Benfica, a machine for development and sales

Benfica ranked world's best academy by CIES; generated €346m net transfer profit over five seasons through player sales including João Félix, Enzo Fernández and Darwin Núñez.

Benfica has established itself as a global leader in player development and monetization. The Portuguese club was named by CIES Football Observatory as owner of the world's best youth academy in an October 2026 study, and leads the global transfer market rankings with a net positive balance of €346 million across the 2021/22 to 2025/26 seasons.

During that five-year period, Benfica generated €811 million from player sales while spending €465 million on transfers, significantly outpacing second-placed Lille (€273 million) and Ajax (€270 million). The club's academy has produced 93 players now competing in the 49 top leagues analyzed, with four in Benfica's own squad and 14 in Europe's five major leagues.

The strategy combines talent identification, athlete development and market expertise. Eight of Benfica's ten largest sales occurred between 2019/20 and 2025/26, including João Félix to Atlético Madrid (€127.2 million), Enzo Fernández to Chelsea (€121 million) and Darwin Núñez to Liverpool (€85 million). The model demonstrates how academy investment directly supports both sporting competitiveness and long-term financial health.