It is not an easy or appreciative task to list the best European soccer leagues. This is a demanding topic that often provokes frequent discussions and numerous comparisons. Subjective feelings and attitudes are often expressed on this issue, so it is no wonder that we have a large number of controversies on this topic.
To begin with, we will say that the ‘strength’ of each league is reflected both in the performance of the teams and in the extraordinary moves of the players. And, very importantly, according to the financial power of the clubs and the big soccer names that play in them. Do both the standard and competitiveness define the best European soccer leagues? Of course, they do.
Unattainable Holders of the Titles of the Best European Soccer Leagues
Europe is considered the best place in the world for playing soccer. It houses some of the best leagues and players (not only from Europe but from all over) in the world. We will even dare we say that, without soccer players from South America or Africa, soccer in Europe would not be at the level it is now.
But what are the best European soccer leagues? Although we said that there is no formula that determines the best, according to our subjective feeling, we will single out the following…
1. Premier League
The English Premier League (EPL) is currently the most popular, most powerful, and best soccer league in the world. Its matches are broadcast in 212 countries and are watched by about 4.7 billion people who observe every movement of the players.
According to the UEFA ranking for 2024, which is the final year in, for now, the last five-year ranking which assigns the coefficients for participation in Euro cups, the EPL is ranked as the best soccer league in Europe. Then, the Premier League, which was founded in 1992, is the second soccer league with the highest attendance rate in the 2018/19 season, the last season before the pandemic that was completely held with the spectators in the stands.
The best players who have stood out in recent years are Mohamed Salah, Paul Pogba, and Harry Kane, and from next season, Cristiano Ronaldo will be seen again on the EPL pitches.
2. La Liga
The Spanish soccer league is made up of the best soccer clubs in the world, and in 2019, it was declared the best soccer league in Europe.
Imagine the number of more than 75 million spectators who follow every event during the season. La Liga has existed since 1929 and 20 teams participate in it, which are extremely successful in almost all tournaments they take part in.
Clubs in La Liga have been the rulers of the UEFA Champions League 18 times, while they have won the FIFA World Cup seven times. La Liga really deserves to be on our list of the best European soccer leagues. Unfortunately for the aficionados of this competition, from next season they will be deprived of Leo Messi’s masterpieces.
3. Bundesliga
The best European soccer leagues include the German league, one of the best soccer leagues in the world.
The Bundesliga was founded back in 1962 and as many as 56 clubs have competed in it since its founding. Clubs that play in this league are also very successful in continental tournaments.
The Bundesliga is currently home to or has been home to top soccer talents such as Manuel Neuer, Robert Lewandowski, and Franck Ribéry.
4. Serie A
Since soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus, Serie A has received huge media attention. In his debut match for Juventus, about 2.3 million people watched without blinking as the Portuguese performed magic on the field.
Serie A, which was founded in 1898, two years ago was ranked as the third-best league in Europe by UEFA. In addition to Ronaldo, among the best Serie A players are Lorenzo Insigne, Paulo Dybala, and Gianluigi Buffon. The Italian league is one of the few among the top where the best goalkeepers in the world play a big role, without which the game would not be complete. That is why we mentioned Buffon as one of the biggest stars of Serie A, not only now but ever.
5. Ligue 1
Do you remember the dominance of one club in the French Ligue 1? We are talking about the success of Paris Saint-Germain, which won seven of the eight titles in Ligue 1 between 2012 and 2024. They won the title in the 2018/19 season with 16 points more than the closest followers on the table and dominated both on the pitch and in the market of one of the most popular sports in the world.
The actions of Ligue 1 testify to the incredible way of playing, as well as the presence of world-class soccer players in the league. The French championship, which has existed since 1932, has proven many times that different clubs can be dominant. Last season it was Lille who surprisingly became the champion despite not being able to measure up with PSG in terms of finances. As many as 1.6 million people on average watch a single Ligue 1 game in which top clubs such as PSG or Marseille participate. UEFA’s criteria are slightly different from those of ordinary spectators, so it declared the French championship the seventh-best league in Europe in 2019.
Top players like Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappé, and Ángel Di María are some of the best talents in the world who play in this league. And now Messi has joined them!
Conclusion
The best European soccer leagues, more precisely, each of them requires complete dedication, strength, and endurance, but also a top game on the pitch. The best soccer clubs in the world are part of these leagues and they contribute to their popularity and results.
What is your opinion on who are the best European soccer leagues? Do you agree with us or would you change something? If you have any suggestions, write us your opinion in the comments. And you can also visit the highest quality online bookmakers here that do not require a deposit to gain the right to bonuses and, at the same time, offer attractive odds and compose a bet slip with matches from some of the above-mentioned leagues.