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Today, La Liga is one of the most followed football leagues in the world. It is part of the top 5 football leagues in the world along with the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1. Teams such as Real Madrid and Barcelona have the world's best players in their ranks, which is evident from the fact that they have won the UEFA Champions League many times before. Atletico Madrid has also risen significantly among the ranks of European football. There is no doubt that the players who play in the Spanish top flight are excellent footballers whose service will be welcomed by clubs all over the world.
Such players are also in huge demand among Indian Super League clubs. ISL, initiated in 2014, has not lacked behind in signing amazing football players with the likes of Diego Forlan, Wes Brown, Nicolas Anelka, Dimitar Berbatov and Alessandro del Piero being a part of the league previously.
Although the marquee signings have reduced over the years with teams finding football players who are affordable, some footballers are still there who have been a part of top-flight leagues. In the coming 2019-2020 season of the Indian Super League as well, some players have played in the La Liga before signing for ISL clubs. Here we will have a look at the top 5 players who have played in the Spanish top flight.
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1. Ferran Corominas - RCD Espanyol
Ferran Corominas, the golden boot winner of the 2017/18 and 2018/19 season, is the highest goal scorer in the history of ISL. He had started his football career at RCD Espanyol's B team and eventually got promoted to the senior team. He spent 7 years playing for the senior team and also won the 2006 Copa del Rey with Espanyol. He appeared in 165 matches for them and scored 14 times for them.
He played with top-class footballers during his time there which was evident as he scored a total of 34 goals in only two seasons for FC Goa, taking them to the finals once. He extended his stay with FC Goa for another year in May 2019 which means fans will get another season of Coro's brilliant antics in the ISL.
2. Piti- Rayo Vallecano
Francisco Medina Luna, known as Piti, signed for Jamshedpur FC for the 2019-20 season of the ISL. He spent six years of his career playing for Rayo Vallecano playing against the likes of Lionel Messi in the Spanish top flight. He scored 18 goals in 35 matches for his side in the 2012-13 season after they returned to the first division the previous season. He helped the team to achieve their best-ever performance in the league that season.
He also scored 8 goals for Granada in the next three seasons before he started to play for clubs outside Spain. He is a big part of Jamshedpur FC's plan for the coming season and the fans would love to watch him play in the "Furnace" this year.
3. Bartholomew Ogbeche - Real Valladolid
Bartholomew Ogbeche is one of the very few players in the ISL who have played in World Cups. Ogbeche was included in the Nigerian squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and appeared in two matches for them. He also spent four seasons with French giants PSG scoring 8 goals before signing for Real Valladolid in 2007.
He found the back of the net 3 times in a total of 35 appearances for Valladolid. In 2018, he signed for ISL side Northeast United and was a contender for the Golden Boot along with Coro and Sougou. He scored 12 goals for Northeast United and also received a contract from ISL side Kerala Blasters in 2019. He will don the yellow jersey and would be considered a blessing in disguise for the Blasters fans.
4. Manuel Lanzarote - RCD Espanyol
Manuel Lanzarote is a product of the Barcelona youth team and has also played for Barcelona C and Barcelona B teams in the second division of Spain. He also played for Atletico Madrid B in 2006.
He finally made his move to the La Liga in 2013 when he played for RCD Espanyol in the 2013-14 season when he made 17 appearances and scored 1 goal for the team. However, he got loaned to Alaves next season. For the 2017-18 season, he was roped in by FC Goa where he scored 13 times in 19 matches. The next year ATK signed him and he was also the captain of the side. He scored 5 times in 13 matches for them.
5. Edu Bedia- Racing Santander
Edu Bedia was a youth player for Racing Santander who went on to play for the B team and finally in the La Liga for Racing Santander's senior team. He played for four seasons with them from 2008 to 2012 and made 34 appearances for them. However, he failed to score even a single goal for them in La Liga.
He also played for the Barcelona B team in the 2013-14 season before signing for FC Goa in 2017. He has played in 38 matches for the team and scored 8 goals. He was a vital part of their run to the finals in 2018-19 and got his contract extended for another year in 2019. His partnership with Ferran Corominas could pose to be a danger for the ISL clubs for another year as they would look to win the season for the first time.
