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La Liga, the Spanish top flight, is one of the leagues with the highest concentration of elite players.
Many of the greatest clubs and players in the history of the game have graced the league over the years. The quality of Spanish football teams and players is apparent to any football fan.
La Liga teams have produced most Ballon d'Or winners
The fact that La Liga clubs have produced the most Ballon d'Or winners is a testimonial to the quality of players in the competition.
Real Madrid and Barcelona (12 each) have dominated the Ballon d'Or, making La Liga the most successful club in terms of Ballon d'Or winners. Since 2008, no players from any other league has received the award.
However, there are match-winners and game-changers galore in the Spanish top flight. Certain players have been more effective than others in influencing the outcome of games.
Without further ado, here is a list of five players with the most Man of the Match awards in La Liga history.
#5 Antoine Griezmann - 49
After establishing himself as one of the world's best players in the late 2010s, Antoine Griezmann has suffered a dip in recent years.
Griezmann has been named as the best player in a La Liga games 49 times in 432 appearances in the division. The Frenchman made his La Liga debut as a Real Sociedad player in 2010 before moving to Atletico Madrid.
It was at Atleti that Griezmann really hit great heights. He joined Barcelona for north of €100 million, but the move did not work out and he is back at the Wanda Metropolitano, albeit on loan.
Griezmann has scored 164 goals and laid 70 assists in La Liga. The 31-year-old has five goals and three assists in 11 appearances this season.
#4 Iago Aspas - 49
Celta Vigo talisman Iago Aspas is a perfect example of how players' performances may differ in different leagues. The Spanish veteran has been one of the most consistent players in the Spanish top flight in the past seven years but had a short failed stint in the Premeir League.
Aspas made his La Liga bow for Celta Vigo before moving to Liverpool in 2013. He failed to score at the club and was subsequently loaned back to Sevilla after just one season. Aspas eventually rejoined Celta in 2015 and has been talismanic for the club since then. He has been named Man of the match in 49 of his 296 La Liga appearances.
Aspas has enjoyed a successful career with Celta Vigo in Spain. The 35-year-old striker has scored 141 goals and laid on 51 assists in the league, including six goals and two assists in 11 appearances this season.
#3 Karim Benzema - 53
Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema is one of the world's best players. The Frenchman won the 2022 Ballon d'Or after a stellar year for club and country. The veteran striker has impressed greatly for La Liga giants Real Madrid.
Benzema joined Real Madrid in 2009 as a highly rated young striker from Olympique Lyonnais. He was tasked with replacing iconic striker Raul, who was in the twilight of his career at the Bernabeu.
The Frenchman has lived up to the hype, with the Ballon d'Or his crowning moment in Spain. He has been named the Man of the Match in 53 of his 412 games in the Spanish league.
Benzema has been one of the most underrated players of his generation, with his brilliance often going unnoticed. The 34-year-old has 224 goals and 117 assists in the Spanish top flight. That includes five goals and an assist in seven games this season.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo - 93
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players to have graced the game. The Portuguese great has enjoyed a successful career others can only dream of. The 37-year-old has won the coveted Ballon d'Or five times.
Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 and quickly cemented himself as one of the best ever. He remained at the club till 2018, when he moved to Juventus. The Portuguese forward was named Man of the Match 93 times in 292 appearances for Real Madrid in La Liga.
The Portugal captain has enjoyed a hugely successful career for club and country. The veteran forward scored an astonishing 311 goals in 292 appearances in La Liga. He also contributed 85 assists.
#1 Lionel Messi - 227
Lionel Messi is inarguably the greatest player to play in La Liga. His achievements are unrivaled, and his record in the competition is outrageous. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or seven times.
Messi made his La Liga debut for Barcelona in 2004 as a teenager. Over the next 16 years, he set his name in stone in the league's history books. He left Barcelona for PSG in 2021, ending his 17-year association with the club. He was named Man of the Match an astounding 227 times in 520 appearances La Liga appearances.
Messi has enjoyed a successful career and has had numerous individual accolades to show for it. The 35-year-old scored 474 goals and made 216 assists in La Liga, both being record hauls.
