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Spain’s premier footballing division, La Liga, is one of the most competitive and prestigious footballing leagues on the planet. Since the league’s inception in 1929, many world-class individuals have come to Spain’s top division to leave an ever-lasting footprint, but very few have succeeded in doing so.
Today, we will take a look at five exceptional players in La Liga history who have gone down as the league’s fiercest goalscorers. These players have consistently converted half-chances to take their respective teams to crucial wins, helping them to La Liga titles.
Now, without further ado, let’s check out the five players who have scored the highest number of goals in La Liga history:
#5 Karim Benzema — 228 goals in 425 matches
The only player on this list who is still plying his trade in La Liga, Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema, is the latest name to be added to his elite list. The Frenchman scored his 228th goal in his 425th La Liga game on 22 January, propelling the Whites to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Benzema joined Real Madrid way back in 2009 but truly came on his own after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018. The 35-year-old striker has since operated as the club’s unabashed talisman, scoring crucial goals left, right, and center.
Benzema enjoyed his best-ever season at Real Madrid int he 2021-22 campaign. He scored 27 goals and claimed 12 assists in 32 games as Real Madrid won their 35th league title. Benzema won the first Pichichi Trophy, which is given to the league’s top scorer each season, in his career.
Overall, Benzema has scored 228 goals and claimed 117 assists in 425 games in the Spanish top flight, winning the title four times (2012, 2017, 2020, 2022).
#4 Hugo Sanchez — 234 goals in 347 games
Arguably the greatest Mexican player of all time, Hugo Sanchez represented Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish top flight, scoring 234 goals in 347 games.
Between 1981 and 1985, Sanchez was at Atletico Madrid. He did not taste top-flight success but scored an impressive 54 goals in 111 games. He joined rivals Real Madrid ahead of the 1985-86 season and went on to become one of their best-ever players.
Sanchez played for Real Madrid between the 1985-86 and 1991-92 seasons, winning the league title for the first five seasons and scoring a total of 164 goals in 207 appearances. He joined Rayo Vallecano ahead of the 1993-94 season and scored 16 times in 29 La Liga games that term.
The five-time Spanish champion emerged as the division’s top scorer five times (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990).
#3 Telmo Zarra — 254 goals in 277 games
One of the most efficient strikers in La Liga history, Telmo Zarra played his best football at Athletic Bilbao between 1940 and 1955. Zarra was a force of nature during his time, scoring a staggering 254 goals in only 277 matches.
Zarra is arguably the greatest-ever player to represent Athletic Bilbao. He claimed the top scorer award a whopping six times (1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1953), with his best-ever haul coming in the 1950-51 season. Zarra scored a staggering 38 goals in 30 league games that season.
Unfortunately, most of Zarra’s teammates were not on his level. As a result, he has only won one Spanish top-flight title in his professional career (1942-43 season).
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo — 311 goals in 292 games
Al Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a blinding spell in La Liga with Real Madrid. The Portuguese superstar scored a staggering 311 goals in 292 league games between 2009 and 2018, averaging 1.06 goals per game.
For the first two seasons, Ronaldo primarily operated down the left wing. But under Jose Mourinho, he took on a more central role. He would cut into central areas more frequently and have the license to shoot from all areas. Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane nurtured Ronaldo’s knack for goalscoring to help him emerge as one of the greatest ever in history.
Ronaldo won two league titles (2012, 2017) with Los Blancos before leaving for Juventus in 2018. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, four of which came during his time in Madrid, won the Pichichi Trophy thrice (2011, 2014, 2015). Ronaldo’s most productive season in Spain came in 2014-15, during which he scored 48 times and claimed 17 assists in 35 games.
#1 Lionel Messi — 474 goals in 520 games
The leading goalscorer and assist provider in La Liga history, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi scored 474 goals and provided 216 assists in 520 matches between the 2004-05 and 2020-21 seasons.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi breezed past defenders like weren't there during his time at Barcelona. He converted half-chances without breaking a sweat and magically created something extraordinary out of the mundane. With Messi running the show, Barcelona ruled the domestic scene in Spain for over a decade.
Before leaving as a free agent in 2021, Messi won 10 league titles with Barcelona (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019). He also emerged as the top scorer on eight occasions, winning the Pichichi Trophy in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Messi’s ruthless best came in the 2011-12 season, during which he scored 50 times and provided 19 assists in 37 league matches.
