categories from U14 to U21 in competitions from around the world, all in one single platform - a whole new world of scouting possibilities is opened up. 

With that in mind, we take a closer look at some of the insights that can be gained from a few of the tournaments available in the Youth Competitions Pack.

Maurice Revello Tournament

One of the most prestigious youth tournaments in the world, the Maurice Revello Tournament dates back to 1967 and hosts a mixture of international teams composed of players from U17 to U23 level. Icons such as Thierry Henry, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have all graced the Toulon-based tournament during their formative years and, more recently, the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Jonathan David and Kaoru Mitoma have all starred.

In the 49th edition this year, there was a surprise winner in the form of first-time champions Panama. Los Canaleros’ U23 team beat Mexico 4-1 in the final and topped the tournament in a number of attacking metrics.  

Top scorers with 10 goals in 5 games, Panama were the side with the most shots (56) and most key passes (15), outperforming their xG by +3.82 - fitting for a side coached by former national team striker Jorge Dely Valdes.

Panama shared their attacking output across a number of players. Playmaker Ángel Orelién had the most direct goal involvements in the tournament, with 3 goals and 1 assist, and ranked in the top five for shots (9), through balls (7) and smart passes (7). His performances subsequently earned him a move to recently promoted French Ligue 2 side USL Dunkerque.

Orelién was ably assisted by José Bernal, who had the second highest dribbles with 27, and Kahiser Lenis, whose 0.83 assists per 90 was the highest in the tournament. Marauding full back Reyniel Perdomo chipped in with two goals and Ricardo Phillips was a constant threat, as shown by his 11 shots, 3 key passes and 10 fouls won. 

Despite Panama’s attacking exploits, the stats show there was a steel to their performances too. No side made more defensive duels, interceptions or aerial duels than Panama and they also topped the charts for long passes and deep completions, showing they weren’t afraid to go direct. This was epitomized by defensive duo Edgardo Fariña and Cristopher Cragwell, who dominated metrics for defensive actions, as well as long and progressive passes.

Taking a very different approach were France, who on average attempted the fewest long balls per 90 (32.3 to Panama’s 51.59). As the graphic above displays, Les Bleuets were the team who played the most passes and with the highest accuracy. Even more impressive was the fact that the France side had an average age of just 17.7 years old.

France, who reached the semi-finals, didn’t just have possession for possession’s sake either. They racked up the most progressive passes (348) and most passes to the final third (284), while their 36.83 dribbles per 90 and 5.63 smart passes per 90 were the best in the competition too.

Two players in particular shone brightest and both made the combined team of the tournament. 18-year-old forward Mathys Tel already has 7 Bundesliga goals for Bayern Munich and was the joint top scorer with 3 goals, as well as registering the most shots in the tournament with 14.

Another 18-year-old, mercurial playmaker Eliesse Ben Seghir, was awarded player of the tournament for his exceptional displays. The Monaco youngster dazzled with his technical ability and slaloming dribbling skills, ranking highest in that metric with 11.49 per 90. 

Ben Seghir also led the way for through balls (13), smart passes (12), progressive runs (15) and deep completions (8). Defences struggled to get to grips with him and, unsurprisingly, he was also the most fouled player in the tournament.

Beaten finalists Mexico also impressed, particularly centre back Ramón Juárez and midfield duo Benjamín Galdames and Santiago Trigos. Galdames, son of Chilean international Pablo, was voted as the revelation of the tournament and typified Mexico’s combative approach with 49 defensive duels, as well as providing two assists and topping the tournament for crosses (25).

Third-place Australia caught the eye too, leading the way on xG with 8.43 and playing an attacking brand of football. Their squad included Cameron Peupion, who made his debut for Brighton last season, and Newcastle’s Garang Kuol, who already has 5 senior international caps to his name, showing the quality on display at the tournament and how early Premier League clubs are unearthing players from around the world.

COTIF

Combining both international and club teams, COTIF is an annual tournament held in L’Alcudia, near Valencia, and features U20 sides from around the world. From Iker Casillas and Andriy Shevchenko to Dani Alves and Lautaro Martinez, plenty of the top players in recent memory have excelled at COTIF before going on to bigger and better things. 

This year, in the 39th edition of the competition, Spanish side Elche emerged victorious, making it their second title in three years. Despite the senior side finishing rock bottom of La Liga last season, their performances at youth level suggest there is reason to be positive.

One player who certainly looks like he could be pushing for promotion to the first team is 18-year-old midfielder Marcos Montero. An ever-present for Elche and pivotal in their success, Montero made the most passes (185), joint most progressive runs (9) and second assists (2). He also was a threat with his long range shooting, with no player attempting more shots than his 11.

Forward Jesus Hernandez also caught the eye with two goals and a tournament-leading 2.42 expected combined goals and assists. The 19-year-old, who also represented Mexico at the Maurice Revello Tournament, averaged the most touches in the penalty box with 8.6 per 90 and was a good aerial target for an Elche side that made the most crosses (14.83 per 90) in the competition.

En route to the final, Elche pulled off a shock win against favorites Real Madrid, who made their long anticipated return to COTIF. Los Blancos were the tournament top scorers with 13 goals in 4 games and dominated metrics such as average ball possession (72.6%), progressive passes (86.8 per 90), shots (15.44 per 90) and dribbles (38.61 per 90).

A number of players stood out for Madrid, most notably flighty wide forward Paulo Iago. The 16-year-old was top scorer with four goals and demonstrated clever movement and the skill to conjure something out of nowhere. The fact that his 4 goals came from just 7 shots and an xG of 1.14 show not only his shooting efficiency but also his ability to score from unpromising positions.

Real Madrid broke a 15-year non-aggression pact with cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid to pluck Jesus Fortea from their academy, but his performances at COTIF showed why Real were so keen to land him. The flying full back impressed with his contributions going forward, registering the highest average crosses (8.08 per 90) and key passes (2.69 per 90), while also being the player with second most dribbles (8.62 per 90) and touches in the penalty box (7.54 per 90).

Topping many of the passing stats was centre back Elyaz Zidane, the youngest son of Real Madrid and France legend Zinedine. The left-footed defender was second only to Marcos Montero for passes (168) and passes to the final third (38) but did so playing less than half the minutes of the Elche midfielder.

When looking at average per 90, Zidane comfortably tops passing (90.54 per 90) and passes to the final third (20.48 per 90) metrics, while also posting the best numbers for progressive passes (25.33 per 90) and ball progression (10.96 per minute). 

While it may be a small sample size to judge from and was helped by the fact teams tended not to press Real Madrid defenders that aggressively - as shown by their high PPDA against score of 13.3 - Zidane nevertheless demonstrated his ability in the short time he was on-field.

Beaten finalists Saudi Arabia had some noteworthy performances, with four of their players making the best combined XI. Striker Thamer Alkhaibari finished as second top scorer with three goals, while midfield duo Mahdi Alobud and Ali Alfahmi were industrious presences, ranking highly in defensive duels and interceptions.

It will be interesting to see what impact the rapid influx of top foreign professionals into the Saudi league has for these talented youngsters. Will it raise the level of the league and help their development? Or will it block the pathways to the first team? Only time will tell.

ICGT

Moving onto exclusively club competitions, ICGT is an U19 tournament based in Uitgeest in the Netherlands and has welcomed clubs from around the world since 1985. With eight teams each playing five reduced-minute games over three days, it is an excellent opportunity for elite teenage prospects to demonstrate their talent in a short space of time.

Brazilian side Palmeiras bested their European opponents to run out as winners of ICGT 2023, topping the most important metrics. The only unbeaten side, they won four games and drew one and were joint top for goals scored (8) and for least goals conceded (3). The Verdão averaged the most touches in the penalty area (24.11 per 90) and shots taken (18.34 per 90), while also being the most settled side with only 10 substitutions made.

Looking deeper into the stats, the South Americans weren’t quite as dominant as the headline stats may suggest. 

With an average of only 46.3% possession and registering the second lowest number of passes - 223.2 per 90, compared to the tournament average of 340.48 - Palmeiras were more focused on efficient use of the ball rather than dictating the play with a high-possession style. They ranked bottom for progressive passes (161) but topped the charts for key passes (13), further highlighting their efficacy. 

Arguably the standout player of Palmeiras was Kauan Santos Silva. The 19-year-old, who can play in midfield and further forward, was the tournament’s top scorer with 4 goals, accounting for 50% of his team’s goals. His 15 shots were also the highest on display and he averaged 10.61 offensive duels per 90 and had an impressive 69.23% success rate from his 5.52 dribbles per 90.

At the other end of the scale, Vitesse bossed a number of the metrics in the tournament but only managed to win one match. As displayed by the image above, the Dutch side had a lot of the ball, were very forward-thinking and pressed teams high up the pitch, but this didn’t necessarily translate into positive results. 

Perhaps their stats were skewed by their comprehensive 6-0 victory over host club Uitgeest? Or should the focus be less on the final scores and more about the player development opportunities they offer? Either way, Vitesse look to have some interesting players to watch.

Forward Tim van der Leij’s 3 goals from 114 minutes meant that he had the highest goals per 90 statistics in the tournament with 2.37 per 90. He also ranked highest for combined expected goals and assists (xG+xA) with 1.68 per 90 and managed 5.53 shots per 90 - even more impressive when you consider he is just 17.

Vitesse playmaker Jordi Altena was another player who lit up ICGT. No player made more through balls (7), smart passes (6), deep completions (9) or passes to the final third (30) than Altena and he also placed in the top two for shots (10) and dribbles (17).

Further back, defender Giovanni van Zwam caught the eye for his defensive contributions and ball-playing ability; the center back was both highest for shots blocked (4) and progressive passes made (32).

Dribble kings Panathinaikos were another of the statistically interesting sides. The Greek side registered the most dribbles (120) and progressive runs (82), ranked in the top three for shots and completed passes, and were the only side to match Palmeiras’ 8.8 expected points. 

This was epitomized by wing wizard Georgios Kyriopoulos, who averaged a tournament high 12.55 dribbles per 90 and was the most fouled player on show, while midfielder Athanasios Dabizas - son of ex-Newcastle defender Nikos - topped key passes (3) and chipped in with a goal and assist.

As displayed by the Wyscout’s Ranking Index above, which sorts and rates players in a competition for each position based on their stats, there was a whole range of notable young talents on display. Manchester United’s Marc Jurado scored two goals and assisted one from right back, while AZ Alkmaar’s deep-lying midfielder Fedde de Jong had four direct goal involvements and averaged 6.92 recoveries per 90.

Tournoi International U17

One of the biggest difficulties when it came to scouting youth tournaments in the past was not being able to attend competitions that were happening at the same time. The Tournoi International U17 would have been a case in point, as this year it clashed with the ICGT U19 at the end of May.

Wyscout’s exclusive Youth Competition Pack removes such headaches, eliminating the need to prioritize one tournament over another and making sure you never miss a moment.

Gain access to an extensive range of the best youth football around the world, including exclusive tournaments, to take your scouting and player development programs to new heights. Click here for more information.

Featuring top U17 club sides from around Europe, the Tournoi International U17 takes place in the outskirts of Lille in France and has given an early platform to players such as Fernando Torres and Vincent Kompany.  

Lens were crowned champions in this year’s edition, notwithstanding the peculiar quirk of not scoring or conceding a single goal during regulation play of the 40-minute games. They drew all five games 0-0, winning three penalty shoot outs along the way to capturing the title.

Almost in a mirror image of the Lens senior side, which had the best defensive record in Ligue 1 last season, their U17 team was also built on solid foundations. Les Sang et Or restricted their opponents to just 18 shots and won 65% of their 217 defensive duels, while their 99 aerial duels were the second highest in the competition.

Obviously penalty shoot outs played a big part in their success and goalkeeper Constant Bodrero made crucial saves against Club Brugge in the semi-finals and Lille in the final. 

Using Wyscout’s Penalties tool we can see a comprehensive breakdown of all the penalties Bodrero faced in the competition, along with invaluable data relating to reaction, dive direction and penalty taking styles and techniques.

Despite failing to register a single goal, Lens weren’t necessarily overly defensive. Their 34 shots were the third highest in the competition, but the fact that only 26.5% of those were on target, suggests it was poor finishing rather than a lack of intent.

Despite ultimately finishing fifth, Anderlecht were one of the most effective teams at both ends of the pitch. Top scorers with 8, they were the only other team not to concede or lose a match during normal time. The Belgians also posted the highest number of shots (40), key passes (14) and defensive duels (246), while also ranking highly for progressive passes and runs.

Anderlecht shared the goals around, contributing four of the top six players for direct goal involvements. Attacking midfielder Momo Waki was joint top scorer with 3 goals and Jef Luyckx topped the charts for assists (3), key passes (4) and deep completions (5), while Nassim Azaouzi and Luka Vereecken each contributed two goals and an assist.

Anderlecht’s victors and beaten finalists Lille provided some interesting players too. All-action midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi made the most defensive duels (46) and the second highest aerial duels (26), as well as ranking in the top five for smart passes and passes to the final third.

Lille leaned heavily on their left side to progress the ball thanks to the partnership formed by winger Mohamed Boussadia and full back Soriba Diadoune. Boussadia, who could also operate as a central playmaker, topped the charts for progressive runs (11) and dribbles (40) - 16 more than anyone else - while Diadoune came in second overall in both metrics, as well as totting up the most interceptions (23) in the competition.

FC Kobenhavn, champions of the 2022 edition, put on another strong showing and were the side who performed best in many of the passing metrics. The Danes made the most passes (998), through balls (39), passes to the final third (138) and progressive runs (48) of any team in the tournament.

Opponents found it hard to press Kobenhavn in their own third, as displayed by their PPDA against of 16.68, and the Lions ability to play out from the back was typified by defenders Christoffer Daluiso Salmonsen and Graham Ankamafio. 

Daluiso Salmonsen made the second most passes in the competition (129) and was unmatched for both through balls (9) and deep completions (5). Ankamafio averaged 12.68 passes to the final third per 90 and his ball progression per minute was 7.41, while also consistently placing first for pass completion (89.32%) and progressive pass accuracy (87.5%).

Conclusion

The various youth tournaments we have analyzed attest to the range and depth of talent on offer for those looking to take their scouting game to the next level. With over 70 competitions from more than 30 countries - 65% of which are exclusive to Wyscout - and in excess of 11,000 players to scout, there is a world of opportunity waiting to be unearthed for clubs and organizations looking to find the edge in an increasingly crowded market.

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