Ranking the 5 greatest Spaniards to play in the Premier League
The Premier League has always had a healthy number of players from Spain. Spain has produced some of the greatest technicians the game has ever seen. Several Spaniards have touched down in England and had glorious runs in the top flight.
Spain is one of the most successful nations in international football and Spanish clubs are some of the most popular in the world. But it's not a rarity for players from Spain to have spent a major portion of their career in the Premier League.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the greatest Spaniards to have played in the Premier League.
#5 Cesar Azpilicueta
Cesar Azpilicueta joined Chelsea in 2012 and has been a critical part of all their successes ever since. Azpilicueta has won everything there is to be won with Chelsea and has been a symbol of grit and determination throughout his stint in the Premier League.
The Spain international has made 474 appearances across all competitions for the Stamford Bridge outfit, scoring 17 goals and providing 55 assists. Although he is extensively used as a right-back, Azpilcueta has shown that he can play anywhere across the backline.
He has won two Premier League titles, one Champions League title, two Europa League titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup.
#4 Xabi Alonso
Despite their struggles in the Premier League in the early 2000s, Liverpool remained a force to be reckoned with in Europe. Under Rafa Benitez's management during this period, Liverpool roped in several Spanish players and Xabi Alonso was the most prominent among them.
The holding midfielder was simply phenomenal for the Merseysiders and had no trouble settling down in the Premier League. He inspired the Reds to Champions League glory in his debut season (2004-05) at the club.
He also played a crucial role in their FA Cup triumph in the 2005-06 season. Alonso excelled as a deep-lying playmaker and his long-range passing is the stuff of legends. He possessed great technique and was also adept at finding the back of the net from distance.
Alonso was also a very hardworking midfielder and he was very effective in a defensive sense as well.
#3 Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres, lovingly called 'El Nino', joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid for a then-club record fee of £34.5 million. Torres had already made quite a name for himself in La Liga and touched down at Anfield amid huge fanfare. He hit the ground running and took the Premier League by storm in his debut season.
Torres netted 24 times and provided four assists in 33 Premier League appearances for Liverpool in the 2007-08 season. Injuries limited his involvement for the remainder of his stay at Anfield. But he scored 41 more goals over the next two-and-a-half seasons he spent at Liverpool before joining Chelsea.
Torres joined the Blues in the January 2011 transfer window, much to the dismay of the Liverpool fans. The Spaniard couldn't replicate his form at Chelsea but did play a crucial role in their 2011-12 Champions League triumph.
He also helped Chelsea win the FA Cup that same season and the Europa League title in the subsequent one.
#2 Cesc Fabregas
La Masia graduate Cesc Fabregas joined Arsenal as a teenager and made his debut for the Gunners at the tender age of 16. But he turned out to be a midfield maestro whose technical qualities and temperament belied his age.
Fabregas is one of the most creative playmakers of the Premier League era. He played an important role in Arsenal's run to the final of the 2005-06 Champions League final where they eventually fell to Barcelona.
The Spaniard was at Arsenal for eight years before leaving to join his childhood club Barcelona in 2011. In 304 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions, Fabregas scored 57 goals and provided 95 assists. He also won the FA Cup with them in the 2004-05 season.
Fabregas returned to the Premier League with Chelsea in the 2014-15 season. His incredible playmaking abilities helped propel the Blues to Premier League glory that term. He picked up two Premier League titles, one Europa League title, one FA Cup and one League Cup during his five-year long Chelsea stint.
In 198 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions, Fabregas scored 22 goals and provided 57 assists.
501 appearances, 79 goals and 148 assists in English football.
An emotional Cesc Fàbregas says goodbye to Stamford Bridge. https://t.co/QYcn4xPVcu
#1 David Silva
David Silva is a Premier League legend and was at the forefront of Manchester City's rise to the top under new ownership over the last decade. He spent 10 wonderful years at the Etihad and tormented Premier League defenders with his silky touches, incredible vision and passing.
Silva was excellent as a number eight who sat behind the forwards and kept creating chances for them. The Spaniard was simply inimitable and went about his business with a great amount of elegance.
Silva scored 77 goals and provided 140 assists in 436 appearances for City across all competitions. By the time he left the club in 2020, he had won four Premier League titles, five League Cups, two FA Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup.
A wonderful solo effort 👏
David Silva's first-ever #PL goal is today's #GoalOfTheDay https://t.co/kZiXMiNCc2