In recent years, Spain has become a "great source of footballers," with at least 222 Spanish players "competing for first-division clubs all over the world," according to Esteve Calzada of MARCA. Since Spain won the Euro 2008, the number of Spanish players competing abroad "has not stopped growing." During the '08-09 season, 70 Spanish players competed in int'l leagues, with that number increasing to 222 during the '13-14 season. There has "also been considerable growth in the number of Spanish players competing in Europe's top leagues in England, Germany, Italy and France, with this number multiplying by three to 48, unmistakable proof of the substantial improvement Spanish players have made on a technical level." Spanish players are currently competing in 40 different leagues globally. The success of Spanish football is "also evident in the EPL," as the 31 Spanish players in the Premier League are the most the country has ever had. Spain "has become the second-biggest provider of EPL players, as it trails only France." However, it "escapes no one's attention that Spain's overwhelming success exporting players last summer has a lot to do with teams having to sell players for financial reasons." Brazil and Argentina currently have 843 and 459 players scattered across the globe, but "little by little, Spain is approaching these world powers" (MARCA, 1/13).
