European dominance shows why Spain has the world's best league
I am often asked that with what right we say the Spanish league is the best league in the world. I always use in defence of that assertion the results of our teams against all the rest. I cannot find a better barometer. I know, of course, that the Premier League does better things, including the enviable staging of games with its full stands and perfect pitches. The image is enviable and in fact LaLiga tries to copy what they do best. But in substance, LaLiga rules. Our football has won in the last ten years more Champions and Europa League titles than all the other countries combined. So, of course, we lead the UEFA rankings.
Spain has a confluence of styles from distant times
And so it will continue. Just look at the numbers: seven from seven Spanish teams have qualified for the next stages of the Champions and Europa Leagues. In other words, we have not suffered any casualties. That gives us an advantage in the knockout rounds against the Germans and the English, who started with the same number as us, seven, and suffered two eliminations. What’s the reason for our power? It can’t be just the money, since the Premier League has more, and is better distributed. Perhaps (or certainly) what there is in LaLiga is the confluence of styles, dating from distant times. Here the best influences of football of the Danube crossed with those from South America.
Football is our vice, let’s face it
In Spain, we fell in love with football. We have dedicated a lot of attention and a lot of money to it too. Spain is prepared to endure somehow or other any cutback except to that of football. Here everything is okay unless Madrid and Barça can’t have the best players in the world, and after them, the rest. Atletico have neither Cristiano nor Messi, but they do have Griezmann, and there is no team in the Primera or even the Segunda that doesn’t have any internationals or in some cases the national star. Football is our vice, let’s face it. So this return of the Champions League after the winter break is a joyous occasion.