SportzCraazy La Liga Team of the Decade

It wouldn’t be foolish to accept that the 2010s has been the decade for Spanish football. At the international stage, the Spanish national team would go on to continue its Euro 2008 dominance by winning both the 2010 World Cup and the Euro 2012.

Meanwhile, the Big 3 clubs in Spanish football continued its dominance throughout the decade. Six of the ten Champions League titles of this decade were won by La Liga Clubs. Real Madrid won four of them, while FC Barcelona also won two. In addition, Atletico Madrid reached two finals where they were eventually defeated by city rivals Real Madrid.

There was a dominance of Spanish club in Europe’s second-tier cup competition as well, wherein Sevilla won the three Europa League titles in a row from 2013-2016 while Atletico also won three titles.

Thus, with the decade about to end in a few days’ time, we at SPORTZCRAAZY have taken a trip down memory lane to come up with what we think is the best LA LIGA eleven of the decade.

Manager – Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)

While the names of Pep Guardiola, Zinedine Zidane, Unai Emery, and Luis Enrique keep ringing up the minds whenever one speaks of La Liga, but none have achieved the consistency and the transformation that the Argentine has achieved at Atletico over the course of the decade. Simeone’s Rojiblanco side has overachieved to turn a duopoly on Spanish football into a Big Three while simultaneously transforming Atleti into one of Europe’s big boys.

FORMATION: (4-1-2-1-2)

GOALKEEPER – Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)

With the imminent departure of the first choice Thibaut Courtois to Chelsea, Atleti were in desperate need of a top-notch goalkeeper who would be able to supplement the departing Belgian. Thus the Rojiblancos signed Jan Oblak from Portuguese side SL Benfica for a fee of €16 million which was then a league record. Fast forward in 2019, it has become clear that the Slovenian has surpassed his predecessor in the Spanish capital.

The 26-year-old shot-stopper has been winning the Zamora Trophy for the past four seasons and is the most consistent keeper in Spain’s first division ahead of the likes of Iker Casillas, Victor Valdes, Keylor Navas, Thibaut Courtois, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

DEFENCE

RIGHT-BACK – Dani Alves (FC Barcelona)

Arguably the greatest fullback in the world this decade, Dani was an integral part of the Barca team which dominated Europe and Spain. Winner of four La Liga trophies and 2 Champions League Trophies, Dani forged a key partnership with Barcelona’s talisman Lionel Messi to help the club dominate football scenes round the world.

The ex-Juventus man’s speed, technical ability, and physical strength made him a massive asset for his team down the right-hand side. Alves was great on defence and could bombard forward like only a few other fullbacks ever have.

CENTRE-BACK – Gerard Pique (FC Barcelona)

A solid-backbone in the Barcelona’s heart of the defence, Gerard Pique’s defensive ability and his importance to the Barcelona team cannot be understated. With eight La Liga titles out of which six has been won in this decade, he further has two Champions League trophies to his name.

Whenever Barca have dominated this decade, Pique has been absolutely stunning at the back providing the solidity which his team needs and has thus made his presence in our list.

CENTRE-BACK – Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Having led the Merengues with vigilance at centre-back, the Real Madrid skipper definitely deserved his name to be on the list. The current Spanish national team skipper is one of the best defenders of the present generation and has accomplished everything in his career.

Although known for his defending, Ramos is equally good in front of goal which has been proven regularly crucial for Los Blancos over the past decade. With more than 37 league goals since the start of the 2010-11 season, he is a top player, a leader on the pitch, excellent at both ends of the pitch, especially when heading set pieces and when taking penalties.

LEFT-BACK – Marcelo (Real Madrid)

To complete the backline, Marcelo overcomes the challenge of his contemporaries such as Jordi Alba and Filipe Luís at left-back. With blistering speed and real skill on the ball, the Brazilian is an asset in both defence and in the attack. The ex-Fluminense has been a crucial part of every trophy which the Los Blancos have won since his debut with the club and is thus undoubtedly selected in our team.

MIDFIELD

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER – Sergio Busquets (FC Barcelona)

One of the most underrated midfielders of his time, Sergio Busquets has acted as a pivot to Barcelona’s midfield scene throughout the decade. Often the defensive mainstay when Barcelona press hard, he is the sole person who has made the entire tiki-taka system work at Barcelona.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER – Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

One of the best midfielders in the league, Modric is a supremely talented passer of the ball and can control the game as per his will. With an unbelievable work rate, precise passing and capable of scoring long-range stunners, the Croat definitely deserved a place in the team.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER – Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona)

An absolute genius, Xavi was an integral part of the Barca team and the Spanish national team which dominated the global footballing scenes for a period of time. A supremely talented passer of the ball, Xavi controlled the tempo of the game as per his accordance. With an unbelievable work rate, precise passing it would be foolish to leave the star-midfielder from the team of the decade.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDER – Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona)

One of the greatest midfielders of all time, Iniesta also happens to be one of the most creative footballers in history. An essential cog in Barcelona’s domestic and European dominance throughout this era, Iniesta used to make things happen with one kick of the ball with consistency a key part of his game,

ATTACK

RIGHT FORWARD – LIONEL MESSI

In my view, the greatest to ever play the game Lionel Messi holds so many records and has won so much over these last ten years that repeating them all would be redundant, but with regard to the league, seven titles and six Ballon D’Ors and European Golden Shoes speak for themselves.

An elite dribbler, finisher, and playmaker, there can be no debate that no single player has been as dominant as Messi in the past decade of Spanish football. Messi was and will be the best player Spanish football has ever seen.

LEFT FORWARD – Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid’s all-time leading goal-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo lead Los Blancos to incredible heights during his time at the club. With 311 La Liga goals in the last ten years for Real Madrid, CR7 established himself as one of the greatest to ever play the game.