Ranking the 15 Best La Liga Players of 2014
Few would have predicted what happened in 2014. La Liga had garnered a reputation as being a two-team league: If Real Madrid didn't win it, then Barcelona would.
However, that pattern was broken in May. Atletico Madrid made the trip to Camp Nou on the final day of last season knowing a point would be enough to secure them the title, while defeat would have seen Barca named champions.
Alexis Sanchez gave the Catalans the lead and, for a brief while, it looked like Diego Simeone's players would fall at the last hurdle. Diego Godin, though, rescued the point and ensured the duopoly was broken.
It's also been a successful year for Real Madrid, who have won no fewer than four different trophies.
Over the following slides, B/R break down the best 15 players in La Liga over the previous 12 months. As it's considering the calendar year, players who have only played six months in Spain have been left out.
Performances in all competitions have been noted, but it is league performances that have gained extra credence.
Arrivals and Departures
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The following players didn't spend enough time in La Liga in 2014 to be considered:
Thibaut Courtois, Diego Costa and Filipe Luis (all Atletico Madrid to Chelsea)
Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona to Arsenal)
Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid to Manchester United)
Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich to Atletico Madrid)
James Rodriguez (Monaco to Real Madrid)
Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich to Real Madrid)
Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona to Chelsea)
Luciano Vietto (Racing Club to Villarreal)
Missed the Cut
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The following players made the long list but, for a variety of reasons, were cut from the final 15:
Carlos Bacca (Sevilla)
Paco Alcacer and Dani Parejo (Valencia)
Joaquin Larrivey (Rayo Vallecano/Celta Vigo)
Sergio Garcia (Espanyol)
Ander Iturraspe (Athletic Club Bilbao)
Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad)
Keylor Navas (Levante/Real Madrid)
Isco, Pepe, Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad/Barcelona)
Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique (Barcelona)
15. Antoine Griezmann
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Antoine Griezmann ended the year as he hopes to begin the new one, smashing in a hat-trick against Athletic Club Bilbao as Atletico Madrid won 4-1 at San Mames.
Given his talent and his knowledge of the Spanish league, it was about time.
Diego Simeone splashed the cash to bring him to the Spanish capital from Real Sociedad in the summer, and immediate results were anticipated. However, a slow start at the Vicente Calderon means he only just crept onto this list.
In San Sebastian, the terrifying attack he had formed with Carlos Vela had been responsible for La Real's qualification for the Europa League last season—he ended the campaign with 16 league goals.
At 23, the French international has plenty of scope to move up this list in 2015.
14. Miranda
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If this list had been written in the summer, Miranda may have been much higher.
The Brazilian defender's partnership with Diego Godin was one of the contributing factors to Atletico Madrid winning La Liga—they conceded just 26 goals, which was seven fewer than second-place Barcelona.
Miranda's form didn't earn him a place in the Brazil World Cup squad, though, which would have been merited.
He has since broken into his national team, although, ironically, it has coincided with a dip in club form.
And the calendar year, which will be remembered as a good one for the 30-year-old, ended with young Uruguayan centre-back Jose Gimenez breathing down his neck—and The Mirror linking him with a move to Manchester City.
13. Javier Mascherano
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Luis Enrique made it clear from day one that Javier Mascherano had a big part to play under him at Barcelona.
"Mascherano is like the case of Xavi," the Barca boss said in his first press conference after returning to the club, per Tribal Football. "You don't always talk about him, but he is very important, also for his personality, and off the field [he] is a clear example of what a captain should be."
True to Enrique's word, the Argentina international has been a regular starter, despite the many rotations that have taken place at the club this season. He has featured 16 times in all competitions.
He has been deployed mainly as a defender, however, more interestingly, he has been used several times in midfield—where he still plays for his country.
For the first six months of the year, under previous manager Gerardo Martino, Mascherano was used exclusively as a defender.
12. Arda Turan
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For all Atletico Madrid's defensive nous and organisation skills, attacking quality was still required for them to win the league this season.
That came in the form of Diego Costa, Koke and Arda Turan.
The Turkish international scores and creates, and while he doesn't have a huge reputation around the world, he is certainly valued by his teammates.
"To play alongside Arda Turan is a special feeling," Miranda said earlier this month to BGN News. "He is an exceptional star and without a doubt a difference maker on our team."
Atletico will hope for more of the same quality from the 27-year-old in 2015.
11. Gabi
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Gabi epitomises Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone. Tenacious, strong and hard working, his career was never likely to end up at Real Madrid or Barcelona—in fact, the years he spent away from Atleti were with Getafe and Real Zaragoza.
However, his leadership and attitude propelled Los Rojiblancos over the line at the end of last season.
The 31-year-old played in 36 of the club's 38 league games and, while it was his directing skills and defensive input that told, he also managed to contribute three goals and eight assists.
On top of that, he also played a major part as Atleti reached the Champions League final, where they were beaten by Real Madrid.
He's not yet hit those heights this season, but that's not to say he's been poor.
10. Ivan Rakitic
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It's been a memorable year for Ivan Rakitic.
He captained Sevilla to Europa League success and a fifth-place finish in La Liga, played for Croatia at the World Cup in Brazil and earned himself a move to Barcelona in the summer.
In the first half of 2014, with Sevilla, he was sensational. His touch to flick the ball over the head of Pepe in a win over Real Madrid was particularly memorable.
At Barca, he's been good, but he's not yet excelled. His role in Luis Enrique's side isn't set in stone, and he's been left on the bench for a couple of big games.
But he only has to look at his fellow countryman at Real Madrid, Luka Modric, to know that a fast start at the Clasico clubs is not necessarily imperative.
9. Karim Benzema
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There was a time at the beginning of the current season when Karim Benzema was the subject of discontent from sections of the Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu. That couldn't be further from the truth now.
The French international has fought back, and few doubt his importance to Carlo Ancelotti's side.
Sandwiched between Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, he's never going to score as many goals as the latter, but his link-up play and unselfishness are important assets in Los Blancos' artillery.
Besides, he does score as well.
This season, he has already managed eight in the league and five more in the Champions League.
He scored some important goals at the end of the last campaign as well—including the winner against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.
8. Gareth Bale
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Gareth Bale's first full calendar year in Spain has to be considered a success.
Away from the league, he has scored goals in three cup finals, all of which Real Madrid went onto win: The Copa del Rey, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
His goal against Barcelona in the Spanish cup was a late winner, while his extra-time effort against Atletico in Europe was eventually added to by Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo.
He hasn't played such a key role in the league, but he has racked up goals and assists.
Unfortunately for the Welshman, given his price tag, even more is going to be expected from him in 2015.
7. Neymar
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Anyone who thought Neymar was a player with a reputation based on Youtube has been proved wrong in 2014.
He arrived at Barcelona at a difficult time. The Pep Guardiola years were gone, Tito Vilanova had to step down as manager due to illness and Gerardo Martino, who was relatively unknown in Catalonia, had been appointed as the club's new coach.
On top of that, Neymar was still a young man who had just arrived on a new continent with huge expectation on his shoulders. It told.
However, the new campaign has been a different story. With the pressure lifted slightly, the Brazilian has already scored 11 goals in the league—he's started just 10 games—and has added another three in the Champions League, including a screamer against Paris Saint-Germain.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have scored more goals in La Liga than the 22-year-old. With that in mind, 2015 could be a special year.
6. Koke
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The signs were there in 2013, but 2014 must be considered the year Koke truly arrived on the world stage.
Influential in Atletico Madrid's La Liga title triumph and in their run to the Champions League final, he then became a mainstay in Vicente del Bosque's Spain squad at the World Cup in Brazil.
Considering that he is creative in the final third, comfortable on the ball and strong, Diego Simeone's side would be much weaker without the 22-year-old (he'll turn 23 in January).
As recently as this month, Catalan newspaper SPORT were linking him with a move to Barcelona, despite the Blaugrana’s transfer ban.
The link between Koke and Barca has been ongoing, though, so it won't be a surprise if he does eventually end up nestled neatly in the midfield at Camp Nou.
5. Luka Modric
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Some people in football may now argue that Luka Modric is the very best midfielder in the world at the moment.
So given that he was written off as a flop in 2012, per readers of Marca, it's been some turnaround.
Alongside Toni Kroos in the Real Madrid midfield, the Croatian international is one of the first names on Carlo Ancelotti's team sheet.
Since he is clever with the ball, his partnership with Kroos has enabled Madrid to quickly move on from the sales of Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria—some had worried they'd struggle without a genuine defensive midfielder.
And as Madrid cast an eye back over a year that yielded four trophies, Modric's role will be among those recognised.
4. Sergio Ramos
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If he wasn't already inscribed in it before, 2014 will be remembered as the year that Sergio Ramos entered Real Madrid history.
With Atletico Madrid one goal up—and stoppage time at the end of the second half underway in the Champions League—it looked like Los Blancos' decade-long wait for La Decima was going to drag on for another year.
Then Ramos arrived, thumping home a header and ensuring the game would be decided in extra time. Madrid, of course, went onto win 4-1.
It wasn't the only important goal Ramos scored during the last 12 months: He recently scored in both the semi-final and the final of the Club World Cup, he scored twice against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and bent home a free-kick against Real Valladolid when Madrid were still in last season's title race.
Of course he's not in the team for his goals, though, and his defensive performances have also been above average.
3. Diego Godin
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Talking of goal-scoring defenders, Diego Godin's also had a fantastic year for club and country.
He scored the equaliser against Barcelona that earned Atletico Madrid the title and scored the opener against Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
At the World Cup, he scored the Uruguay goal that helped them beat Italy and qualify for the knockout stages, where they would lose to Colombia.
But Godin's year, much more than Ramos', has been highlighted by good defending.
Alongside Miranda, he has provided the platform for Diego Simeone's Atleti to excel. While he has been calm and composed on the ball, it's been his ability to time his tackles that has often stood out during an impressive 12 months.
2. Lionel Messi
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While it seems to have been widely accepted that 2014 has not been a remarkable year for Barcelona's Lionel Messi, he has still managed to score plenty of goals.
His brace in Barca's final game of the year took him onto 50 goals for his club across the last 12 months. He also scored another eight for Argentina.
According to Catalan newspaper SPORT, that is 13 more than he got in 2013.
And while it is considerably fewer than the 91 he notched in 2012, it is similar to the 60 and 59 totals he achieved in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
Away from the goals, he's created plenty more, while his ability to pass the football is completely underappreciated.
Everyone knows he scores, creates and dribbles, but he rarely receives praise for the way he can drop deep, get on the ball and pick out a pass.
Given how he's ended the year, 2015 has plenty of promise.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
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Regardless of your opinion on the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate, you'd perhaps be willing to admit that it's the Real Madrid player who has had a slightly better year—it has certainly been more fruitful.
And it seems that will be recognised when the Ballon d'Or is handed out in January, with Ronaldo the favourite to receive the award for the second year running.
But while the Portuguese star has undoubtedly had a fantastic year, he'll be disappointed it hasn't had a crowning moment.
Of the 61 goals he scored for club and country, perhaps the most important were the two he bagged in the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla in Cardiff.
Elsewhere, he missed the Copa del Rey final, added a late fourth from the penalty spot in the Champions League final and failed to score at the Club World Cup earlier this month.
At the World Cup in Brazil (playing for Portugal), he was unable to stop his country from dropping out at the group stage.
Still, it's been a sparkling year for the 29-year-old, and the amount of goals he’s scored has been breathtaking. He's even provided plenty of assists throughout the last 12 months as well.
