Let’s talk La Liga — everyone else is.
From clubs like Real Betis competing in the US for the Soccer Champions Tour to legends like Messi who dominated The League, La Liga is Spanish football. Whether you’re just getting into the sport or if you’ve been wearing a Real Madrid jersey before Ronaldo was signed, here’s what you need to know about seeing Spain’s top La Liga soccer teams by train.
Image Credit: FC Barcelona. Image Location: rendered image of Spotify Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona, Spain
See the best La Liga clubs in Spain
FC Barcelona
Stadiums: Spotify Camp Nou | Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium
Closest station: Barcelona-Sants
FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 with legends like Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta sporting the club jersey. Outside of its 27 La Liga titles, FC Barcelona has 31 Copa del Rey titles — more than any other team. Although Spotify Camp Nou is undergoing renovations, it’s the main home for FC Barcelona and one of the finest soccer stadiums in Spain. Barça will play at Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium until renovations are completed.
Read also: the best sports venues in Barcelona for more than football
Atlético Madrid
Stadium: Cívitas Metropolitano
Closest station: Coslada Central
Atlético Madrid is giving its in-city rival Real Madrid a run for their money. Hugo Sánchez is still one of the top goal scorers ever in La Liga, falling in line behind greats like Messi and Ronaldo; Frenchman Antoine Griezmann is on his way to getting the club another name in the top-ten. Catch a match at Cívitas Metropolitano and you may start rooting against that other Madrid team.
Real Madrid CF
Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu
Closest station: Nuevos Ministerios
What can you say about Real Madrid that its trophy case doesn’t? It’s the top dog in La Liga; one of only three that have never seen relegation. Real Madrid has triple-digit trophies which include La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España, and UEFA Cup titles. You may have heard of a fella named Cristiano Ronaldo? He’s got GOAT status with this club. And don’t even get us started on how awesome Santiago Bernabéu is. A Real Madrid FC match is the kind that you get your “soccer” ambivalent friend to attend, only to watch them leave with a love of football.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Stage Front. Image Location: Stagefront Stadium, Barcelona, Spain
RCD Espanyol
Stadium: Stage Front Stadium
Closest station: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
RCD Espanyol has gone by many names since its founding in 1900, but it’s so much more than just Barcelona’s other football club. Its history as one of Catalonia’s best clubs dates back to the Campionat de Catalunya, which they won 11 times; second-most to Barcelona. Ricardo Zamora, Raúl Tamudo, and Mauricio Pochettino are household names from the club’s past.
Sevilla FC
Stadium: Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán
Closest station: Seville Santa Justa
Sevilla FC is Andalusia’s championship club. They may only have one La Liga title, but they put up a sizable shelf to fit five Spanish Cups, six Europa League titles, a European Super Cup, and a Spanish Super Cup. Seville’s oldest team has contributed nearly 40 players to Spain’s national team, including Jesús Navas who brought the World Cup home in 2010.
Athletic Bilbao
Stadium: San Mamés
Closest station: San Mamés
When you talk about storied Spanish soccer clubs, Athletic Bilbao is always in conversation. The second-oldest club in Spain and, along with Barca and Real Madrid, have never been relegated from the Primera División. The Bilbao fans roar for their lions, who’ve just won their 24th Copa del Rey — which is more than Real Madrid and only a few less than Barcelona.
Image Credit: Real Betis Balompié. Image Location: Benito Villamarín stadium, Seville, Spain
Real Betis
Stadium: Benito Villamarín
Closest station: Sevilla-Virgen del Rocio
Trainline and Real Betis are Real BFFs. We’re proud sponsors of Seville’s green and white-striped club; you’ll spot our name on their jerseys and in Benito Villamarín, and you’d better believe you’ll hear us cheering the former Copa del Rey and La Liga champions.
Real Sociedad
Stadium: Reale Arena
Closest station: Anoeta-Donostia
El Real? No, La Real reigns in San Sebastian. The loyalty to this club is as fierce as any in Spain, though a case can be made that Real Sociedad invests more in its academy and lower level clubs than most other Spanish football clubs. A recent Cope del Rey victory has created a surge of seriousness on the pitch that led to playing groups stages of the UEFA Champions League. Watch this team; your friends will be jumping on the bandwagon before you know it.
Valencia CF
Stadium: Mestalla
Closest station: València Nord
Six La Liga titles has a nice ring to it, but if Valencia CF ever climb to the top of the Champions League, then they’ll have won all of the major continental trophies. Mestalla is sacred ground, as well: the oldest of the twenty La Liga stadiums. Relegated only once, Valencia CF holds the bronze when it comes to most popular football clubs in Spain, but they don’t mind: they’ve knocked Barcelona down a few pegs elsewhere when they clinched an eighth Copa de Rey trophy.
Villarreal CF
Stadium: Estadio de la Cerámica
Closest station: Vila-real
This “Yellow Submarine” doesn’t live in Liverpool. Villarreal CF is a century-old club that plays in the yellow porcelain-covered Estadio de la Cerámica, hence its not-Beatles-inspired nickname. The club’s youth academy is the first stop for many future La Liga greats while former players of Villarreal CF include Giuseppe Rossi, Diego Forlán, and Juan Román Riquelme.
Image Credit: gorodenkoff.
La Liga stadiums and how to get there by train
| Team | Stadium | Location | Closest Station |
| Alavés |
Mendizorrotza |
Vitoria-Gasteiz |
Vitoria - Gasteiz |
|
Athletic Bilbao |
San Mamés |
Bilbao |
Ametzola |
|
Atlético Madrid |
Cívitas Metropolitano |
Madrid (San Blas-Canillejas) |
Coslada Central |
|
Barcelona |
Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (while Camp Nou is being renovated) |
Barcelona |
Barcelona-Sants |
|
Celta Vigo |
ABANCA Balaídos |
Vigo |
Vigo-Guixar | Vigo Urzáiz |
|
Espanyol |
Stage Front Stadium |
Cornellà de Llobregat |
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat |
| Getafe |
Coliseum |
Getafe |
Las Margaritas Universidad |
|
Girona |
Montilivi |
Girona |
Girona |
|
Las Palmas |
Gran Canaria |
Las Palmas |
None |
|
Leganés |
Butarque |
Leganés |
Leganés |
|
Mallorca |
Mallorca Son Moix |
Palma |
Estació Intermodal |
|
Osasuna |
El Sadar |
Pamplona |
Pamplona - Iruña |
|
Rayo Vallecano |
Vallecas |
Madrid (Puente de Vallecas) |
Asamblea De Madrid |
|
Real Betis |
Benito Villamarín |
Seville (Bellavista-La Palmera) |
Sevilla-Virgen del Rocio |
|
Real Madrid |
Santiago Bernabéu |
Madrid (Chamartín) |
Nuevos Ministerios |
|
Real Sociedad |
Reale Arena |
San Sebastián |
Anoeta-Donostia |
|
Sevilla |
Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán |
Seville (Nervión) |
Seville Santa Justa |
|
Valencia |
Mestalla |
Valencia |
València Nord |
|
Valladolid |
José Zorrilla |
Valladolid |
Valladolid Campo Grande |
|
Villarreal |
Estadio de la Cerámica |
Villarreal |
Vila-real |
Who is the most famous soccer player in La Liga?
The most famous soccer player in La Liga is Lionel Messi. He’s been awarded La Liga awards for Best Player six times, Best Forward seven times, MVP three times (in a row), and was on the Team of the Season twice. Cristiano Ronaldo is also a multi-La Liga award winner. Alfredo di Stéfano, Francisco Gento, Raúl González Blanco, and Dani Alves are also in the GOAT conversation.
Image Credit: Getty Images, fStop Images - Stephan Zirwes.
Who is the most famous Spanish soccer player?
Xavier Hernández and Andrés Iniesta are two of the most famous Spanish soccer players and are held in equal esteem in the hearts of Spanish fans. Graying fans of La Roja will say Raul Gonzalez and Gerard Piqué are equally deserving of worldwide fame, the former as Spain’s once-leading scorer and the latter one of Barcelona’s key players.
Which team is the most successful in Spanish history?
Spain’s dominating forces are without a doubt Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. They are the most successful teams in Spanish history; Madrid has 101 trophies and Barca nearly ties them at 99. Their La Liga titles are similar: Madrid holds a record 36 La Liga titles and Barcelona is just behind them with 27.
Which soccer stadium is the finest in La Liga?
If you’re looking for the finest stadiums in La Liga, you should head to Madrid. Santiago Bernabéu, home of Real Madrid, is one of the finest stadiums in the world. Cívitas Metropolitano, home of Atlético Madrid, is another shining example of why Spain’s La Liga stadiums are the finest. And, lest we forget, Camp Nou in Barcelona is the finest soccer stadium outside of Madrid.
Which soccer stadium is the biggest in Spain?
Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona is the biggest soccer stadium in Spain; once its renovations are completed, its capacity of 99,354 will make it the largest stadium in Europe and one of the largest in the world. Behind Camp Nou is Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu which has a seating capacity of 80,242.
What is the richest stadium in Spain?
Spain’s top two teams have the richest stadiums, at least, in terms of how much cash was put into renovations. Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu has a $1.91-billion renovation cost while Camp Nou’s renovations for FC Barcelona are hitting $1.6-billion.
No matter which of Spain’s top La Liga soccer teams you root for, cheer them on in person. Download the Trainline app and let us help you get to La Liga’s stadiums across Spain.
Header Image Credit: Real Betis Balompié. Image Location: Benito Villamarín stadium, Seville, Spain