GK: Iker Casillas
Few players are as synonymous with La Liga as Iker Casillas. Having broken into Real Madrid’s first team as a teenager, Casillas went on to win five league titles and keep 176 clean sheets along the way. While never the most commanding in the air, Casillas’ shot-stopping and reflexes set him apart from the rest.
RB: Dani Alves
A revolutionary full-back who redefined the position. Dani Alves had a relentless work rate, which he combined with technical quality and tactical intelligence. At Sevilla, he established himself as one of the league’s best attacking right-backs, but it was at Barcelona where Alves came into his own. His overlapping runs and chemistry with Lionel Messi made Barcelona’s right side almost impossible to defend.
RCB: Carlos Puyol
Never the most elegant of centre-backs, Puyol was a born leader who anchored Barcelona’s defence through their dominant period of the 2000s. His well-timed aggression and willingness to run through brick walls for the badge made him indispensable.
LCB: Sergio Ramos
Aggressive, dominant and decisive in the big moments. Sergio Ramos was a combative defender who was rarely beaten by a forward, especially in the air. Having broken through at Sevilla, he went on to win five La Liga titles with Real Madrid, scoring 77 goals along the way.
LB: Marcelo
Another Brazilian full-back who revolutionized the role. Marcelo was one of the most instrumental creative forces for Real Madrid for over a decade, having arrived from Fluminense as a teenager. Not the strongest defensively, but there has still yet to be an attacking left-back quite like him.
RCM: Andrés Iniesta
Iniesta possessed the ability to glide through the midfield, immune to being pressed or challenged. Few players have ever been as graceful on the ball as the diminutive Spaniard. Iniesta played a key role in each of the nine La Liga title winning sides that he was a part of.
CM: Xavi
Xavi dictated tempo, controlled possession and set the rhythm of matches with unmatched precision. During Barcelona’s most dominant domestic period, he was the tactical heartbeat of the side. While Luka Modrić’s Champions League legacy is immense, Xavi’s sustained influence and success in the league give him the edge in a purely La Liga context.
LCM: Zinedine Zidane
Zidane arrived at Real Madrid for a world record fee of €77.5 million, and went on to justify every penny. His most memorable moment in a Real shirt did come in a Champions League game (the volley in the 2002 final), but in La Liga he regularly showcased his world-class ability to control and decide games.
RW: Lionel Messi
What is there to say about Messi’s Barcelona career that hasn’t already been said? 10 La Liga titles, 474 goals, 216 assists and a lifetime of memories. Predominantly deployed on the right but given free rein, Messi combined relentless goal scoring with elite playmaking. His 91 goals in the 2012 calendar year won’t be beaten anytime soon.
ST: Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s La Liga record is extraordinary, averaging more than a goal per game during his time at Real Madrid. Throughout his time in Spain, Ronaldo played either on the left or centrally, but the end result was always the same; goals. He combined explosive athleticism with elite finishing and an unmatched winning mindset. His rivalry with Messi elevated the league to unprecedented global attention.
LW: Ronaldinho
The player who made a generation of fans fall in love with football. Ronaldinho’s flair, imagination and creativity transformed Barcelona and re-energised Spanish football in the mid-2000s. While his peak was relatively short, his influence was immense, laying the foundations for Barcelona’s later dominance.
