Top 10 Best Midfielders in La Liga Ever

When we see different leagues around the world like the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, and Bundesliga, we may have some questions like which league is the most competitive, which league is the most physical one, which league is more technical, and many more. La Liga has produced many great midfielders like Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Kroos, and many more, but who is the best among all the midfielders that have ever played in the league? Stick to this article till the end to find out which player holds the number one spot in our list of best midfielders in La Liga all time.

While La Liga has given the world splendid footballers in each position, some of the midfielders over the years have certainly displayed immense talent and were high-profile contenders to be on the best La Liga Midfielders of all time list. Join us as we have crafted an engaging list of the top 10 best midfielders in La Liga of all time. To make things transparent for our fans, we have listed the ranking factors that we have used in determining the best midfielders in La Liga.

List of Best La Liga Midfielders of All Time

As there are several talented playmakers in La Liga’s history, there are several factors on which we have made our rankings. A midfielder who has shown consistency throughout his career would certainly be ranked higher.

How We Ranked the La Liga Best Midfielders of All Time?

Individual Performance: The primary and most important factor in determining the La Liga best midfielders of all time, we have taken Individual performance as our ranking factor.

Trophies Honour: If midfielders have added needed value to a squad, they might have competed for the league. This factor will help us as the tie breaker in determining the ranking of players with almost similar stats.

Impact in Big Matches: We have used this factor to further distinguish between players – some players might have fewer goals and assists compared to other players but if they are/were the crucial part of the team and showed in every critical match, they have given a higher ranking in our list of the best midfielders in La Liga.

Goal & Assist: Although we didn't put much weight on this factor, as sometimes stats don't convey the whole story, and if we talk about midfielders, then it's about magic or creativity. But we did include it to make it more realistic, and to do that, we considered the statistical numbers provided by sources like Transfermarkt.

Who are Best La Liga Midfielders of All Time?

Before we start ranking the most valuable midfielders in the Spanish top flight, we would like to inform you that rankings are completely based on the above ranking factors. Players who have changed their roles later in their careers are not included, and players with less than 100 games are also excluded from our list of the best midfielders in La Liga.

10. Jose Pirri (Spain)

Jose Pirri is undoubtedly one of the most lethal Spanish players in football. Pirri played from 1964 to 1979 for the Los Blancos and also captained the side for four years. He has scored over 120 goals while playing as a defensive midfielder or even as a defender.

Though complete data about his footballing numbers is not available publicly as his name echoes through and years, which speaks for player greatness. Out of those 10 La Liga trophies, Pirri has scored in double digits in 5 of them. Undoubtedly, he has cemented his place as one of the top 10 best midfielders in La LigaLa Liga.

9. Pep Guardiola (Spain)

Pep Guardiola was one of the main stars of Johan Cruyff’s FC Barcelona. The Spaniard has won four league titles and the UEFA Champions League. From his stats, you can conclude that he likes to play more in the center and believes in creating chances for his teammates by tearing apart the defensive lines of the opponent with his precise through balls.

Guardiola had scored 6 goals and provided 35 assists in the Spanish top division as a player. The former Spanish international’s versatility to play across the field made him one of the mainstays during his tenure at Barcelona.

8. Xabi Alonso (Spain)

Before being a tremendous manager, Xabi Alonso was an influential midfielder in La Liga. The former Liverpool midfielder initially played for Real Sociedad, where he caught a lot of attention for his prolific performances. After joining Real Madrid in 2009, the versatile veteran displayed some phenomenal performances and showcased deep playmaking abilities to create goal-scoring chances.

The player only won 1 La Liga trophy with Real Madrid, but his impact on the team was very influential. The player has scored 13 goals and provided 37 assists to his teammates in 272 games, only making him positioned number 7 on our list of best midfielders in La Liga.

7. Sergio Busquets (Spain)

Easily one of the smoothest performers in the game, Sergio Busquets had a simple yet effective game plan in his matches for FC Barcelona. The Spanish midfielder had crisp interceptions, tackles, and counterattacks without getting noticed much. Being underrated for most of his time in Spain, Busquets is regarded as one of the most complete midfielders of all time.

Though the player was a defensive midfielder, his G+A tally is not that soothing compared to attacking midfielders. Some fans also say that the Blaugrana player was one of the most underrated players of all time; his contributions were not seen on the statistics sheet but can be seen on the pitch if watched carefully.

6. Luis Suárez (Spain)

Spanish legend Luis Suárez is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He scored 63 goals in his 139 appearances for Barcelona and won the La Liga twice with the Spanish side. As people tend to know about the Uruguayan Luis Suárez, they often forget the brilliance of the Spanish veteran with the same name.

Suarez holds the 6th Position in our list of the best midfielders in La Liga because of his impressive goal-scoring prowess. The Spaniard has scored 63 goals, which is slightly higher than the par for Midfielders. The player played for Deportiva Corruna and La Espana Industrial. Luis Suarez used to play near the penalty box, making him available on second balls and cutbacks, which helped him score goals.

5. Toni Kroos (Germany)

If there was someone who was loved by rival clubs as much as he was loved by the fans of Real Madrid, it was Toni Kroos. Arguably one of the most lethal midfielders for Real Madrid, Toni Kroos was the mastermind of Madrid’s midfield for a decade and had a glorious career with the Los Blancos.

His impressive free-kick skills have been on display several times throughout his career. Being a top-class central midfielder, Toni Kroos is one of the greatest players to ever grace the legendary Real Madrid side. The player’s absence can be felt in the squad after he retired. Since his retirement, the team has not been able to completely replace him. His diagonal long balls were as lethal as his decisive through balls between the lines.

4. Luka Modric (Croatia)

The Croatian Luka Modric has a list of accolades that alone makes him the top 10 list itself. Modric has won six Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, and two Copa del Rey titles. Having a decorated career so far, Modric continues to shock everyone with his exceptional performances.

Even at 39 years of age, he is playing in the league which demands technicality, endurance, and great vision – he is doing it easily, though his game time has reduced, but the impact he has on the pitch as soon as he enters the pitch is immense and game-changing sometimes. The Croatian has scored 30 goals and provided 66 assists till now. Now plying his trade with Serie A club AC Milan.

3. Zinedine Zidane (France)

A magnificent veteran graced Real Madrid with his exceptional managerial skills in 2016. The same veteran made his effects known back in 2001 with his eye-catching skills and goals for the Los Blancos. French veteran Zinedine Zidane was one of the most prolific midfielders for Real Madrid and won several trophies and accolades during his time in Spain.

There are very few players who were excellent players as well as great coaches, and Zidane is one of them. For Real Madrid, he has scored 37 goals and provided 51 assists, which shows that the player has both shooting skills as well as creative playmaking skills to open the way for his teammates to go and score. The impact he had in just 155 games is incomparable to any other player in the league. He strongly holds the Number 3 Position on our list of best midfielders in La Liga.

2. Xavi (Spain)

An absolute legend. A midfield icon. These are the words used to describe Xavi. The football world has hardly seen a player delivering season after season on the field for more than a decade. Appearing in over 500 games for Barcelona, Xavi redefined the elegance and brilliance of midfielders during his tenure.

While Iniesta used to play a bit higher, Xavi used to combine with defensive players and provide the ball to forwards and attacking midfielders. With his precise short passes and give-and-go play style, the player was used to breaking defensive lines easily. The player’s stats and impact on the team the proof of why he is in the Number 2 Position.

1. Andres Iniesta (Spain)

The Spanish veteran Andres Iniesta was a legendary addition to FC Barcelona and had everything a midfielder needed. His ability to carry the balls into the attacking area, leaving defenders helpless, thanks to his dribbling skills.

​He used to play as an attacking midfielder, slightly shifting himself to the left to make space for other players to go forward. The difference between goals and assists tells us that despite playing an attacking midfielder, he used to create chances for his teammates rather than going for the shots himself.