Spanish football is currently considered to be the leading league in Europe with Spanish teams featuring in more European finals in the last few years than any other country. It is watched all over the world, with fans of Real Madrid and Barcelona found far and wide. Often those who wear their favourite team’s t-shirt have never set foot in Spain, but with a wealth of talent, showmanship and an often unrivalled passion for the beautiful game, Spanish football is one to watch, whether it's in a bar with locals or at your holidayhome with family, it's definitely an excuse for tapas and an ice cold Spanish beer.

La Liga is the top football division, also known as the First Division in Spain and it has a massive following with Barcelona and Real Madrid featuring as the top two La Liga contenders. That said, recent years have seen a new star rising up amongst the La Liga football ranks with Atlético de Madrid starting to gain ground. Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal also feature in La Liga on a frequent basis.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have cemented their dominance not only in the Spanish First Division, but also in the European Champions League. Real Madrid have won it 10 times, while Barcelona have won 5 times. The rivalry between the two teams reflects the political perspectives seen in Spain, with tensions between the governments of Catalunya and Madrid reflected on the pitch.

Over the last two decades, Real Madrid have focused their strategy on signing top players from around the world. In the early years of the 21st century they were known as the Galáctico, boasting world-class players such as David Beckham, Zinédine Zidane, Raul, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo.

Barcelona also boast big names within their team line up, however their football style is predominantly home-grown. Their style is known as “tiki taka” and is based on the number of passes at the first touch of the ball, high accuracy and ball possession. The style is considered the most difficult to beat, and has even been considered unbeatable by some. Barcelona are often considered the maximum expression of “Total football”, a concept first coined in the 1970s which was used to describe the playing style of the Dutch national team, led at the time by their captain, Johan Cruyff. Nowadays, Barcelona and their star player Lionel Messi are considered by many to be the best ever to play the game. This is disputed by their rivals Real Madrid whose star player is Cristiano Ronaldo, also famous the world over.

El clásico Barcelona Real Madrid match is probably the most watched game of the year. It is so famous and popular that in ratings terms it contends with world cup finals. Quite a feat!

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