2025–26 La Liga Team of the Season So Far

Barcelona and Real Madrid players headline the star-studded XI.

The three powerhouses of Spanish football each have standout performers. / Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images, Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/ Getty Images, Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images

The biggest stars in Spanish football have taken center stage in the early fight for the 2025–26 La Liga crown.

It comes as no surprise that Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid sit atop the table at the halfway point of the season. The three Spanish giants are littered with talented players capable of deciding games week in and week out.

Beyond the most notable names, other standouts emerged over the last 18 games that deserve recognition for their brilliant individual performances in the Spanish top-flight. Underrated defenders, a surprise midfielder and an undeniable goalkeeper join the faces of the league in one star-studded XI.

Here’s Sports Illustrated’s La Liga team of the season so far.

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GK: Marko Dmitrovic (Espanyol)

Marko Dmitrović has the second highest save percentage in the league. / Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

Joan García left a near-impossible act to follow at Espanyol, but Marko Dmitrović answered the call. The goalkeeper is a huge reason why the Catalans are fifth in the table after the first half of the 2025–26 season.

Dmitrović has the second most clean sheets (seven) in the Spanish top-flight, behind only Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois, who has eight. Yet the Serbian boasts a 76.7% save percentage, beating out Courtois’s 71.9% by a hefty margin.

In fact, only Villarreal’s Luiz Júnior has a higher percentage than Dmitrović, and he’s played four less games than the Espanyol standout.

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RB: Marcos Llorente (Atlético Madrid)

Marcos Llorente is arguably Atlético Madrid’s best player. / Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press/Getty Images

When it comes to Atlético Madrid, Julián Alvarez and Jan Oblak typically garner most of the praise. Except this season, Marcos Llorente is taking center stage, not just in the Spanish capital, but in all of La Liga.

Injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal, as well as Jules Koundé’s perplexing inconsistencies, left the door open for Llorente to stake his claim as the best right back in the league. The Spaniard’s pace and stamina makes him a menace on the counter attack, whether he is leading the way for his side or shutting down opponents in transition.

Llorente’s experience playing in the midfield also adds an extra dimension to his game, one that has resulted in three assists for the 30-year-old so far. His balance of defensive expertise and vision going forward makes him an irreplaceable part of Diego Simeone’s XI.

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CB: Rafa Marín (Villarreal)

Rafa Marín leads the best defense in the league. / Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images

Rafa Marín is proving to be one of the best summer signings in La Liga. The defender joined Villarreal on loan from Napoli and has taken the Yellow Submarine’s defense to new heights.

Marcelino’s men have conceded just 15 goals so far in 2025–26, the fewest in the league. At the heart of the stout backline is Marín, who is dominant in the air, plays with exceptional discipline and uses his physicality to lock down many of La Liga’s best attackers.

Plus, the Spaniard delivers consistent service out the back, and is not afraid to carry the ball forward when the moment calls.

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CB: Eric Garcia (Barcelona)

Eric García stabilized Barcelona’s shaky defense. / Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Perhaps the most controversial inclusion belongs to Eric García. Amid defensive woes and a lack of depth at the back for Barcelona, the Spaniard emerged as an unsung hero for the defending Spanish champions.

Whether he gets the nod at center back, right back or in defensive midfield, García produces reliable, study performances that helped patch up the Catalans’ leaky defense in their run to the top of the table. The 24-year-old’s leadership, versatility and unselfish play makes him one of the most underrated defenders in the league.

García’s experience playing in the midfield also gives him the confidence and skill to expertly play out the back and contribute to the team’s build-up play.

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LB: Alvaro Carreras (Real Madrid)

Álvaro Carreras shines on the left flank for Real Madrid. / Diego Souto/Getty Images

Some thought it would take time for Álvaro Carreras to adapt to the pressure of playing at Real Madrid, but the 22-year-old looked right at home from the moment he put on a white shirt. The former Manchester United academy product was handed the starting job under Xabi Alonso and never looked back.

Carreras rounds out Los Blancos’ backline with much-needed stability and security. The intelligence and defensive positioning of the fullback also allows him to fill in at center back, showcasing his versatility at such a young age.

Perhaps the most exciting part of Carreras’s game is the attacking flare he provides on the left flank. His accurate crosses, link-up play and dangerous runs will only get better as time goes on.

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CM: Pedri (Barcelona)

No midfielder in La Liga is on Pedri’s level. / Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

It is not at all a reach or controversial to say Pedri is the best midfielder in La Liga and quite possibly the world. The Spaniard has it all: the technique, the vision, the defensive skill. In a lot of ways, he is a unique blend of Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Andrés Iniesta in the middle of the park.

Pedri’s ability to read—and control—a game makes him one of Hansi Flick’s most important pieces. The 23-year-old can slow down the tempo or execute quick, decisive passes to get his team pushing forward in the blink of an eye.

There is a calmness and an artistry Pedri possesses on the ball that fans (and rivals) can only marvel at, and the admiration only grows as he dances through tight spaces.

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CM: Luis Milla (Getafe)

Luis Milla has the second most assists in the league. / Mateo Villalba/Getty Images

Every season there is a midfield standout on an otherwise struggling team, and so far, the crown for 2025–26 belongs to Luis Milla. The 31-year-old is consistently putting in noteworthy performances while his supporting cast lets him down.

In fact, Milla has as many assists as his team has wins this season: six. Only Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal has set up more league goals so far. The Getafe man is also second in big chances created with nine, behind only the teenage sensation again, who has 11 to his name.

Beyond his playmaking abilities, Milla acts as the metronome for his side, elite at dictating the tempo of a game while retaining his composure under pressure.

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AM: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Jude Bellingham is the key to success for Real Madrid. / Mateo Villalba/Getty Images

Jude Bellingham missed the first month of the season and he’s still the best No. 10 in the league. In just 11 starts, the England International tallied four goals and three assists, often times dragging his team to a positive result.

Just when Real Madrid seem incapable of scoring, Bellingham creates or finishes a play that gets the Spanish giants on the scoresheet. One perfectly-timed through ball from the 22-year-old tears even the best defenses apart.

Whether he’s pulling the strings of his attack, crashing the box or tracking back to cover for his teammates, Bellingham is perhaps Los Blancos’ most complete player.

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RW: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Lamine Yamal continues to impress for Barcelona. / Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Replicating his 2024–25 campaign seemed a near-impossible feat, but Yamal is already on pace to—at the very least—match his output from last season. Despite missing some time due to a nagging groin injury, the teenager leads the league with seven assists, once again proving to be the best playmaker in Spain.

Yamal also has seven goals to his name, bringing his total goal contributions to 14; only Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé has more. When Barcelona need a moment of magic to break down a low block or punish a team on the counter attack, the 2025 Ballon d’Or runner-up rises to the occasion.

In the last two months alone, Yamal created or scored eight goals for the Catalans, and his team has not dropped points once during that stretch.

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ST: Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)

Kylian Mbappé made Real Madrid history in 2025. / Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

There is no attacker playing to the level of Mbappé in Spain. The Frenchman is a threat to score every time he’s on the ball in the final third, no matter the circumstances.

Mbappé leads the Pichichi race with 18 goals in as many appearances, seven more than Ferran Torres in second place. The 27-year-old has found the back of the net in all-but three La Liga matches so far in 2025–26.

Converting from the spot, delivering a sensational individual goal or simply finishing off a great play by Arda Güler—it’s all in a day’s work for Mbappé, who is without a doubt the best goalscorer in the Spanish top-flight, and maybe all of Europe.

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LW: Ferran Torres (Barcelona)

Ferran Torres is second in the Pichichi Trophy race. / David Ramos/Getty Images

Normally Raphinha would be a shoo-in to get the nod on the left wing, but the Brazilian spent close to two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Fellow Barcelona teammate Marcus Rashford filled in admirably, but it was Ferran Torres who stole the show for the defending La Liga champions.

The 25-year-old found the back of the net 11 times in 17 appearances, playing hero for the Catalans against their toughest opponents; Torres recording a hat-trick against Real Betis and a brace against Athletic Club, as well as a goal against Atlético Madrid.

The Spain international’s haul puts him in the elite company of Mbappé—the two are the only players in La Liga to bag double-digit goals. Torres sits second in the Pichichi race.

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Barcelona and Real Madrid stars dominate the XI. / FotMob

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