La Liga might be the top-qualified Spanish league proven with a positive track record, but no one can’t deny that the English Premier League (EPL) is the most prestigious in the world currently.
The question of which league is superior is brought up by the long-standing rivalry between the two. In this comparison article, we will be discussing which of the two leagues is the best and why?
The English Premier League vs La Liga: Brief History
While both leagues have a progressive history, the following covers a glimpse of key moments.
| Feature | English Premier League (EPL) | La Liga |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Teams | 20 | 20 |
| Top Teams | Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea | Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid |
| Average Attendance (2022/23) | 38,170 | 28,804 |
| Average Stadium Capacity | 37,559 | 71,564 |
| Average Player Salary | £3 million | €2.3 million |
| Broadcast Reach | 643 million households worldwide | 300 million households worldwide |
| Founding Year | 1992 | 1929 |
English Premier League
The Premier League was founded on May 27, 1992 in England. With 20 teams competing, it is England’s uppermost level of men’s football. The football league’s first partition was established in 1888 and lagged in terms of presence and revenue behind Spain’s La Liga, and Italy’s Serie A came before it.
In the 1990-1991 season, questions about creating a new competition to increase game revenue were brought up. This action would grant the competition the right to start negotiations about the broadcast and sponsorship agreements. This would also increase financial stability and enable the English club to compete with clubs all across Europe.
To foster excellence and growth both locally and globally, it originally included 22 teams but was later abridged to 20 teams.
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, also known as La Liga in English countries, is a top-qualified Spanish league. Each year, the top two teams and the play-off winner swap the bottom three teams in the Segunda division, which is the lower division.
In 1929, La Liga was established with just one Primera Division and 10 teams. Out of 62 teams, only 9 have participated in the competition since its inception and have won the title, with Barcelona winning the debut season and Real Madrid winning a record 35 times.
Later, 10 teams from other leagues were added to make the official Primera Division, and the number of clubs increased on several occurrences to the current 20.
Top Features of La Liga
Following are the top features of La Liga that make the league unique.
Superstars Galore
What makes La Liga the most well-known league in the world is the large number of popular players and the most electrifying competition in history between Barcelona and Real Madrid. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, respectively, these teams have two of the greatest players to ever play football. Famous names like Zinedine Zidane and Diego Maradona influenced them.
European Conquerors
In addition to Barcelona and Real Madrid, Other La Liga teams have triumphed in Europe, unlike their English counterparts. For example, lately, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid have solidified their positions as dominant forces. Since 2000, Spanish teams have taken home 28 total European championships, as opposed to the English Premier League’s only 7.
Spanish teams have long dominated Europe and achieved more victories than anyone ever has. English teams are infamous for underperforming oversea. This demonstrates an apparent disparity in team quality between the two leagues.
Exceptional Technical Capacity
The technicality of La Liga, specifically the superior passing, ball handling, and control of the ball of all 20 teams, puts them in a much superior stage than all other leagues, particularly English Premier League. Teams such as Barcelona have excellent ball movement because they work well together and, most importantly rely on the exceptional personal skills of each player. Overall, La Liga players look for gaps between opponents while passing the ball around, and play very strategically rather than just striking the ball and running.
Top Features of the English Premier League
EPL is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. And it is known for some special features; let’s get to know them.
Rapid, Exhilarating, and Spectacular
It is very occasional to watch any boring games, even with smaller teams, because the English Premier League offers the most exhilarating matches. This makes the English Premier League the greatest at football. People usually find constant attacks and quick pushes very exciting, and it is not very common when watching big teams compete.
In contrast, La Liga teams usually take time to attack, and most of the time, they just pass the ball around to find gaps and break the opponent’s defense. They also do it to maintain their possession. This sounds very tactful, but it is not very exciting for the spectators. English League fans tend to enjoy watching fast-paced football and find it difficult to watch a slow-paced game.
Competitive in Every Way Possible
The English Premier League delivers the same level of rivalry as La Liga. The 20 team members in the UK are all capable of defeating one another. When Leicester City unexpectedly claimed the title in 2016, it demonstrated this. After nearly being relegated the season before, they defeated several soccer powerhouses with significantly larger budgets.
This Cinderella tale demonstrates the unpredictable nature of the English Premier League, which contributes significantly to its widespread appeal. Chelsea, the 2017 champions with a sizable expenditure and a star-studded line-up, came in fifth in 2018.
Every Prominent Figure
The English Premier League has more major clubs compared to any other league. For example, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea are well known. Players like Paul Pogba, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, and Eden Hazard, who represent the most elite players in the world and have access to some of the most outstanding talent.
La Liga is significantly less impressive when Real Madrid and Barcelona are excluded, as evidenced by the fact that it makes 40% less money from international tv contracts than the English Premier League.
Final Verdict
The only thing that can be guaranteed is that La Liga and the English Premier League are indeed very distinct. Both leagues seem superior, regardless of whether you prefer to watch the best players in the world manage every challenge that comes their way in La Liga or watch six elite clubs compete against each other throughout the entire season.
