The cantera (quarry) of Spanish professional football club RCD Espanyol is the organisation's youth academy, developing players from childhood through to the integration of the best prospects into the adult teams.

[2] However, the Pericos are easily the second biggest club in Catalonia (population 7.5 million) and they have still been able to produce some players for their first team, even if the very best youngsters in the region tend to end up at Barça.

This run of success in the 21st century was very similar to the achievements during the same period of the FC Barcelona youths, whose academy La Masia is regarded as one of the best in the world for developing great players.

A further 2016 study demonstrated that although Espanyol had more players selected for the Spanish national squad at various age group levels than Athletic Bilbao (another club with a renowned academy) in the 21st century, far fewer graduated to the senior Spain side, indicating that the club's youth coaching is effective but the methods are less successful as the players move into adulthood.

[11] Although a long list of former Pericos youths have carved out decent careers in the Segunda División and in foreign leagues such as the Cypriot First Division, it would perhaps have been hoped by the club that more players of the generation would have made the transition from promising youngsters to elite professionals, given the strength of the academy teams.

[15] Players retained after their Juvenil A spell (aged about 18) typically move to reserve team RCD Espanyol B to gain experience in an adult league (Segunda División B level in most years).