Training Rights in Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain: Four Divergent European Models
By Futbol CV| Series: Training Rights in Football
This article is part of ourGlobal Guide to Training Rights in Football. Here we look at the systems of four major European leagues — each with a different approach to the problem of training compensation.
Europe's four major continental leagues (excluding France and England, which have their own articles in this series) present strikingly different models for addressing training rights. Germany recognizes training from the age of 6 but with low amounts. Italy compensates with professional debut bonuses. Portugal was a pioneer in domestic solidarity. And Spain has the weakest system of the major European leagues.
Germany: training from the age of 6 with modest amounts
Regulatory framework
The German system is regulated by theDFB (Deutscher Fußball-Bund)and applies to domestic transfers between German clubs. For international transfers, the FIFA system applies with the particularity that the German Bundesliga clubs are in UEFA Category I (€90,000/year).
Domestic amounts
Training compensation amounts for domestic transfers are notably low compared to international standards:
- €5,000 fixedas a basis for the signing of a youth player trained in another club
- €400 additional for each seasontraining
With the2024 reform, the DFB doubled these amounts, but even so they remain modest compared to France (€10,000-90,000/year) or the FIFA system itself.
The peculiarity: training from the age of 6
Where Germany does stand out is in theearly training recognition. Unlike FIFA (12 years) and most countries (12 years), the German system recognizes sports training from the6 years old. This benefits grassroots clubs that work with young children, recognizing that technical and motor training at these early ages is valuable.
Economic context
The contradiction of the German system is evident: Bundesliga academies are recognized worldwide for their quality (Dortmund, Bayern, Schalke, Stuttgart have elite training programs), but domestic compensation for training is a fraction of what French or English clubs receive. The partial explanation is that German football culture prioritizes other talent retention mechanisms (early professional contracts, integrated development programs, 50+1 rule that limits the concentration of economic power).
Italy: the "Premio alla Carriera" as an incentive for success
Regulatory framework
Italy regulates training rights through theNorme Organizzative Interne della FIGC(Internal Organizational Rules of the Italian Football Federation). The system has two components: base compensation and a unique system of awards for sporting achievements.
Base compensation
Compensation for domestic training in Italy is calculated with a formula:
€123 × category coefficient × years of contract
The coefficient varies depending on the series (Series A, B, C, etc.) and generates modest base amounts. A player signing with a Serie A club generates a relatively low base compensation compared to French or English standards.
The Carrier Award
The most distinctive mechanism of the Italian system is the"Carrier Award"(Career Award): bonuses paid to the amateur training club when the player reaches certain professional milestones:
| Sports milestone | Effect |
|---|---|
| Debut in Serie A | Bonus to the amateur training club |
| Call for U-21 selection | Additional bonus |
| Call for senior team | Maximum Bonus |
This system shares a philosophy with French valorization bonuses: it rewards not only training but also the successful result of that training. An amateur club that trained a player who reaches the Italian national team receives more than one whose player only reached Serie B.
Practical application
The Premio alla Carriera especially benefits amateur clubs in the lower categories of Italian football (Serie D, Eccellenza, Promozione), which are the true base of the training pyramid. For these clubs, a bonus for the Serie A debut of a former youth player can represent a very significant income by their standards.
Portugal: pioneer in domestic solidarity with higher rates
Regulatory framework
Portugal regulates training rights through theRegulation of the Statute, Category, Registration and Transfer of Players, administered by theLPFP (Portuguese Professional Football League)and theFPF (Portuguese Football Federation).
Domestic solidarity before FIFA
Portugal was one of the first countries in the world to implement adomestic solidarity mechanism, even before FIFA expanded its rules to incentivize associations to do so. This reflects the importance that Portuguese football places on the protection of training clubs.
Rates higher than FIFA standard
The domestic solidarity rate in Portugal can reach up to10%of the transfer value in certain cases — double the 5% FIFA standard. This percentage is distributed among the clubs that trained the player according to the years of registration.
Training entity certification
To access full compensation, Portuguese clubs must obtain certification as"Certified Training Entity"(Certified Training Entity), awarded by the FPF. This certification certifies that the club meets minimum standards of infrastructure, technical staff and educational program for players in training.
Without certification, the club can receive basic solidarity but does not access the higher compensation brackets.
Context: Portugal as an exporter of talent
Portugal is, along with Brazil and Argentina, one of the largest exporters of football talent in the world. Portuguese clubs — especially those in the second and third tier (clubs such as Vitória de Guimarães, Braga, Boavista, Rio Ave, among others) — are important beneficiaries of both the domestic and international solidarity mechanism.
The case of players like Bernardo Silva, João Félix or Rúben Dias, who went through Portuguese academies before being transferred to elite European clubs for tens of millions of euros, illustrates the importance of the system for the Portuguese football economy.
Spain: the weakest system in the major leagues
Regulatory framework
Spain regulates compensation for training through theArticle 118 of the General Rules of the RFEF(Royal Spanish Football Federation), complemented by LaLiga regulations for professional competition.
Risory amounts
The compensation for the first professional registration under the RFEF regulations reached approximately€52,620 for First Divisionin the 2012-13 season. This amount has been described by the doctrine specialized in sports law as "derisory" in relation to the real value of the trained players and what other European countries pay for the same concept.
To put this in perspective: a Spanish youth club that trains a player for 10 years and sees him debut in LaLiga receives less compensation than what a French Category 1 club receives forsingle yeartraining (€90,000).
Why is the Spanish system so weak?
Several reasons explain this anomaly:
Integrated quarry model:The big Spanish clubs (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao) operate integrated academies where the player spends his entire training within the same club. This reduces the need for inter-club compensation, as players rarely change clubs during their training.
Early contract culture:Spanish clubs tend to sign professional contracts (or pre-contracts) with the most promising players at an early age, securing their rights without depending on training compensation.
Regulatory inertia:The RFEF has not substantially updated compensation rules in years, and large clubs — which dominate decision-making — have no incentive to increase amounts that would primarily benefit smaller clubs.
Impact
The Spanish system especially harms football clubsSecond Division B, Third Division and regional categories, who are the main talent trainers at the base of the pyramid but receive minimal compensation when their players reach professional football.
Comparative table
| Appearance | Germany | Italy | Portugal | Spain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base amount | €5,000 + €400/season | €123 × coefficient × years | By category | ~€52,620 (1st Div.) |
| Domestic solidarity | Yes | Yes | Yes (up to 10%) | Limited |
| Minimum recognized age | 6 years | 12 years | 12 years | 12 years |
| Performance bonus | No | Yes (Premio alla Carriera) | No | No |
| Certification required | No | No | Yes (Training Entity) | No |
| System Strength | Medium-low | Average | High | Low |
| Protection of the small club | Low | Average (by awards) | High | Very low |
Combined Lessons
These four countries demonstrate that there is no direct correlation between the strength of a league and the robustness of its training rights system. Spain has the most valuable league on the continent but the weakest system. Portugal has a more modest league but a significantly more protective system.
The main lesson is thatsystems that combine base compensation with performance incentives(Italy, France) orhigher solidarity rates(Portugal) generate better results for training clubs than low fixed amount systems (Spain, Germany domestic).
→ Return to the Global Guide to Training Rights
Futbol CV — Specialized content for soccer professionals.