Talent hotspots and the role of community density in youth soccer: The unique case of Athletic Club de Bilbao situated in the Basque Country, Spain.

This study examines how birthplace and location of sporting development influence youth soccer talent identification and selection within Athletic Club de Bilbao, a professional Basque soccer club with a geographically restricted recruitment policy. Analyzing data from 1,411 male players over 30 seasons, the research identifies Bizkaia province as the primary talent hotspot, particularly municipalities with a population density of 150 to 650 males aged 0–19 per km², which showed the strongest predictive power for player selection. The findings emphasize that many players develop their skills outside their birthplace, highlighting the importance of tracking the location of sporting development rather than birthplace alone. Additionally, factors such as proximity to the academy and the number of local clubs play secondary roles, while medium-density areas provide environments conducive to talent emergence. These insights suggest that soccer academies should focus scouting efforts on medium-density municipalities and consider players' developmental trajectories to enhance talent identification strategies.