- The history of La Liga: how it began
- The early years and the Civil War
- Real Madrid and the five-in-a-row record
- Barcelona, Cruyff and the modern era
- The Messi and Ronaldo years
- The history of La Liga: recent winners
- The most successful clubs
- El Clásico: the biggest fixture
- The history of La Liga: why it matters
- Frequently asked questions about the history of La Liga
- When did La Liga begin?
- Which club has won La Liga the most times?
- Who is the all-time top scorer in La Liga?
- Who won the most recent La Liga title?
- How many clubs have won La Liga?
- What is El Clásico?
- Conclusion
The history of La Liga starts in 1929, when Spain launched its first national football league. In fact, in nearly a century of football, the league has grown into one of the biggest competitions in the world. Moreover, it has produced the greatest players, the fiercest rivalry and some of the finest teams the game has ever seen. Real Madrid lead the winners list with 36 titles, while Barcelona have 29. This guide follows the league from its first season to Barcelona’s title win in 2026. Overall, it covers the early years, the great teams, the record winners and the recent champions.
Last updated: November 2026
Quick Answer
- The history of La Liga began in 1929, when Barcelona won the first title with 25 points.
- Real Madrid lead the winners list with 36 titles, ahead of Barcelona with 29 and Atlético Madrid with 11.
- Only nine clubs have won the league in 95 seasons.
- Lionel Messi is the league’s all-time top scorer with 474 goals, all for Barcelona.
- Barcelona won the most recent title in 2025-26, their 29th, with 94 points.
The history of La Liga: how it began
To begin with, Spanish football had no national league before 1929. Meanwhile, clubs played in regional competitions, and the Copa del Rey was the main national prize. Then, in 1929, the Spanish football federation created the Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, the league fans call La Liga. All in all, ten teams took part in the first season, which ran inside a single calendar year.
In the end, Barcelona won that first title with 25 points, two ahead of Madrid FC, the club fans call Real Madrid today. After that, the league grew from there, and it soon became the heart of Spanish football. Subsequently, the format changed over the years, and the league has had 20 teams since 1997. Each team plays 38 matches in a season, and a win earns three points.
The early years and the Civil War
The first decade of the league produced new champions almost every year. For example, Athletic Bilbao won the title four times in the 1930s, and Real Madrid won their first title in 1931-32. Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid were the three strongest clubs of the era, and they have played in every season since the league began. In fact, they are the only three clubs to have played in all 95 seasons.
Then the Spanish Civil War stopped the league. As a result, the seasons from 1936-37 to 1938-39 were not played at all, and football only returned after the war ended. Consequently, the break cut the league’s early story in two, and the competition that came back in 1939 looked very different from the one that had stopped three years earlier.
Real Madrid and the five-in-a-row record
First, Real Madrid built the first great dynasty in the history of La Liga in the 1960s. Overall, the club won five league titles in a row, and the team of that era set a standard that no other Spanish club could match for decades. After that, Real Madrid did it again. Similarly, the club won five titles in a row from 1985 to 1990, and they remain the only club to have won five consecutive titles twice.
For this reason, those runs explain why Real Madrid sit so far ahead in the winners list. All in all, the club has won 36 titles in total, seven more than Barcelona. In addition, Real Madrid won the most recent title before Barcelona’s back-to-back wins, taking the 2023-24 crown as their 36th championship.
Barcelona, Cruyff and the modern era
In the 1990s, however, Barcelona’s story in the history of La Liga changed. Meanwhile, Johan Cruyff, the great Dutch player turned manager, built the “Dream Team” that won four league titles in a row from 1991 to 1994. In particular, Cruyff’s team played fast, attacking football, and the style shaped Barcelona for decades after that.
After that, Barcelona kept winning. For instance, the club won the title in 2005, 2006 and 2009, and the team of 2008-09 under Pep Guardiola won the league, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in the same season. Overall, Barcelona’s total of 29 titles puts them second in the all-time list, and their most recent title came in 2025-26.
The Messi and Ronaldo years
Above all, no era shaped the history of La Liga more than the Messi and Ronaldo years. For example, Lionel Messi scored 474 goals in the league, all for Barcelona, and he stands as the all-time top scorer. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 311 goals for Real Madrid, and he sits second on the list.
In addition, the two players shared the Pichichi, the award for the league’s top scorer. Messi won it eight times, while Ronaldo won it four times. Their rivalry lifted the whole league, because every Clásico became a meeting of the two best players in the world. Subsequently, the league needed new stars after they left Spain, and Kylian Mbappé has filled that role. In fact, he won the Pichichi in 2024-25 with 31 goals and again in 2025-26 with 25 goals.
The history of La Liga: recent winners
Since then, recent seasons have swung between the two giants. First, Real Madrid won the 2023-24 title, their 36th championship. After that, Barcelona took over. Next, the Catalan club won the 2024-25 title with 88 points, four ahead of Real Madrid in second place on 84, and Mbappé finished as top scorer with 31 goals.
Then Barcelona won it again in 2025-26, and the win was even more convincing. Overall, they finished with 94 points from 31 wins, one draw and six defeats, scoring 95 goals and conceding 36. Meanwhile, Real Madrid finished second on 86 points, and Villarreal came third on 72. Finally, Barcelona sealed the title on 10 May 2026 with a 2-0 win over Real Madrid at Camp Nou. For instance, Marcus Rashford scored on nine minutes and Ferran Torres on 18 minutes, with three matches still to play. In contrast, at the other end of the table, Mallorca, Girona and Real Oviedo were relegated at the end of 2025-26.
As of November 2026, the 2026-27 La Liga season is under way.
The most successful clubs
Overall, in 95 seasons, only nine clubs have won La Liga. For example, the table shows how much Real Madrid and Barcelona have dominated the league, with 65 titles between them.
| Club | La Liga titles |
|---|---|
| Real Madrid | 36 |
| Barcelona | 29 |
| Atlético Madrid | 11 |
| Athletic Bilbao | 8 |
| Valencia | 6 |
| Real Sociedad | 2 |
| Deportivo La Coruña | 1 |
| Sevilla | 1 |
| Real Betis | 1 |
Next, Atlético Madrid sit third with 11 titles, and their most recent came in 2020-21. Similarly, Athletic Bilbao follow with eight, and Valencia have six. All in all, 63 clubs have played in the league, but only nine have ever lifted the trophy.
In short, the recent winners show how the title has swung between the big two in the last three seasons.
| Season | Winners |
|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Real Madrid |
| 2024-25 | Barcelona |
| 2025-26 | Barcelona |
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El Clásico: the biggest fixture
Above all, El Clásico, the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, is the biggest fixture in the history of La Liga. In fact, the two clubs have met more than 250 times in all competitions, and the league meetings draw the largest audiences in Spanish football. This fixture has decided many title races, because the two clubs so often sit first and second in the table.
In addition, the rivalry goes beyond football. Real Madrid represent the capital, while Barcelona represent Catalonia, and the match carries a cultural weight that no other league fixture in Spain can match. For that reason, El Clásico draws viewers across the world, and the result often shapes the title race for the rest of the season.
The history of La Liga: why it matters
La Liga matters because it has produced some of the greatest football the world has ever seen. For example, the league gave the game the Di Stéfano Real Madrid team, the Cruyff Dream Team, the Guardiola Barcelona side, and the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry. In addition, the league has fed the Champions League with winners year after year. To follow the top European competition, read our guide to the history of the Champions League.
The league also matters for its style. In short, Spanish teams play with the ball on the ground, and the league has shaped how coaches across the world train their players. For the story of the English league, read our guide to the history of the Premier League.
Frequently asked questions about the history of La Liga
These are the questions fans ask most about the league.
When did La Liga begin?
In 1929. Barcelona won the first title with 25 points, two ahead of Madrid FC.
Which club has won La Liga the most times?
Real Madrid, with 36 titles. Barcelona are second with 29, and Atlético Madrid are third with 11.
Who is the all-time top scorer in La Liga?
Lionel Messi, with 474 goals, all for Barcelona. Cristiano Ronaldo is second with 311 goals for Real Madrid.
Who won the most recent La Liga title?
Barcelona, who won the 2025-26 title with 94 points. It was their 29th title.
How many clubs have won La Liga?
Nine clubs have won it in 95 seasons. Real Madrid and Barcelona have won 65 titles between them.
What is El Clásico?
El Clásico is the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, the biggest fixture in Spanish football.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the history of La Liga runs from Barcelona’s first title in 1929 to their 29th in 2026. Above all, Real Madrid’s 36 titles set the standard, and the league’s story belongs to the two giants, with Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and Valencia playing their part. Overall, from the Civil War break to the Messi and Ronaldo years, the league has kept producing great teams and great nights. For more football stories, visit our Sports News page.
Related: For Germany’s story, read our guide to the History of the Bundesliga.