Study shows Messi is the best player in LaLiga history

It is probably official, that Lionel Messi is the best player in the history of Spanish league football, according to a study carried out by the The Centre of Historical and Statistical Investigations of Spanish Football.

Former Real Madrid striker, Raúl Gonzaléz (1994-2010) is the second best according to the study ahead of former Barcelona player César Rodriguez (1941-1960), former Athletic Bilbao player Telmo Zarra (1940-1957) and Enrique Castro "Quini", who played for Sporting Gijón and Barcelona between 1968 and 1987.

The study, based on a series of co-efficients including minutes played by season, goals scored in open play, penalties and own goals as well as sending-offs has been carried out by José Antonio Ortega with the little Argentine coming out on top. The expert says that "all of the evaluations are tallied with a scoring system that is simple and homogeneous that evaluates the footballers with the same analysis across all seasons."

According to Ortega, Messi has 545 points with Raúl on (528), Caesar (524), Zarra (493) and Quini (488), with the top ten rounded out by Juan Arza (481), Alfredo di Stéfano (481), Paco Gento (467), Carlos Alonso "Santillana" (464) and Guillermo Gorostiza (454).

UCJ, UNILORIN.