The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División was first held in 1928, when the Royal Spanish Football Federation defined ten participants of the Primera División. The competition is considered to be one of the hardest football championships in the world alongside with the Premier League. 20 clubs play in the top division. The first champion became “Barcelona”.
The football leagues system of Spain includes 10 levels, but only three of them are dealing with professional clubs: Primera (20 clubs), Segunda (22 clubs), and Segunda División B divided into four groups of 20 teams each.
At present the Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División comprises 20 clubs. The championship is often called La Liga. Games are carried out in two laps, 38 matches in total. The championship is conducted according to the “fall-spring” system. On the completion of the season last three places (18th, 19th and 20th) drop out to Segunda, being replaced by three best clubs of this competition. At the end of the season several significant awards are handed over in the Primera: the Pichichi Trophy is awarded to the best scorer of the league, and the Ricardo Zamora Trophy – to the best goalkeeper with the fewest goals allowed per game. Both awards are delivered by the most popular Spanish sports paper Marca. In 2008 the Alfredo di Stéfano Trophy was introduced to reward generally the best Primera footballer. The winner is selected by voting among readers of the newspaper. Every month they select candidates for the final part, and in the final football experts name the best player of the season.
The most award-winning La Liga clubs are “Barcelona” and “Real Madrid”. They’ve won 54 champion titles at halves: 32 for “Real”, and 22 for “Barcelona”. The third team in the list is another club from Madrid, “Atlético”, having won the championship 10 times with the last one in the 2013/14 season.
“Barcelona” is the only club in Spain, which has demonstrated the golden hat trick (win in the championship, cup contest and UEFA Champions League).
The record for scored points belongs to “Real” and “Barcelona”, the Madrilenians scored 100 points in the 2011/12 season, the Catalans repeated this result next season.
“Real Madrid”, “Barcelona” and “Athletic” are the only clubs having participated in all seasons of the top division.
The Primera top scorer is a forward of “Barcelona” Lionel Messi, who has scored 264 goals over 297 matches (data of January 19, 2015).
The greatest number of goals in the season belongs to “Real” – 121 balls in the 2011/12 season.
The greatest number of victories in the season belongs to “Real” and “Barcelona” boasting of 32 wins each (2011/2012, 2012/13 respectively).
“Athletic” (1929/30) and “Real Madrid” (1931/32) have not lost a single match during the season.
The greatest win is “Athletic” 12 – 1 “Barcelona” (1930/31).
The greatest number of goals scored in one match – 14 goals (“Athletic” 9 – 5 “Racing Santander” (1932/33).
