La Liga all-time Top Scorers
Since its inception in 1929, the La Liga has displayed several momentous games and rivalries on the football pitch. Enthusiastic Spanish fans have always backed their teams, scoring marvelous goals over the years. Some of the moments are so memorable that they are imprinted in minds of fans. With a total of 17 UEFA Champions League titles and 11-time runner-ups, the La Liga has taken Europe by storm. The Spanish league is considered in top 3 football leagues in the world.
The world-class Spanish teams have displayed amazing football performances over the years. And while looking at La Liga top scorers of all time, the level of quality throughout the history of the competition is apparent. This is, after all, the league that brags about the talents of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, which are arguably the two greatest footballers of all time.
So, let’s have a look at the La Liga all-time top scorers.
Lionel Messi
Clubs: FC Barcelona
Goals: 438
Games: 474
Lionel Messi is one of the best players ever to grace the soccer pitch. La Pulga has scored many breathtaking goals during his career in the Spanish League since 2004 and has an impressive goal scoring ratio of 0.93 per game. Often touted as the greatest player of modern football, Lionel Messi has won 10 La Liga and four Champions League titles in his time with the Blaugrana. After his 233rd goal in La Liga, Messi became the all-time top scorer for Barcelona surpassing legendary Cesar Rodriguez in 2012 and since then has continued to widen the gap.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Clubs: Real Madrid
Goals: 311
Games: 292
Recently crowned first billionaire footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most stylish and recognized player in the world has ever seen. He stands on the second position in the list of top La Liga goal scorers of all time. He has a stunning goal scoring ratio of 1.07, which makes him the only player on this list to have a ratio above one. The Portuguese forward has already anchored his place among some of the outstanding players in the history of La Liga, since his then-world-record move to Real Madrid in 2009. CR7 is a part of Real Madrid's legacy and is still the club’s all-time top scorer. He helped Real Madrid win two La Liga and four Champions League titles.
Telmo Zarra
Clubs: Athletic Bilbao
Goals: 250
Games: 277
Telmo Zarra held the position of the highest goal scorer in La Liga for 59 years. Losing his spot in recent years to Messi and Ronaldo, the forward was majestic with ball at his feet and netted the ball 250 times. Even so, he is still the record holder for most Pichichi trophies in La Liga, with six accolades during his 15-year career. The Spanish forward who spent his career at Athletic Bilbao, had a goal scoring ratio of 0.9. Zarra still remains the top scorer for Bilbao. Interestingly, the LaLiga legend would have surely scored more goals, if his career would not have been interrupted to join military service for a while in the 1941/42 season.
Hugo Sánchez
Clubs: Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Rayo Vallecano
Goals: 234
Games: 347
Hugo Sánchez is the next player on the list of La Liga all-time top scorers. The Mexican enjoyed stints at both Atletico Madrid and their cross-town rivals Real Madrid. Sánchez won five Pichichi trophies between 1985 and 1990, and also bagged the Don Balon Award for La Liga’s Best Foreign Player twice. His gymnastic training allowed him to carry out striking moves on the field, granting him the ability to perfectly execute bicycle kicks. He had a decent goal scoring ratio of 0.67 per game. Sánchez is the innovator of the renowned ‘Scorpion Kick.’
Raúl González
Clubs: Real Madrid
Goals: 229
Games: 550
Raúl González stands on the fifth place in the list of top La Liga goal scorers of all time and is one of the most famous player in contemporary soccer. During his entire career in the Spanish league, from 1994 to 2010, he played for Real Madrid and had a decent goal scoring ratio of 0.41 per game. Probably one of Real Madrid’s best signings, he was nicknamed El Ferrari for his elegance and grace on the pitch, he won six La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies in 16 seasons. He also set the record for most appearances in a Blancos shirt with 741 games.
Alfredo di Stéfano
Clubs: Real Madrid, Espanyol
Goals: 227
Games: 329
Alfredo Di Stéfano is sixth on the list of La Liga all-time top scorers. The Argentine marked presence for both Real Madrid and Espanyol in his football career. Like Pele and Diego Maradona, he is ranked among the greatest players of all time. He had a plausible goal scoring ratio of 0.69 per game and scored majority of his goals for Real Madrid, with 216 successful shots in 282 games. He also had eight league titles under his belt and won the Pichichi trophy five times. Di Stéfano’s skill in front of the goal arguably made him a complete footballer.
