How to know the best football league in Europe

Dortmund's yellow wall is one the most nerve wrecking sights for rival teams
Dortmund's yellow wall is one the most nerve wracking sights for rival teams

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There are many disputed arguments in world football, who is a better player between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? Which is the best team?

Nowadays fans have even started to compare leagues. People try to prove that the league in which their team plays is the most competitive league, but most people will agree that the English Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga are easily the best leagues in Europe when it comes to football, though not necessarily in that specific order.

When it comes to sports and entertainment, there aren't many which rank ahead in close competition and unpredictability in the outcome. The English Premier League has a fierce competition for the top position among the top six teams, and the fact that Leicester City won it in a fairy tale manner is proof of how unpredictable it is.

This keeps each and every fan hooked to the happenings of the league, and there are one or two matches among the top teams on every matchday. Other leagues paint a gloomy picture when it comes to competitiveness.

LaLiga has Real Madrid and Barcelona who compete for the top spot every season. They obviously have a tough rival in Atletico Madrid, but even then you wouldn't bet your money on them.

This season has been quite different, as neither FC Barcelona or Real Madrid are leading the league convincingly, even Atletico is not on the top. Still we are quite certain that one of the three will clinch the title. The Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 have been one horse races for quite some time now.

But if only competitiveness determined the best leagues, the inter college league at my university would take the top spot. We need to look at a plethora of other parameters like attendance, quality of teams, top players in each league, and the footballing culture of the league.

According to average attendance per game, Bundesliga (44,646) leads every other league, followed by the English Premier League (38297), LaLiga (26,939), Serie A (24,767), and Ligue 1 (22,524), in that order.

This clearly shows that the Germans love their football. But these leagues are huge and have fans around the globe. The EPL wins in global and domestic broadcasting, making it the most followed football league worldwide.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have dominated the UCL since the turn of millennium
Real Madrid and Barcelona have dominated the UCL since the turn of millennium

The EPL wins in competition and popularity debates, but what about the quality of football as compared to its counterparts? The UEFA Champions League is the best platform to compare based on this parameter.

Since 2000, the UCL has been won by Spanish teams a staggering 10 times, Italian teams - 3 times, English teams - 3 times, and 2 times by German teams. Even when Chelsea last won in 2012, they were considered underdogs against Bayern Munich.

This clearly shows that even though the English league is competitive, their teams are not feared as much as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. Even teams like Sevilla, Valencia, and Dortmund have played more tactical and frightening football than the likes of Manchester United or Arsenal in recent years.

Zidane or no Zidane, the white jersey [of Madrid] is special - Eden Hazard

When it comes to attracting top talents, LaLiga again beats the EPL. During the last decade, all the best player awards like Ballon d'Or and FIFA Best have been won predominantly by players from LaLiga.

All the big name players dream of signing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, which clearly suggests that there is something more attractive in those clubs that sets them apart from the others.

There is only one conclusion for a true football fan and a hardcore supporter of his team - all these are just stats & words, and what league you fall in love with cannot be decided by this.

The hardest league is the one in which your team plays, but since this is an intriguing question, if you want to watch tactical football with some of the best game play, LaLiga is your thing. If you want to watch a league where anybody can beat anybody on their day, a league with more glamour and entertainment, the Premier League is what you want to follow.

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Edited by Anthony Akatugba Jr.