Football Manager 2019: Best La Liga players

La Liga have set the marker for other European clubs to follow, with all the last five Champions League winners coming from Spain. Those triumphs have come by Real Madrid (four) and Barcelona (one), and it’s been a similar tale in the Europa League, with the Spaniards claiming the title nine times in last 15 years courtesy of Atletico Madrid (three), Sevilla (five) and Valencia (one).

With Spain dominating so much, you must consider La Liga when gunning for signings on Football Manager 2019. RealSport looks at the top-flight in Spain and reveals the best from the division on the game this year.

For a full list of all La Liga player with a current ability (CA) rating of at least 155, visit the table at the end of this page. 

Lionel Messi (CA 195 – PA 199)

Age: 31

Positions: AM (RC), ST

Club: Barcelona

Country: Argentina

Best stats: 20 agility, 20 balance, 20 finishing

Value: £85 million

Cost: £1.2 million a week

Of course it’s Lionel Messi at top spot. The Argentine shows no sign of letting up, bagging 45 goals last season to take his Barcelona tally to 564 in 649 games. The right winger or striker has lifted nine La Liga titles and four Champions League during his career as well five Ballon d’Or awards.

20 agility, 20 balance and 20 finishing and three of ten perfect scores for Messi on FM, which take his current ability rating to 195. That has fallen from a potential of 199 for the 31-year-old, who is valued at £85 million but with astronomic wages of £1.2 million a week. 

Luis Suarez (CA 180 – PA 188)

Age: 31

Positions: AM (LRC), ST

Club: Barcelona

Country: Uruguay

Best stats: 20 dribbling, 20 finishing, 20 flair

Value: £75 million

Wage: £404,000 a week

Luis Suarez is Messi’s partner in crime at Barcelona, with the Uruguayan scoring 159 goals in 212 games since arriving at the Nou Camp. After tearing up the defences in the Premier League with 31 goals for Liverpool in 2013/14, Suarez has taken that form to Catalonia and added trophies with three La Ligas, a Champions League and four Copa del Reys. 

A 180 CA for Suarez has fallen from a 188 PA, but still contains 20 dribbling, 20 finishing and 20 flair. The 31-year-old is valued at £75 million along with hefty wages of £404,000 a week. 

Luka Modric (CA 178 – PA 180)

Age: 32

Positions: M (C)

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Croatia

Best stats: 19 passing, 19 first touch, 18 decisions

Value: £59.3 million

Wage: £322,000 a week

Luka Modric could be the first man outside of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo since 2007 to lift the Ballon d’Or after being the first to do exactly that with the FIFA Best award. The 32-year-old central midfielder won a third successive Champions League with Real Madrid, before pushing Croatia all the way to the World Cup final in Russia.

Modric has very strong attributes as you would expect on FM, with 19 passing, 19 first touch and 18 decisions. The Real star is rated at a 178 CA just two off his 180 potential, meaning the 32-year-old is valued at £59.3 million with a wage of £322,000 a week. 

Antoine Griezmann (CA 177 – PA 181)

Age: 27

Positions: AM (LC), ST

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: France

Best stats: 19 first touch, 18 off the ball, 18 finishing

Value: £72 million

Wage: £791,000 a week

Antoine Griezmann could be an outside bet for the Ballon d’Or, having won the Europa League with Atletico Madrid before being one of France’s core stars as they claimed just their second ever World Cup. The striker hit 29 goals for Atletico last season before adding four for his country in Russia.

The 27-year-old Griezmann has 19 first touch, 18 off the ball and 18 finishing on the game, taking his CA to 177. This could still rise to a 181 potential, but his £72 million value and £791,000 a week wages make it unlikely. 

Philippe Coutinho (CA 174 – PA 179)

Age: 26

Positions: AM (LRC)

Club: Barcelona

Country: Brazil

Best stats: 18 dribbling, 18 technique, 18 flair

Value: £69 million

Wage: £404,000 a week

It was always going to be interesting to see how Phillipe Coutinho would fit in at Barcelona, given the Brazilian superstar can play in various roles. The 26-year-old helped take some of the burden off ageing club legend Andres Iniesta in midfield and could also link up with Messi and Suarez in attack.

Coutinho’s stats of 18 dribbling, 18 technique and 18 flair help him to a 174 CA which can still rise to a 179 potential. The 26-year-old is valued at £69 million with wages of £404,000 a week. 

Sergio Ramos (CA 174 – PA 174)

Age: 32

Positions: D (C)

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Spain

Best stats: 20 heading, 20 determination, 20 important matches

Value: £58 million

Wage: £345,000 a week

The best defender on FM 2019, Sergio Ramos may not be the most popular football in the world, but you cannot deny what the 32-year-old has achieved. Four La Ligas, four Champions Leagues, two European Championships and a World Cup is more than the vast majority of players can achieve, with the centre back a superb captain for club and country. 

Ramos has fantastic attributes of 20 heading, 20 determination and 20 important matches on FM this year. A 174 CA is at its peak, making Ramos a pricey purchase with a £58 million value at £345,000 a week wage. 

Isco (CA 173 – PA 180)

Age: 26

Positions: AM (LRC), M (RL)

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Spain

Best stats: 19 vision, 18 dribbling, 18 first touch

Value: £70 million

Wage: £219,000 a week

One of the most technically gifted players on the planet, Isco has surprisingly struggled to fit into Real Madrid and Spain’s plans. With other stars in midfield, the 26-year-old has been shipped out wide, but that has not stopped him notching 44 goals and 52 assists since arriving at Real in 2013, and score 12 times in 34 caps for his country.

Isco possesses a 173 CA which still has plenty of time to improve to a 180 potential. Stats of 19 vision, 18 dribbling and 18 first touch will make him the orchestrator for your side, but you will need to negotiate his £70 million value and £219,000 a week wages. 

Jan Oblak (CA 172 – PA 176)

Age: 25

Positions: GK

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: Slovenia

Best stats: 19 ambition, 18 handling, 18 reflexes

Value: £50.2 million

Wage: £186,000 a week

Jan Oblak is the best ‘keeper in the Spanish league on FM, and that is backed up in real life by claiming the LA Liga goalkeeping prize in each of the last three seasons. Behind Juanfran, Jose Maria Gimenez, Diego Godin and Filipe Luis, the Slovenian has helped create the most stubborn defence in Spain, conceding the least goals in the league three years running.

Oblak’s attributes include 19 ambition, 18 handling and 18 reflexes on FM this year, taking his CA to 172. At just 25 this can comfortably rise to a 176 potential, with his £50.2 million and £186,000 a week wages making a move possible towards the end of the season.

Toni Kroos (CA 170 – PA 176)

Age: 28

Positions: DM, M (C)

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Germany

Best stats: 20 passing, 19 decisions, 18 vision 

Value: £61.8 million

Wage: £345,000 a week

Toni Kroos is likely to go down as one of the most successful footballers of all time. The German is just 28, but has had claimed three Bundesligas, a La Liga, four Champions Leagues and a World Cup. You wonder what is next for the central midfielder but expect him to be the focal point for Real Madrid as they go through transition. 

Kroos has a 170 CA on FM, which can rise to a 176 potential. Valued at £61.8 million with a £345,000 a week wage, he has stats of 20 passing, 19 decisions and 18 vision. 

Gerard Pique (CA 169 – PA 170)

Age: 31

Positions: D (C)

Club: Barcelona

Country: Spain

Best stats: 18 composure, 18 positioning, 18 important matches

Value: £57.3 million

Wage: £220,000 a week

Gerard Pique is another man who seems to have won it all, with a Premier League, seven La Ligas, four Champions Leagues, a European Championship and a World Cup to his name. The 31-year-old is no longer a certain starter for Barcelona, being challenged by Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet, but he is still a senior figure at the club. 

18 composure, 18 positioning and 18 important matches take Pique to a 169 CA, just one shy of his 170 potential. A £57.3 million value and a £220,000 a week wage may just open the door for a move in a year or two.

All the best La Liga players