We did the Serie A scorers last week, and now it’s time for the best scorers in the history of the Spanish Premier League, the top 10 scorers in the history of the La Liga.

Number 10 – Juan Arza, 182 Goals

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Although born outside of Sevilla in the city of Estella, Arza will be remembered for his 16 year spell at the club scoring 207 goals, 182 of them in the league which is a record still standing. The 280,000 pesos Sevilla paid for his services in 1943 was the highest fee in Spain at the time. Arza has won one League title and one Spanish Cup during his period at the club including one Pichichi trophy in 1955 with 28 goals in 29 games (being the only player to win the Pichichi between 1954-1959 besides Alfredo Di Stefano). His importance for the club was described best by the then president Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, who said that he was “nontransferable” after a series of offers from Barcelona and Real Madrid in the 1950’s.

Number 9- Santillana, 186 Goals

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Carlos Alonso Gonzalez or as he is famously known Santillana (after his hometown) started his career at Racing Santander but moved early on in his career at 19, to powerhouse Real Madrid. At Madrid, Santillana became a leading striker and a club icon as he scored 186 goals in 461 league matches (he scored 352 goals in 778 matches, which was a record appearance until Manuel Sanchis broke it in 1998) and led the club to 9 league titles, 4 Spanish Cups and two Uefa Cups (he never won a Pichichi award however). Santillana will be remembered mostly for his incredible aerial ability as he scored many headers in his 17 year spell at the club (the most famous of them against Inter in the 1981 European cup Semi final).

Number 8- Edmundo Suarez, 195 Goals

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The Basque striker who was nicknamed Mundo, had a major part in the first golden era of Valencia where he won 3 league championships and 2 Spanish cups. Suarez scored 186 goals for the club in the league (still remaining their highest ever scorer) and 195 overall in La Liga. Suarez was famous for his physical presence which terrorised La Liga defences in the 1940’s. Suarez won 2 Pichichi awards scoring 27 goals in each time. Suarez eventually left Valencia for a season at Alcoyano but returned to the club as manager however, with little success.

Number 7- Pahino, 210 Goals

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Pahino is the only player in this list that have not won any club honor but only 2 Pichichi trophies one with his hometown club Celta Vigo and later with Real Madrid. Despite his goalscoring achievements Pahino recorded only 3 international appearances for Spain and eventually lost his place at Real Madrid to Alfredo Di Stefano (we will talk about him soon) in 1953 leading to his move to Deportivo La Coruna. Pahino ended his 15 year-career with 210 goals in La Liga which puts him in number 7.

Number 6 – Quini, 219 Goals

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Quini was born in Oviedo but decided to go to fierce rivals Sporting Gijon, essentially becoming one of their greatest ever players. Quini scored 218 goals in La Liga and and most of them for Gijon, but his most fruitful period, silverware wise was with Barcelona where he won 2 Spanish cups and one Cup Winners Cup. Quini famously lost out on a championship with Barcelona in 1981 after he was kidnapped and was released only a month later (Barca draw once in 4 games). After his period with the Catalans Quini returned like a true legend to his old club where he spent his final 3 seasons. Quini won 5 Pichichi trophies 3 with Gijon and 2 with Barca (he won 2 more with Gijon but in the Second Division).

Number 5- Cesar Rodriguez Alvarez, 226 Goals

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Although Cesar was one of the most prolific strikers, with 4 seasons of more than 20 goals and 2 seasons with more than 25 goals he won only one Pichichi in 1949. Despite this fact he was one of Spanish football most lethal strikers with 226 goals (195 of them for Barcelona which puts him record league goalscorer). Cesar was a key figure in Barca’s mid 40’s and early 50’s golden era as he helped the club win 5 championships and 2 Spanish cups, before Real Madrid started to dominate European football. Cesar played for the Spanish national team and for the Catalan national football team. Cesar was born in Leon but died in Barcelona, that and the fact that he represented the Catalan national team shows that he was a true Catalan in heart.

Number 4- Alfredo Di Stefano, 227

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There is no need of an introduction for this one, with 227 goals in La Liga 88 in Colombia and 59 in Argentina no wonder he won trophies wherever he went. The Saeta Rubia (Blond arrow) was one of the best players ever and the best in European football during his time. He led Real Madrid to 9 championships and 5 European cups with great technical skill, power,pace and vision. He won 5 Pichichi trophies in the glorious 50’s and two European player of the year awards as well. After he retired from playing, with a full packed trophy cabinet, Di Stefano continued as manager winning championships in Argentina with River and Boca, and in Spain with Valencia. Today, at 84, he is the president of honor for Real Madrid.

Number 3 – Raul, 228 Goals

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The only active player on the list, and had not Real released him this summer to Schalke, he could have been ranked higher on this list. Raul is the most beloved player in the history of Real Madrid and probably their biggest icon, he holds the records for goals (took it from Di Stefano in 2009) and appearances. Raul scored 228 goals in La Liga, winning two Pichichis along the way, all of them in a Blanco shirt.He is still the highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 66 goals. He has won 5 Championships and 3 Champions League trophies and though he is the record goalscorer for the Spanish national team along with David Villa, Raul wasnt a part of the 2008 Euro win and the latest 2010 inaugural World Cup win, gutting isn’t it?

Number 2 – Hugo Sanchez, 234 Goals

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Hugol was famous for his goalscoring ability but he was an amazing acrobat as well, scoring bicycle kicks windmill kicks and diving headers on many occasions and celebrating all of them of course, with a somersault. Sanchez started his La Liga career at Atletico Madrid and spent 4 seasons there (winning the Pichichi in his last season, along with a runners up position in the league) before moving to arch rivals Real Madrid. At Real alongside some of the world’s best players (Butragueno, Camacho,Valdano and Schuster just to name a few) Hugo Sanchez became a phenomenon as he was the pinnacle of the team winning 4 consecutive pichichi awards (the only player to do this without sharing the trophy on any season) and scoring 38 goals in the 89-90 season tying Telmo Zarra’s record. With the Blancos, Sanchez won 5 consecutive championships and 1 Uefa Cup.

Number 1 – Telmo Zarra, 252 Goals

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Well if you have a trophy named after you, it means that you’ve done something right, and in the terms of scoring goals Zarra was the best. Zarra has won 6 pichichi trophies, more than anybody, scoring 252 goals in 278 games. Zarra’s records continue further then the La Liga he is also the Spanish Cup’s highest goalscorer with 81 goals and he is the to scorer for Athletic Club with 333 goals. Despite being so instrumental for Bilbao(or maybe because of it?), Zarra played only 20 times for the Spanish national team and still scored 20 goals, including 4 against Switzerland in the 1950 World Cup and against England in the Quarter Final which saw Spain reaching the Semi final (their best achievement up until this summer). In 2006 after he died of a heart attack, the Zarra trophy was initiated in his memory and was awarded to David Villa and is annually awarded to the highest Spanish goalscorer.