Top 15 greatest players in the history of LaLiga

These stars ruled the competition during their time and are legends of the game

Picking the top 15 players from LaLiga has to be the most difficult task, as one of Europe's most competitive leagues has produced a behemoth of legendary players in its history. LaLiga is home to many world-class players who have achieved enormous success while playing for major clubs in the league.

In the following article, we have compiled a list of some of the greatest players who have graced the league with their presence and embedded their names in the history books of LaLiga.

15. Carles Puyol 

Puyol might not have what most defenders possess, tall height and physically strong. But what made him a standout defender was his commitment and determination for the game. He was an aggressive defender and was later regarded as "El Capitan". 

Puyol had captained Barcelona since 2004, winning four league titles and two Champions Leagues. During his six-year stay at Barcelona, he appeared in 593 games.

14. Ronaldo

Ronaldo's time at Real Madrid may have been brief, but the prolific goal-scorer left a lasting impression. Ronaldo deployed with famous El Galacticos team during his four seasons at Real Madrid, which became a Real Madrid brand. Due to injuries, however, the Brazilian only made 177 starts for the club, scoring 104 goals and winning one LaLiga title and Super Copa.

13. Zinedine Zidane 

Zidane's impact on Real Madrid was enormous, and his famous goal in the Champions League final etched in fans' memory. He had been a key component for the Spanish club in midfield, influencing play with his vision and incredible dribbling skills.

He played for Real Madrid for five years, appearing in 230 games and scoring 49 goals. With Real Madrid, Zidane won LaLiga, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Champions League. He would later return as manager in 2016, leading them to an unprecedented three Champions League titles and two La Liga titles.

12. Roberto Carlos 

Carlos made a name for himself with his fierce free-kick and accurate passing abilities, as well as his powerful shoots. In the team, no player displayed as much poise on the ball as Roberto Carlos. The left-back appeared in 527 games for Real Madrid, scoring 69 goals and winning three Champions League and three La Liga titles.

11. Luis Figo

Another Portuguese with the world at his feet, Figo played for two of La Liga's biggest clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid. He joined Barcelona in 1995 and quickly became a cult hero due to his finesse in the games. Despite playing in the midfield, he scored 45 goals in 249 games for Barcelona, winning the Champions League and two LaLiga titles.

But what happened next made him the most despised player in Barcelona history, as he was lured to the Bernabeu by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

However, it did not take him long to become Madrid's heartthrob, as he was deployed in midfield alongside Zidane, With Real Figo lifted the Champions League and two LaLiga titles.

10. Laszlo Kubala

Kubala, a legendary Barcelona player from the 1990s, was welcomed with great fanfare when he joined the club, being a proficient goal-scorer. He had a prolific career with Barcelona, scoring 26 goals in his first season and winning two LaLiga titles and three Copa del Rey. Kubala spent 11 years at Barcelona, scoring 280 goals and winning 11 major trophies before taking over as manager.

9. Iker Casillas 

Iker Casillas, Real Madrid's dominant keeper, made his Real Madrid debut at the age of 18 and went on to become their permanent keeper; his life at the Spanish club was littered with trophies and personal achievements.

Casillas made 725 appearances for Real Madrid, 510 of which were in LaLiga, and registered 177 clean sheets in the league, the third most in LaLiga history. And when it comes to silverware, Casillas has won them all with Real Madrid. Two Copa del Reys, three Champions Leagues, and five league titles

8. Raul

One of the most lethal strikers Real Madrid has ever seen, he joined the club at the age of 15 from Atletico Madrid. Raul established a legacy at Real Madrid and scored goals for fun in games. He set such a high standard in every competition that only a few players could break his record.

 323 career goals, six LaLiga titles, three Champions League titles, and being the fifth highest scorer in Champions League history were enough to consider him a Real Madrid legend.

7. Dani Alves 

There are few right-backs with Dani Alves' stature, and Barcelona have yet to find his successor. Alves became a household name after joining Barcelona and propelled the club to three Champions League titles between 2008 and 2016. Fans praised his chemistry with Lionel Messi.

He left Barcelona having played in 400 LaLiga games and contributing one goal every four matches, demonstrating how Barcelona fostered an attack-minded full-back. He is the player with the most trophies in Europe.

6. Francisco Gento

We will never see another player like Gento, who wreaked havoc on opponents and won numerous trophies throughout his career. Gento has 12 La Liga titles, a record no player has ever surpassed, and to top it all off, he has six Champions League medals.

Fans flocked to the stadium to see him play, and whenever he appeared in games, he made a lasting impression with his lightning pace and dribbling, which was a nightmare for defenders. Gento would go on to play 650 games in his football career.

5. Sergio Ramos

When Ramos was playing for Sevilla, Real Madrid were quick to sign him. The Spanish giants had a defender with the guts and discipline to ensure the Los Blancos maintained their prestige; his qualities made him a powerful force in Madrid, and he became a valuable player in Real's history.

Despite playing as a centre-back, he became second Real Madrid defender who scored 100, and played 700 games for Real Madrid, winning four Champions Leagues and three as captain.

4. Xavi and Iniesta 

Xavi and Iniesta were Barcelona's engines, and their presence set the pace for every match. The now Barcelona manager played his first game for Barcelona in the 1998-99 season, while Iniesta made his in 2002, and they had since become the heart of Barcelona's midfield.

Winning countless trophies together, and their chemistry on the field was remarkable; they had every team on the floor with each other's understanding. Xavi's consistency saw him make 767 appearances for Barcelona and won eight LaLiga titles, while Iniesta appeared in 674 games and won nine league titles. While both won the same number of Champions League trophies (4).

3. Cristiano Ronaldo

When Ronaldo was unveiled at the Bernabeu, a large crowd gathered to witness his signing. He was one of the most expensive signings in transfer history at the time, and expectations were sky high. But it didn't take long for the former Manchester United player to establish himself in La Liga. He rose to fame in a short period and helped the club end their Champions League drought securing the holy grail four times at Real Madrid.

While goals? There were raining of goals, as he scored 450 goals in only 438 appearances in a White t-shirt. Ronaldo was at his peak at Real Madrid and was ruthless; scoring goals was a piece of cake for him.

2. Alfredo di Stefano

Alfredo di Stefano became the greatest player ever to grace the game during his ten years at the club; many fans admired him, and what he did for Real Madrid will be remembered forever. However, fans will remember him for his lethal scoring ability, as he scored 308 goals in 396 games.

Furthermore, he was more than just a striker who could turn the game on its side. He drove Real Madrid to back-to-back European Cups with goals in each final, eight LaLiga titles, and one Spanish Cup, which should have been enough to convince people of his greatness.

1. Lionel Messi

Describing Lionel Messi isn't enough; he made LaLiga look easy when it came to scoring goals and winning trophies. But, unfortunately, we rarely see such a player, and we may not see another for decades.

How he impacted La Liga is easy to see; 10 titles, 672 goals in 778 matches, 36 hat-tricks, and 50 goals in 37 appearances back in the 2011-12 season describe how Messi overshadowed every LaLiga legend with his endeavours and personal awards. Not to mention, he holds the record for the most Ballon d'Or awards.