Spain has been home to some of football’s greatest players over its long history. Because Spain is home to the top two football clubs in the country, it is no surprise that the players from the country are educated through the best schools and then go on to the top leagues.
Even before Spain’s golden era, the country had seen some of the all-time greats. While players have not achieved international fame, they have put their country in the international spotlight for their brilliance.
This article will look at the 15 greatest Spanish footballers ever.. Individual talents, accolades, and collective achievements are all taken into consideration.
15. Telmo Zarra
- League Titles 1
- Champions League Titles 0
- Matches: 284
- Goals: 260
- Assists: 4
Signified by the creation of the Zarra trophy in 2006, which is awarded to the highest Spanish goalscorer in La Liga, Telmo Zarra’s place within the pantheon of Spanish greats is firmly secured.
His Copa Del Rey and La Liga records are the most famous statistics about him. The former lasted for an incredible 59 years.
He spent his entire career at Athletic Bilbao. While he might not be mentioned in the debates around the all-time greats in Spain’s at least one corner, he was and still will be their greatest.
14. Cesc Fabregas
- League Titles 3
- Champions League Titles 0
- Matches: 722
- Goals: 125
- Assists: 211
Fabregas is a Barcelona La Masia youth player who went on to be arguably the most talented playmaker in history. His defense-splitting pass and ability to dictate plays are his most prominent attributes.
He scored fun goals and was an assister week after week. He won titles in his home country with Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona. He also won a World Cup as well as two Euros in Spain.
13. Sergio Busquets
- League Titles 8
- Champions League Titles 3
- Matches: 640
- Goals: 15
- Assists: 41
He is perhaps the most underrated player his generation. As a defensive midfielder, he doesn’t get the attention he deserves. He is a perfect example of a player that is calm in nature, but allows his pitch work to speak for itself.
He is most well-known for his ability to hold the ball and his ability to withstand stress, as well as his incredible passing skills.
He was an important part of Barcelona and Spain’s midfield that dominated world football over the past decade. He holds numerous domestic titles, as well as 3 Champions Leagues and 2 Euros.
12. David Silva
- League Titles 4
- Champions League Titles 0
- Matches: 668
- Goals: 114
- Assists: 180
There is already a statue honoring the Manchester City legend outside Etihad stadium. It’s clear how important Siva is. He is without doubt the Premier League’s greatest midfielder.
Silva was a vital part of the City team that won PL’s first title in 2011/2012. This clever midfielder is best known for both his passing and playmaking abilities.
El Mago won many titles over his amazing career, including a World Cup, European Championships and 4 Premier Leagues.
11. Fernando Torres
- League Titles 0
- Champions League Titles 1
- Matches: 715
- Goals: 255
- Assists: 73
At his best “El Ninho” was a complete number nine who was capable of anything. He is remembered as the bright-eyed talent who made his way through Atletico Madrid’s youth program.
Torres was unstoppable during his time in Liverpool FC. In his prime, Torres was one of the most dangerous finishers and could score with both his feet and his head.
His greatest assets are his speed and deceptive nature. His most notable achievements include the 2010 World Cup, 2008 and 2012 Euros, along with the Champions League title in 2012 for Chelsea.
10. Xabi Alonso
- League Titles 4
- Champions League Titles 2
- Matches: 690
- Goals: 43
- Assists: 65
Crucial to Spain’s dominant golden era was the legendary Xabi Alonso. Alonso was as tough a midfielder as we’ve ever seen. Alonso was a versatile player with great technique and resilience.
Xabi was a criminally underrated man during his time, and many don’t realize how great he is, not to mention the many titles he holds.
He was awarded one trophy for each Champions League, FA Cup and Uefa Super Cup. He also won one title each at the CL, La Liga, Spanish Super Cup and two Copa Del Reys in Real Madrid. He also won all of his domestic titles at Bayern Munich.
He also won the World Cup with Spain and two Euros.
9. Luis Suarez Miramontes
- League Titles 2
- Champions League Titles 0
- Matches: 565
- Goals: 139
- Assists: 114
This isn’t the Uruguayan Luis Suarez that we all know. The legendary Spaniard was one of the best-attacking midfielders in the world during the ‘60s. He represented Spain, Inter Milan and Barcelona. He won three titles in the Italian Serie A and two La Liga titles.
Internazionale awarded him two European cups. Luis Suarez was also part of Spain’s Euro 1964 triumph. He also won the highly coveted Balon d’Or in 1960 to further cement his place as one of the best of his time.
8. Fernando Hierro
- League Titles 5
- Champions League Titles 3
- Matches: 693
- Goals: 130
- Assists: 14
Fernando Hierro is widely regarded as Spain’s best-ever center-back. In 89 appearances for Spain, he scored an incredible 29 goals. This is quite a feat for a defender.
He spent most of his career at Real Madrid making over 600 appearances while winning five La Liga’s and 3 Champions League titles in that time. He is a great scorer and defensive player.
7. Carles Puyol
- League Titles 6
- Champions League Titles 3
- Matches: 595
- Goals: 19
- Assists: 13
The legendary captain represented both FC Barcelona and Spain and was known for his humility and kindness which complemented his equally robust performances in the heart of his team’s defense. He was the captain of Barcelona’s historic 2009 treble and went on to be one of the most respected defenders his generation.
He played more than 580 games for Barcelona, scoring many crucial goals. He was also awarded 6 La Liga titles and 3 Champions Leagues. Not to mention many domestic titles. He also played 100 games with Spain and won both the Euros, as well the World Cup.
6. David Villa
- League Titles 3
- Champions League Titles 1
- Matches: 644
- Goals: 327
- Assists: 77
David Villa is perhaps Spain’s best striker ever. He was one of the greatest strikers of his time. Villa is Spain’s highest scorer with 59 goals in 98 appearances. His goals were crucial during his country’s run to winning the 2008 Euros and the 2010 World Cup.
After winning two league titles with Barcelona and a Champions League, he moved to Atletico Madrid to help win the first La Liga title in nearly two decades.
5. Raul Gonzalez
- League Titles 7
- Champions League Titles 3
- Matches: 916
- Goals: 384
- Assists: 136
Raul Gonzales is Spain’s second-highest scorer of all time and one of the most prolific strikers of his generation. Raul is Real Madrid’s third-highest scorer and was best known for his eye for goal, discipline, and technical skills.
He was unfortunate not to have won anything for his country but he did contribute to six league titles as well as three Champions League wins for Los Blancos.
4. Sergio Ramos
- League Titles 5
- Champions League Titles 4
- Matches: 716
- Goals: 104
- Assists: 40
A poll of fans around the globe revealed that Sergio Ramos was the most popular defender. His glittering career has seen him win every major tournament for Real Madrid as well as his country.
Ramos is most well-known for his leadership abilities, aerial threat, hard-tackling and goal-scoring ability.
Real Madrid fans will always remember the last-minute goal against Atletico, their city rivals in 2014’s Champion League final. They went on to win. He has won several titles, including two Euro Championships, a World Cup, and four Champions Leagues.
3. Iker Casillas
- League Titles 6
- Champions League Titles 3
- Matches: 881
- Goals conceded 867
- Clean Sheets 338
Popularly known as “San Iker”. He is a shot-stopper of great stature and one of the finest ever. He had a lot success with Real Madrid and the Spanish team.
His biggest success may have been in the 2010 World Cup. He captained his team in seven games, keeping five clean sheets and conceding just 2 goals.
To add to his impressive trophy collection, he won five Spanish league titles and two UCL titles.
2. Xavi Hernandez
- League Titles 8
- Champions League Titles 4
- Matches: 865
- Goals: 109
- Assists: 213
Xavi is without doubt one of the greatest midfielders in history. His partnership with Iniesta was the backbone of Spain and Barcelona’s dominance in world football during their prime.
His best-known skills were his precise passing and his playmaking prowess, which allowed him to set the pace of the games without being beaten by an opponent.
His trophy collection includes seven league titles, four UCL title, two Uefa Euros and a World Cup. What more could he want?
1 .Andres Iniesta
- League Titles 9
- Champions League Titles 4
- Matches: 770
- Goals: 78
- Assists: 64
Andres Ines is undoubtedly the greatest central defender in the history. The legendary player is a winner of every award and one of the most decorated in history.
He is the only person to win Man of the Match awards in the finals Uefa Euros and Champions League. Talk of “big game player!”
His country people will always remember him for his overtime winner against the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final, a goal that delivered Spain’s first major title. His achievements with FC Barcelona as a boyhood club cannot be ignored.
He was instrumental in helping the Catalan team win nine La Liga titles and seven Spanish Super Cups.
Iniesta was a true magician in terms of pure talent. The mere fact that he came close to winning the 2010 Ballon d’Or and lost only to arguably the greatest player of all time – Lionel Messi, tells you how good he was. He will be remembered as one of football’s greatest artists.