In its latest weekly letter, the CIES Football Observatory (International Center for the Study of Sport) focuses on players under the age of 20, with the aim of measuring their high-level experience. It appears that João Neves, Benfica midfielder, is the one having played the greatest number of minutes in the world between April 2023 and 2024.
The young Portuguese international (19 years old) has played 4,905 minutes over the past year. In total minutes, the French goalkeeper from Toulouse, Guillaume Restes, is 5th (4,140 minutes). If we follow the CIES index, established by weighting playing time and the level of competitions (European Cups included), João Neves is leader just ahead of Warren Zaire-Emery, Paris SG midfielder.
Aged 18 since March 8, the French international has spent 3,558 minutes on the pitch with PSG. Then follow Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona) and Leny Yoro (Lille). At the age of 18, the Bleuet is a starter at LOSC (3,750 minutes in one year) and is on Real Madrid’s shelves for the next transfer window. Note that Yamal, already called up to the Spanish team, is the youngest in the top 100 established by the CIES, he who will celebrate his 17th birthday on July 13.