GOAL runs through the most outstanding players to ply their trade in Spain's top flight since the turn of the year 2000
Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? How do you really answer that? It's one of sport's great debates, with two of perhaps the best five players in football history battling it out in La Liga for so many years.
But they haven't been the only top-tier talents to grace the Spanish top flight over the course of the 21st century. While other leagues may have been more competitive, there is no question that La Liga consistently hosted the best players. Whether it be legendary defenders or graceful midfielders, some of the best to ever do it have plied their trade in Spain over the last 25 years.
But how can they be ranked? How do you compare Andres Iniesta and David Villa? Do you take Luka Modric or Toni Kroos? Below, GOAL tries it's best to rank the 25 best La Liga players of the 21st century…
Getty Images25Marcelo
It's ridiculous that a player this talented barely cracks the top 25. But that's less of a slant on Marcelo, and more indicative of just how good some of the talent has been in La Liga in recent years.
Either way, Marcelo's resume makes for impressive reading. The Brazilian won six La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues with Madrid, while captaining the side for the last few years of his tenure. He may have been phased out of the side in his latter years – and his levels certainly dropped. But simply watching a left-back ping passes, take on a man, and also do the defensive work was absolutely wonderful. One of the all-time greats.
AdvertisementGetty Images24Luis Figo
A massive traitor for swapping Barcelona for Real Madrid? Sure. But Figo was equally effective for both sides. At the time when he moved – in July 2000 – Figo was the most expensive player of all time. And he lived up to that status, winning first the Ballon d'Or and later FIFA World Player of the Year.
By the 2001-2002 campaign, he was dominating midfields alongside Zinedine Zidane – perhaps one of the most decorated duos in the history of the game. His Madrid career rather fizzled out by the mid-noughties, but he still ended his time there with two La Liga titles and a Champions League. Not bad for a man who had a pig's head hurled at him by an angry rival fan.
Getty23Thibaut Courtois
Goalkeepers can seldom be considered Galacticos, but it is worth remembering just how good Thibaut Courtois was when he arrived from Chelsea. His move was vastly unpopular at the time, of course, the Belgian having played for Atletico Madrid in his early days.
But controversial or not, Courtois has been immense for Los Blancos. Excellent in one-on-ones and a real commanding presence between the sticks, the 32-year-old consistently ranks among the best goalies in world football. Perhaps his most famous performance was in the 2022 Champions League final, where an impressive array of saves helped seal a 1-0 victory over Liverpool. He still has plenty of football left in him, too – having rebounded admirably from a knee injury that kept him out for most of the 2023-24 season.
22Diego Godin
Another foreigner who made an immense impact on La Liga, Godin was the backbone of the Atletico Madrid sides that battled their way through the league in Diego Simeone's early years at the helm. He was a bargain buy from Villarreal in 2010 and soon established himself as one of the best defenders in Spain.
Not particularly athletic or quick, Godin instead made his mark for being a fearsome defender. He won La Liga in 2014, the Copa Del Rey in 2013, and made La Liga's team of the season twice. In an era dominated by names such as Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Gerard Pique, Godin still managed to stand out – a real feat.