Which is why we are only making observations on things that DID happen. Those players DID have high-level club training, they DID also play at their respective high schools, and they DID become elite international players. Observing this, it's perfectly logical to conclude that what DID happen, while it may or may not have been universally beneficial, was not sufficiently detrimental to prevent them from reaching their current well-respected level of development.
Nobody ever said they might not have been even better players in another environment; that, as you say, is unknowable. Therefore, the argument that playing high school did not prevent them from reaching their goals is more logically sound than the argument that playing in the DA would have helped them more. The former is based entirely on the observable; the latter, despite being entirely plausible, is based on the theoretical.
Back to you.
