El campeonato de liga nacional de primera división, también conocido como La Liga, nació en 1929 con solo 10 equipos participantes.
It is one of the most popular football leagues in the world and some of the best players in history like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have plied their trades in the Spanish top flight over the years. Before La Liga’s inception, the ‘Copa Del Rey’ was Spain’s national championship.
The basic structure of La Liga consists of a double round-robin system with 20 participating teams. Each team has 38 matches per season where they play two games against the rest of the teams. At the end of each season, the three last-placed teams in the league are relegated to the Segunda División and the top three teams from that division are promoted to La Liga.
La Liga Winners List: Champions List (Top 5)
Real Madrid (35 titles)
Real Madrid was founded in 1902 and plays its home matches at the iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, an arena with a capacity of 81,044. The team is famous for its all-white kits which have become synonymous with the team’s legendary status.
In the league, Real Madrid have won 35 La Liga titles and are the current holders of the trophy, holding the title ahead of Barcelona. The team also has 19 Copa del Rey titles and 12 Spanish Super Cups.
FC Barcelona (26 titles)
No wonder FC Barcelona is in second place and by a huge margin. Spain has been dominated by two teams for most of the time, with FC Barcelona being one of them. The departure of players such as Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembélé created instability at the club, putting their current season in jeopardy.
But, former player and now manager Xavi has turned things around for the Catalans as they sit third in the league table. His current form may not appeal to some, but his future certainly looks bright. Their last La Liga title came in the 2018–19 season.
Atletico Madrid (11 titles)
The Madrid team is known for producing many young talents who have gone on to become legends of the game. The list includes players like Sergio Aguero, Diego Costa, Thibaut Courtois, David de Gea, Radamel Falcao etc. They have won La Liga 11 times, most recently in the last season (2020-21).
Atlético Madrid’s first league title came in 1939–40, followed by a second in 1940–41. The Colchoneros have yet to taste Champions League success, but have won the Europa League and the Super Cup on three occasions. The club has also won the Copa del Rey 10 times.
Athletic Club (8 titles)
Fourth place goes to Athletic Club Bilbao, one of the most interesting teams in all of Europe. Founded in 1898, the club is one of just three in the top flight to have never tasted relegation.
Bilbao are best known for their policy of bringing in young Basque Country talent, signing only players whom the club consider to be ‘Basque’ in origin. It’s an odd policy, but one that has brought the team considerable success over the years.
Valencia CF (6 titles)
Valencia has won the same number of league titles and finished runner-up. Apparently, they’ve been in second place six times. They won their first La Liga title in the 1941–42 season. Meanwhile, their last win dates back as far as the 2003–04 campaign.
Along with this, he has also won the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) eight times. On the European front, the side won the UEFA Europa League in the same season that they won La Liga (2003–04). It is a remarkable feat for a team to taste both European and domestic success in the same season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won La Liga for the past ten years?
In the last 10 years, Barcelona has won 5 La Liga titles, Real Madrid 3 times while Atlético Madrid have been champions twice.
Who is the best defender in La Liga?
La Liga has had a great history of defenders which includes the likes of Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Roberto Carlos etc.
Who is the best striker in La Liga history?
Lionel Messi holds the record for most goals in La Liga history with 474, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo who was 311.
