La Liga is a major football competition in Spain where the best team becomes the champion. The league began in 1929 with 10 teams. Before La Liga, there was the Copa del Rey, which was a regional cup like the national championship. La Liga is one of the most popular football leagues in the world, and legendary players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have showcased their skills in the Spanish top division throughout the years.
La Liga has 20 teams that play against each other twice in a season, making a total of 38 matches for each team. At the end of the season, the team at the top of the league becomes the champion. The bottom 3 teams move down to the Segunda División, and the top 3 teams from that division take their place.
Remarkably, Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, original members of La Liga, have never been relegated. The league went on hiatus from 1936 to 1939 because of the Spanish Civil War. Real Madrid holds the record as the most successful club with 35 titles, followed by their rivals Barcelona with 27 titles.
Barcelona has achieved the Spanish double – winning both the league and cup in the same year – 8 times, surpassing Athletic Bilbao’s 5. In this article, we will provide you with the full list of Spanish League winners, from its inception in 1929 to the current champions.
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Complete List of Spanish League Winners from 1929 to Date
| Season | Winners | Runners-up |
| 1928-29 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 1929–30 | Athletic Bilbao | Barcelona |
| 1930–31 | Athletic Bilbao | Racing Santander |
| 1931–32 | Real Madrid | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1932–33 | Real Madrid | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1933–34 | Athletic Bilbao | Real Madrid |
| 1934–35 | Real Betis | Real Madrid |
| 1935–36 | Athletic Bilbao | Real Madrid |
| 1936–37 | Canceled due to Civil War | |
| 1937–38 | Canceled due to Civil War | |
| 1938–39 | Canceled due to Civil War | |
| 1939–40 | Atlético Aviación | Sevilla |
| 1940–41 | Atlético Aviación | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1941–42 | Valencia | Real Madrid |
| 1942–43 | Athletic Bilbao | Sevilla |
| 1943–44 | Valencia | Atlético Aviación |
| 1944–45 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 1945–46 | Sevilla | Barcelona |
| 1946–47 | Valencia | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1947–48 | Barcelona | Valencia |
| 1948–49 | Barcelona | Valencia |
| 1949–50 | Atlético Madrid | Deportivo La Coruña |
| 1950–51 | Atlético Madrid | Sevilla |
| 1951–52 | Barcelona | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1952–53 | Barcelona | Valencia |
| 1953–54 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1954–55 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1955–56 | Athletic Bilbao | Barcelona |
| 1956–57 | Real Madrid | Sevilla |
| 1957–58 | Real Madrid | Atlético Madrid |
| 1958–59 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 1959–60 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 1960–61 | Real Madrid | Atlético Madrid |
| 1961–62 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1962–63 | Real Madrid | Atlético Madrid |
| 1963–64 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1964–65 | Real Madrid | Atlético Madrid |
| 1965–66 | Atlético Madrid | Real Madrid |
| 1966–67 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1967–68 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1968–69 | Real Madrid | Las Palmas |
| 1969–70 | Atlético Madrid | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1970–71 | Valencia | Barcelona |
| 1971–72 | Real Madrid | Valencia |
| 1972–73 | Atlético Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1973–74 | Barcelona | Atlético Madrid |
| 1974–75 | Real Madrid | Zaragoza |
| 1975–76 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1976–77 | Atlético Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1977–78 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1978–79 | Real Madrid | Sporting de Gijón |
| 1979–80 | Real Madrid | Real Sociedad |
| 1980–81 | Real Sociedad | Real Madrid |
| 1981–82 | Real Sociedad | Barcelona |
| 1982–83 | Athletic Bilbao | Real Madrid |
| 1983–84 | Athletic Bilbao | Real Madrid |
| 1984–85 | Barcelona | Atlético Madrid |
| 1985–86 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1986–87 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1987–88 | Real Madrid | Real Sociedad |
| 1988–89 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1989–90 | Real Madrid | Valencia |
| 1990–91 | Barcelona | Atlético Madrid |
| 1991–92 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 1992–93 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 1993–94 | Barcelona | Deportivo La Coruña |
| 1994–95 | Real Madrid | Deportivo La Coruña |
| 1995–96 | Atlético Madrid | Valencia |
| 1996–97 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 1997–98 | Barcelona | Athletic Bilbao |
| 1998–99 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 1999–2000 | Deportivo La Coruna | Barcelona |
| 2000–01 | Real Madrid | Deportivo La Coruña |
| 2001–02 | Valencia | Deportivo La Coruña |
| 2002–03 | Real Madrid | Real Sociedad |
| 2003–04 | Valencia | Barcelona |
| 2004–05 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2005–06 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2006–07 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 2007–08 | Real Madrid | Villarreal |
| 2008–09 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2009–10 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2010–11 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2011–12 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 2012–13 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2013–14 | Atlético Madrid | Barcelona |
| 2014–15 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2015–16 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
| 2016–17 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 2017–18 | Barcelona | Atlético Madrid |
| 2018-19 | Barcelona | Atlético Madrid |
| 2019-20 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 2020-21 | Atletico Madrid | Real Madrid |
| 2021-22 | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| Season | Winners | Runners-up |
| 2022-23 | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
List of La Liga winners: Top 5 Champions
| Clubs – number of La Ligas | |
| Real Madrid – 35 | |
| Barcelona – 27 | |
| Atletico Madrid – 11 | |
| Athletic Bilbao – 8 | |
| Valencia – 6 | |
La Liga Winning Managers: Top 5
| Manager | Club | La Liga titles |
| Miguel Munoz | Real Madrid | 9 |
| Johan Cryuff | FC Barcelona | 4 |
| Pep Guardiola | FC Barcelona | 3 |
| Zinedine Zidane | Real Madrid | 2 |
| Luis Enrique | FC Barcelona | 2 |
Sources: Wikipedia / Sportskeeda
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Which teams have dominated La Liga in the last decade?
Ans: Over the past ten years, Barcelona secured the La Liga title 5 times, Real Madrid clinched it 3 times, and Atletico Madrid emerged victorious on two occasions.
Q. Who holds the record for the most goals in La Liga history?
Ans: Lionel Messi is the all-time leading goal scorer in La Liga, boasting 474 goals, with Cristiano Ronaldo closely following with 311.
Q. Who stands out as the top defender in La Liga?
Ans:La Liga has seen exceptional defenders throughout its history, featuring players like Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Roberto Carlos, and more.
Q. How many teams have won the Spanish League?
Ans: Throughout its history, La Liga has seen participation from 62 different teams. 9 of them have claimed the championship, with Barcelona emerging as the first-ever winners.
