Nordsjaelland have become one of European football's leading clubs for developing players, and their approach rests on a simple principle: put teenagers into the first team and let them grow, mistakes included. A Uefa report last season showed 39% of the club's total minutes were played by teenagers, the highest share in Europe. By comparison, teenagers accounted for just 4% of minutes in the Scottish Premiership last term.
The strategy has delivered results. Nordsjaelland finished third in the Danish Superliga and qualified for Europe, and this season they fielded six players under 21 in their Conference League play-off win over St Gallen. Since their youth strategy accelerated a decade ago, they have finished in the top half of the league in nine of 10 seasons, despite competing with richer rivals such as FC Copenhagen and Brondby.
Sporting director Alexander Riget says the club has no option but to trust young players. Their best talents are often aged 18 to 20 and are sold on to bigger leagues, such as Caleb Yirenkyi, who moved to the Premier League after being the club's best player last season. A key advantage is the link with the Right to Dream Academy, which bought the club in 2015. Its network of schools in Ghana has supplied players including Mohammed Kudus and Ibrahim Osman, and Nordsjaelland have opened an academy in Cairo to tap further African talent.
For Scottish clubs, the lessons are clear: dismiss the myth that young players cost points, and commit consistently to the strategy. However, Riget's model relies on the Right to Dream partnership and substantial investment, so it cannot simply be copied.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing