The 2025-26 season in Spain began with Xabi Alonso primed to reclaim the LaLiga title for Real Madrid but, with the coach fired halfway through the campaign, it ended with Hansi Flick's Barcelona retaining their status as champions and Los Blancos consigned to a second year without a major trophy.
But there is still some silverware to be handed out It's time to bestow awards for the best player, coach, signing and goal of the season, and much more besides. ¡Vámonos!
Player of the season: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
it's Barcelona and Spain's 18-year-old genius -- and by a distance.
He's suffered triple-marking in many matches, he's missed playing with 'big brother' Raphinha for long chunks of the season, analysts at rival clubs have more data as they try to stop him, he's played through extreme groin pain while carrying an injury and he endured his first club-vs.-country row. And yet he's been far and away the best, most important, most decisive and most entertaining player for the league champions. Again.
Lamine's numbers are startling: 24 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for his club -- his best season yet in terms of total return, especially per minute spent on the pitch. He is way, way ahead of where those two modern greats, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, were at the same age.
Across one season, because his birthday falls very similarly in timing to Lamine, Messi played 25 times for Barcelona aged 18 scoring eight and assisting five goals. Across two half-seasons, from February 2003 to February 2004, Ronaldo produced four assists and one goal despite playing more matches for Sporting CP and Manchester United.
We've seen the first budding signs of outright team leadership, and some of the tests of fire have emphasised that he's got his head screwed on. But above all that, he brings joy. His generational talent is innate, exciting, startling, jaw-dropping and nothing at all to do with coaching, analysis, xG -- all the robotic stuff which some think is clogging up our sport. This guy is a gift from the heavens. All hail Lamine Yamal.
Runners-up: Eric García, Barcelona (play him anywhere across the pitch and you'll get an 8.5/10 every single week -- World Cup form); Vedat Muriqi, Mallorca (a monster goal tally that ran top scorer Kylian Mbappé close, a player of fearsome ability and, what's more, fun. Where does 'The Pirate' go now?)
Nico Williams scores in the 44'
Goal of the season: Nico Williams, Athletic Club
Fair warning here: I've always preferred wit, ingenuity, team play and precision to pure power. So apologies to Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid against Getafe and Real Madrid), Gonzalo García (Madrid vs. Real Betis Betis), Éder Militão (Madrid vs. Espanyol) Martín Satriano (Getafe's 1-0 win at Madrid), Pep Chavarría (Rayo Vallecano v Atlético), Ander Barrenetxea (for Real Sociedad from just inside Osasuna's half).
Instead, the garlands go to Nico Williams -- which is nice to be able to say when the 23-year-old has been playing through gruelling pain with a groin injury that forced him to sit out two months of the season. And no, it's not his dribble-and-shot winner against Oviedo, but his utterly marvellous, schoolboy dream of a goal against Levante which wins the award.
At the Estadi Ciutat de València, Levante are pressing Athletic in their own penalty box. Yuri Berchiche and Gorka Guruzeta play some high-risk, circus-act flip-and-chip football a couple of feet away from their goalmouth so that, suddenly, Athletic are on the break. Yuri, Álex Berenguer and Robert Navarro exchange ice-hockey speed passes until Berenguer smacks a pinpoint ball through Levante's advanced defence.
Now Nico's on the run. He's got 40 metres to sprint, and make up his mind, but his control is perfect, his mind is clinical. Using the outside of his right boot, he elegantly, arrogantly lobs the ball over Levante 'keeper Mathew Ryan. A goal of genius, of beautiful team play, which has moved Athletic very nearly the full length of the pitch using speed and precision. A vision of daring, inspiration and pure joy.
Runners-up: Arda Güler, Real Madrid (a breathtaking 89th-minute lob from deep in his own half against Elche in March); Adam Boayar, Elche (against Levante in January -- Germán Valera's 89th-minute left-wing dink, Álex Sánchez's cushioned header, Adam's chest control and overhead kick into the top corner. Outrageous)
A chaotic home loss to Celta Vigo leaves Real Madrid four points behind Barcelona in LaLiga.
Best single-game performance: Williot Swedberg, Celta Vigo (vs. Real Madrid)
The Swede's showing in Celta's 2-0 win at the Bernabéu in December was mean, gorgeous, nonchalant, clinical elegance. He only entered the fray at half-time but he shucked the game on his young shoulders, winning all three points for the Galicians by producing two goals of shining, contemptuous brilliance while strolling around like a Lord of the Manor enjoying his feudal home. Swedberg gave the impression that there was no pressure and that the ball would literally do anything he commanded: there were taste notes of Zinedine Zidane.
The first goal sent warning that Madrid's fate wasn't in their own hands. Celta won possession deep in their half and, with 15 passes across 40 seconds, set up their winger, Brian Zaragoza. He smashed in a left-wing cross and Swedberg, from a healthy distance, back-heeled the ball into Thibaut Courtois' goal. A masterpiece of disbelief -- travelling fans could barely understand what their eyes had seen. Meanwhile Courtois couldn't believe his team had allowed Celta to pass the ball around, and the big Belgian waved his arms around in the air like a crazed windmill, demonstrating his fury. Madrid's fans were so stunned, so disbelieving, that the roar from the tiny pocket of Celta fans who travelled down from Spain's north coast sounded like thunder.
Speaking of which, the pièce de résistance left Madrid's players with faces like thunder. In added time, Celta went on a break and the remaining eight white shirts (Madrid were by now reduced to nine men) chased back. Swedberg, covering the ground like a Kentucky Derby winner, secured possession, fed Javi Rueda, and the stage was set. Rueda found Iago Aspas and the moment became a meme. Celta's captain gently slipped the ball past Antonio Rüdiger, who was rooted to the spot, and Swedberg waltzed through, dummied Courtois and left him on his backside and then just casually walked the ball into the net. As Rüdiger and Jude Bellingham wore expressions as if they were chewing nettles, all of Swedberg's jumped upon him and the normally expressionless Celta coach Claudio Giráldez let his jaw drop slack. Football at its most insolent and astonishing.
Runners-up: Vedat Muriqi, Mallorca (hat trick in January's 3-2 win over Athletic), Ferran Torres, Barcelona (hat trick in December's 5-3 win at Betis)
Víctor Muñoz (Osasuna) with a Spectacular Goal, 05/17/2026
Rookie of the season: Víctor Muñoz, Osasuna
To be eligible as a "rookie" for these awards, a player has to be 23 or under and have completed his first season in LaLiga with at least 1,500 minutes.
The winner for any sentient, neutral, passionate football fan is Victor Muñoz. The 22-year-old made his full LaLiga debut this season and transformed Alessio Lisci's Osasuna team. Indeed he transformed the El Sadr matchday experience: this kid is a thrill a minute, adventure in boots.
Would you believe that he trained in both the Barcelona and Real Madrid academies, but neither of them truly understood his potential? He'd have racked up big minutes for either of their first teams this season.
Pamplona is Osasuna's home city, where the bulls run, and there's a little bit of 'head down, horns forward, charge!' about Victor. He contributed six goals and four assists in his debut season for Osasuna and scored within nine minutes of his Spain debut, too. Justice was done when this terrific kid was named in Luis De La Fuente's World Cup squad.
Muñoz says: "Moving from Real Madrid was a bit of a test at first because there was a lot of interest in me. But Osasuna were first in the queue. Being young, having barely proven anything, it helps to feel so much confidence in you. I made the right decision. Things are going well; I'm growing as a player. If I had to identify with one style of football, between here and Real Madrid, I'd lean more towards this one. Every day I'm taking another step forward."
With Muñoz in the team, Osasuna lost just five times in 20 matches. As soon as he was out injured, they lost three of three. This nice kid with the mop of ginger hair is a pocket-rocket and fast as lightning with a powerful cannon of a shot ... and his first name means winner. What's not to like?
This is such a brutal, unforgiving category. Alejandro Rego (Athletic), Marc Pubill, Giuliano Simeone (Atlético), Ángel Pérez (Alavés), Williot Swedberg (Celta), Marc Bernal (Barcelona), Vitor Reis (Girona), Joel Roca, Vladyslav Vanat (Girona), Arda Güler, Sergio Carreras, Raúl Asencio, Jude Bellingham, Thiago Pitarch, Gonzalo Garcia (Real Madrid), Jon Martín, Jon Gorrotxategi and Orri Óskarsson (Real Sociedad), Joaquin 'Oso' Martinez (Betis) and Alberto Moleiro, Pau Navarro (Villarreal) all qualify in the age category, one way or another have done enough to enter the argument (possibly even win the award) but either have played games in previous seasons or failed to meet the 1,500 minutes this term. The toughest break of all is for 'goal every 91 minutes on the pitch' Óskarsson (10 in 917 all competitions).
Runners-up: Carlos Espí, Levante (I'm gonna cheat a little here because 'my ball, my game'. The local lad, who's 20 and in his debut season, only played 1,437 minutes but 'that'll do pig, that'll do'. Ten of his goals came after his first start, in February, and if not singly-handedly responsible for keeping Levante up then a majority shareholder in the feat); Renato Veiga (you forgot the Villarreal centre-back, in his debut LaLiga season, was still only 22 because he looks 32? Raucous, roughhouse but firm at the back as Villarreal made it back-to-back Champions League qualification for the first time ever)
Joan García with a nice save vs. Espanyol
Signing of the season: Joan García, Barcelona
Last season's 'Best Rookie' winner has brought home the bacon. Just ask yourself, after Barcelona signed Garcia for a scandalously low €25 million last summer, what would it take for them to transfer him now? I'll tell you: upwards of €60 million.
That Barcelona took him from bitter city rivals Espanyol for such a low fee feels, I guess, pretty sweet. But to watch a guy wander into an ultra high-pressure situation and behave as if he was born for the role signifies that they've signed a special man, not just a talented keeper.
He makes saves with all parts of his body -- not just regular dives and punches. The Catalan is particularly adapt at performing like a handball keeper and spread-eagling into a star position, and the number of times he saves with his boot, his shin his knee or his thigh is important. By the final game of the season he had 15 clean sheets and only 21 goals conceded in 30 LaLiga matches, winning the title at a time when Barcelona's defensive intensity has come under more critical scrutiny than ever.
García made his debut for Spain at his old showground of the RCDE Stadium, but it was there, too, in LaLiga that one of his absolutely exceptional moments of the season took place. It was the Catalan derbi, Roberto Fernández shot, García saved but the rebound is falling straight to Pere Millar. García knows he can't get to the rebound, sees his teammate Gerard Martín in front of him and pushes the defender straight at the ball so that Milla's shot was blocked. It was absolutely superb -- one of great moments of the season. Ruthless.
This guy is not from the Ederson or Thibaut Courtois school, more like the Iker Casillas academy of cat-like net-minders. Agile and skinny, he wouldn't thrill fans of Premier League teams, who look for big beasts in goal. But he'll go to the World Cup and, who knows, might even come back a winner.
Runners-up: Ademola Lookman, Atlético Madrid (a sublime piece of business. He wanted out of Atalanta, Atleti forced the timing and the €35m fee, and the Nigeria international notched a goal contribution every 101 minutes: nine goals and four assists in 23 matches); Gonçalo Guedes, Real Sociedad (€4m looks like the steal of the century after top-flight survival, a Copa del Rey win, nine goals, eight assists and European football next season)
Alberto Moleiro (Villarreal) with a Spectacular Goal, 01/10/2026
Most improved player: Alberto Moleiro, Villarreal
One of the most satisfying things in this sport is watching a budding talent reach maturity instead of losing his way en route. That's the Moleiro story over the past season.
At Las Palmas, it was very evident not only that he had a prodigious skill-set, but that he carried the burden of being the club's star lightly. (It's easier being a big fish in a small pond.) Stepping up a level in terms of spotlight and scrutiny with Villarreal, what he's done in his first year of Champions League football, and in helping his team confirm their spot in that elite European competition for next season, has been wonderful.
Again, let's get the statistics out of the way. Yes, it has been impressive to see 10 goals and six assists, but there's much more to Moleiro than that. One of the things LaLiga excels in is giving you, the viewer, beautiful football. Moleiro has that in his boots and in his mind. His balance, his tricksy change of direction, his decision-making: all of these are first order. But he has raised his game under pressure, with lots of expectation on his shoulders and fought his way to the verge of the Spain squad.
The best witness for what this kid has achieved is his manager (now former manager) Marcelino, who said this about Moleiro before stepping down from his post: "He's young and from the Canary Islands, whose players coming to the mainland don't historically adapt easily -- but Alberto's coped very well. At Las Palmas, he was the star and has stepped into a demanding new system and overcome all those obstacles. His progress as a player is evident, and not just because of the goals, but because of his increasingly consistent involvement. Plus, he has another great strength: he creates while also working hard defensively, because he's so generous.
"I think he's too demanding of himself, and I don't think that does him any good. We forget that he's very young (22) but, hopefully, we'll work together to help him not be so hard on himself and allow himself to have ups and downs."
Runners Up: Marcos Llorente (hard-running, Olympic-level fit, in the form of his life); Giuliano Simeone (extraordinary pace, competitiveness and threat, overall making him a joy to watch)
Watch the Game Highlights from Getafe vs. Rayo Vallecano, 05/03/2026
Which teams earned an A: Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano
It's a dead heat -- or at least it is until we know the outcome of Wednesday's UEFA Europa Conference League final.
Only two clubs can genuinely say that their homework has earned the highest grade: Barcelona and Rayo. And the dead heat will be split, in the Madrid club's favour, should Rayo do the unlikely, improbable, impossible thing and beat big-budget, Premier League-muscle-men Crystal Palace to win the Conference League.
Barcelona have all the advantages in this one, no matter their Financial Fair Play trials. Their squad is plump-full of ability, their academy keeps on producing, Flick has found energy to deal with the burnout at Barça and, most importantly in LaLiga, they could blend entertainment with ruthlessness. That said, they were pretty tepid in Europe this season and got manhandled by Atletico in two knockout competitions.
Rayo, the institution, get a Z grade for the work their president does in letting the training ground go to seed and how the loyal fans are treated. Meaning that what the coaching, scouting and playing staff have achieved is simply off-the-scale extraordinary.
Runners-up: Real Betis (fifth straight season qualified for UEFA competition and this time, it's the big one); Villarreal (Massive squad overhaul with expensive signings, loans, a range of nationalities and a coach deciding, mid-season, that he needs out ... and still they qualified for the Champions League in back-to-back seasons)
Barcelona take down Real Madrid at home to clinch the LaLiga title.
Which team earned an F: Real Oviedo and Real Madrid
This is also a "take your pick" category.
Oviedo, it's sad to say, have been tossed down the exit-chute. Sad because during 2026, it has very often been fun to watch them. But they came up to the top division with their chin jutting out, belly exposed and a cocky, "we-know-better" demeanour you often see in the naive, and the punches rained in on them.
Oviedo's majority owners (Grupo Pachuca) were guilty of believing that life in the Primera Division would be as they wanted it to be, rather than the school of hard-knocks it truly is. When they changed coach in October, they picked poorly (Luis Carrion) to replace Veljko Paunovic, the fans rebelled and not until Guillermo Almada took over in mid-December did Oviedo look self-confident and dogged rather than arrogant and dopey. Off you pop lads, take another shot at it in a year's time if you can - a stadium and a fanbase to be welcomed back.
Oh, and I'm awarding an 'F' for only having Fede Viñas on a contract that runs out in a couple of weeks. D'Oh.
I think that the bigger, more appalling grade should go to Real Madrid. You may disagree. A president (Florentino Pérez) in decline, ludicrous treatment of a talented coach (Xabi Alonso should never have accepted taking over a defeated, exhausted team ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup), players who slacked off and fought each other, an unhappy staff that leaked stories, a home pitch that was more their enemy than friend, and an inability to get over the line in Munich when, frankly, a remarkable away win and total re-evaluation of their season was beckoning.
Runners-up: Mallorca (a squad that's too talented and too pugnacious to have been relegated, but if you compare playing style and points-per-game, why didn't they address the problem sooner and replace Jagoba Arrasate with Martín Demichelis while salvation was still within reach?); Girona (those who own and run the club stand accused of offloading far too many star players on a consistent basis and then replacing them with "maybe" players ... in the final, desperate few weeks of the season, they tried so many makeshift centre-forwards -- Azzedine Ounahi, Viktor Tsygankov, Bryan Gil, Ivan Martín and Claudio Echeverri -- all because they didn't have a serviceable replacement for the injured Vladyslav Vanat, which was a big, big mistake)
Manager of the season: Iñigo Pérez, Rayo Vallecano
To all of you who are already purple-faced with apoplexy that this prestigious award doesn't go to Flick or Getafe's José Bordalás -- let's get it on!
The Barcelona coach has won back-to-back titles and deserves huge appreciation, but he's done so with a deeply talented squad while facing a paper-thin challenge from Barcelona's key rivals. Meanwhile Bordalás plays ugly, route-one football and teaches disciples that rules are for suckers, refs are for pressurising and opponents are for kicking. Getafe are bottom of the Fair Play League, again! It's an embarrassment that he's not called out for this more often.
Now on to Pérez. The 38-year-old Rayo coach (Bordalás is 62 and has coached for 33 years, Flick is 61 and has coached for 31 years) is only in his first full season. To have harnessed the adoration of Rayo's players and fans, at a time when there's civil war between the support and the president who employs Iñigo Pérez, is impressive in the first place. To then soar -- quite literally -- over every hurdle, every problem, every set-back, to circumnavigate injuries, suspension, lack of sleep, pressure, a diminutive squad and a horribly low budget and not only cope with a first European season for a quarter of a century, but reach a first-ever UEFA final is, literally, astonishing.
His team has a shining, clear, exciting playing-identity, with which Rayo finished the season not only well safe from relegation, but still in contention for UEFA re-qualification on the last day. One has the feeling that Pérez may be snapped up by a bigger, better-Presided club (Villarreal) any day now.
A quick word from a couple of his players. Augusto Batalla, his Argentinian keeper, told Movistar: "He's the best coach I've ever worked for tactically, pre and post match-analysis ... I can only give him the strongest superlatives." Venerated midfielder Óscar Trejo said "Iñigo's a genius ... super-talented. He's only just started his career and to achieve this much, so young ... well, he's going to grow extraordinarily in the future!"
Runners-up: Hansi Flick (his team regressed in the Champions League, but displayed a fun brand of football domestically and it helps that he's a genial fella); fight among yourselves whether the second podium place is for Manuel Pellegrini (Real Betis are back in the Champions League and still great to watch) or Luis Castro (Levante managed just 0.6 points per match and were anchored in relegation before the Portuguese arrived, but have played better attacking, better defending, more attractive football and collected 1.4 points per game in the 23 games since he took the job)
