The 10 best Spanish football players ever – ranked
In the modern history of football, Spain have often competed right at the top of the tree both in club and international football, thanks to their ability to develop technically gifted stars who have graced many pitches over the years.
From World Cup and European Championship winners to Champions League and La Liga heroes, these sensational players defined their respective eras and inspired millions with their terrific performances and achievements on the pitch for both club and country.
With that, here is a list of who we believe are the ten greatest Spanish footballers, based on their overall impact at either club or international level during their careers…
|
Rank |
Player |
Career span |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Andres Iniesta |
2000-2024 |
|
2 |
Sergio Ramos |
2003-present |
|
3 |
David Villa |
2000-2020 |
|
4 |
Xavi |
1997-2019 |
|
5 |
Raul |
1994-2015 |
|
6 |
Emilio Butragueno |
1982-1998 |
|
7 |
Sergio Busquets |
2007-present |
|
8 |
Iker Casillas |
1998-2020 |
|
9 |
Carles Puyol |
1996-2014 |
|
10 |
Fernando Torres |
2001-2019 |
10
Fernando Torres
2001-2019
The former Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool marksman enjoyed a terrific career at club and international level as an impressive centre-forward.
His work for Spain was particularly eye-catching as he scored the winning goal in the 2008 European Championship final against Germany and scored one of his country’s four goals in the win over Italy in the final of the same competition in 2012.
Torres scored 38 goals in 110 caps for Spain by the end of his career, to go along with 262 goals in 762 club games.
9
Carles Puyol
1996-2014
A rock at the heart of the defence for Barcelona and Spain for many years, Carles Puyol simply had to be on this list of the best Spanish players to ever grace the field.
He was named in the UEFA Team of the Year on six occasions, and won three Champions League trophies and six La Liga titles during his career, to go along with the World Cup and the European Championship with Spain.
The legendary centre-back amassed 100 caps for his country and made 593 appearances for Barcelona at senior level, as he dominated matches domestically and internationally throughout his time on the pitch.
|
Spain: Major international honours |
|
|---|---|
|
Trophy |
Year(s) |
|
World Cup |
2010 |
|
European Championship |
1964, 2008, 2012, 2024 |
|
Nations League |
2023 |
8
Iker Casillas
1998-2020
The first and only goalkeeper on the list is, of course, the iconic Iker Casillas, who starred for both Spain and Real Madrid, among other clubs, over a more than 20-year career.
He caught the eye with his cat-like reflexes and exceptional saves on the biggest stages, winning the World Cup and two European Championship trophies during his time with the national team.
Casillas racked up a staggering 725 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions, and was capped 167 times by Spain, which speaks to the longevity of his career at the very top level.
|
Spain record at the World Cup since 2002 |
|
|---|---|
|
Tournament |
Stage reached |
|
2002 World Cup |
Quarter-finals |
|
2006 World Cup |
Round of 16 |
|
2010 World Cup |
Winners |
|
2014 World Cup |
Group stage |
|
2018 World Cup |
Round of 16 |
|
2022 World Cup |
Round of 16 |
7
Sergio Busquets
2007-present
The first player on this list who is still actively playing is the metronomic Sergio Busquets, who currently plays for Inter Miami alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in the MLS.
Now 36, the Spanish titan has been capped 143 times by his country and made 722 appearances for Barcelona before his switch to America last year.
Busquets won a sensational nine La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies with the Catalan giants, alongside a World Cup and a European Championship medal with Spain.
|
Spain record at European Championships since 2000 |
|
|---|---|
|
Tournament |
Stage reached |
|
Euro 2000 |
Quarter-finals |
|
Euro 2004 |
Group stage |
|
Euro 2008 |
Winners |
|
Euro 2012 |
Winners |
|
Euro 2016 |
Round of 16 |
|
Euro 2020 |
Semi-finals |
|
Euro 2024 |
Winners |
6
Emilio Butragueno
1982-1998
The oldest player on this list is iconic forward Emilio Butragueno, who was a star for club and country over the course of a number of years.
He showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Real Madrid with a stunning return of 168 goals and 113 assists in 452 matches, and struck 26 times in 69 caps for Spain.
Butragueno, who retired in 1998, was a lethal attacker throughout his time on the pitch and caused defenders constant problems with his finishing quality and creative spark.
|
Spain men’s most-capped internationals |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Caps |
|
1 |
Sergio Ramos |
180 |
|
2 |
Iker Casillas |
167 |
|
3 |
Sergio Busquets |
143 |
|
4 |
Xavi |
133 |
|
5 |
Andres Iniesta |
131 |
5
Raul
1994-2015
The legendary Raul had to make this list because of his glittering career for both club and country before his retirement back in 2015.
A mind-blowing 383 goals and 157 assists in 916 matches at club level, combined with 44 goals in 102 caps for his country, shows that the former Real Madrid star was a consistently dangerous player at the top end of the pitch.
His 44 goals for Spain had made him the top scorer in the country’s history, before a player who will be revealed later in this list went on to overtake him, which speaks to the quality he displayed at international level.
|
Spain’s top international goalscorers |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Caps |
Goals |
|
1 |
David Villa |
98 |
59 |
|
2 |
Raul |
102 |
44 |
|
3 |
Fernando Torres |
110 |
38 |
|
4 |
Alvaro Morata |
85 |
37 |
|
5 |
David Silva |
125 |
35 |
4
Xavi
1997-2019
There could not be a list of the greatest players to play for Spain without including the iconic former Barcelona midfielder, and now current manager, Xavi.
The metronomic maestro was named in France Football’s all-time Ballon d’Or dream team back in 2020, alongside the likes of Messi, Lothar Matthaus, and Cafu.
Xavi scored 12 goals in 133 caps for Spain and racked up 85 goals and 185 assists in 767 appearances for Barcelona during his club career.
|
Spain: Last 5 managers |
|
|---|---|
|
Manager |
Tenure |
|
Luis de la Fuente |
2019-present |
|
Luis Enrique |
2018-2022 |
|
Robert Moreno |
2019 |
|
Fernando Hierro |
2018 |
|
Julen Lopetegui |
2016-2018 |
3
David Villa
2000-2020
One of Spain’s all-time greats is, for sure, David Villa. The prolific marksman took on Raul’s iconic number seven shirt for his country in 2008 and never looked back.
His sensational 59 goals for Spain make him the top scorer in the history of the team, with a whopping 14 more goals than any other player over the years.
The greatest scorer in the country’s history simply had to be among the best to do ever do it in this list, especially when you also consider that he scored 341 goals in 666 games at club level – for the likes of Barcelona, Valencia, and New York City FC.
|
Major tournament record for Spain |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
David Villa |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2006 World Cup |
4 |
3 |
0 |
|
2008 European Championship |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
2010 World Cup |
7 |
5 |
1 |
|
2014 World Cup |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|||
2
Sergio Ramos
2003-present
Second on this list is the most-capped player in the history of Spanish international football – legendary centre-back Sergio Ramos.
The iconic colossus has been capped a staggering 180 times by Spain, and has played 813 games at club level to date – currently playing for Mexican side Monterrey at the age of 39.
Ramos won four Champions League trophies and five La Liga titles during his time with Real Madrid, to go along with a World Cup and two European Championship successes with Spain.
He was even once dubbed the “best defender in the world” by former Italy and AC Milan legend Paulo Maldini.
1
Andres Iniesta
2000-present
The best player in Spanish football history is, arguably, the iconic Andres Iniesta, who was last playing for Emirates Club in the UAE, prior to his retirement in 2024.
One of his greatest, if not the greatest, moments of his career to date came in the final of the 2010 World Cup against the Netherlands.
Iniesta struck in extra-time to win the World Cup for his country for the first time, which cemented his place in Spanish football history forever.
He scored 14 goals in 131 caps for his country and racked up 57 strikes and 136 assists in 674 matches for Barcelona during his time at the Nou Camp.
Xavi once called him Spain’s most “complete” player and David Silva claimed that Iniesta was the best player in world football ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, which illustrates how highly he was rated by his peers.
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