In the 2025-26 season of La Liga, who La Liga top scorer right now is no longer in question: Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid leads the charts with 4 goals after four matches. He’s followed closely by Adrián Liso (Getafe) and Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal), each with 3 goals so far.
But that’s just the story for this season. If you zoom out, La Liga’s rich history has seen some of football’s greatest scorers carving their names into record books. Below, KMSoccer walks you through both the current frontrunner and the all-time greats who own the scoring lore of Spain’s top flight.
Current season’s top scorers
Right now, the race for the La Liga top scorer of 2025-26 is just getting started, but these are the names to watch:
- Kylian Mbappé — 4 goals in 4 matches. A perfect start, showing why expectations are sky-high.
- Adrián Liso (Getafe) — Broke through quickly, 3 goals in 4 matches.
- Tajon Buchanan (Villarreal) — Also with 3, slightly fewer games in some lists, making his goal rate slightly higher in certain matchups.
Other players like Raphinha, Rafa Mir also feature strongly early in the season with 2-3 goals each.
All-time top scorers: Legends who defined La Liga
When talking about who holds the title of La Liga top scorer in history, there’s no contest — Lionel Messi sits at the summit. His numbers are astronomical, and the records speak for themselves.
Here are some of the most iconic names and stats that define the history of goal scoring in La Liga:
- Lionel Messi – 474 goals for Barcelona in La Liga. He also holds the record for most Pichichi trophiesward for being top scorer in a La Liga season), winning it 8 times.
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 311 goals for Real Madrid during his time in La Liga. He’s second in the all-time scoring list.
- Telmo Zarra – The legendary Athletic Bilbao forward, who held the goal scoring record for decades with 251 goals.
- Karim Benzema, Raúl, Hugo Sánchez, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Quini — all among the elite, each with over 200 goals.
These are the players whose consistency over many seasons and many matches earned them legendary status in the league.
What makes being the top scorer in La Liga so special
Becoming or holding the title of La Liga top scorer is more than just an individual honor. It reflects:
- Consistency: Goals across home and away games, against tough defenses, through short slumps.
- Longevity: Players like Messi, Ronaldo, Zarra played at top level for many seasons.
- Team support & style: Strikers benefit.
- Pressure and spotlight: La Liga is watched globally. Every goal counts, every match is high stake, especially in big derbies or against the top clubs.
Trends and what to watch this season
- New stars are rising: Mbappé’s move to Real Madrid (if confirmed) shifts goal-scoring dynamics; younger forwards are seeing more starting chances.
- Competition is tighter: Whereas in past seasons one player would dominate, current stats show several players sharing the top spots early on.
- Goals per game is key: It’s not just total goals. A player scoring three goals in two matches often draws more attention than someone with the same number over many more games. Efficiency matters.
- Historic records are tough to beat: Messi’s 474 goals, Ronaldo’s 311 — these are high bar. For current players, reaching over 200 goals in La Liga is already a milestone.
Key all-time records related to top scoring
- Most goals in a single La Liga season: Messi, with 50 goals in 2011-12.
- Most Pichichi trophies won: Messi (8 times).
- Most goals by a non-Spanish player: Cristiano Ronaldo.
- High scoring rate over many seasons: Players like Hugo Sánchez, Benzema have maintained strong goal/game averages over long stretches.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering who La Liga top scorer is right now, it’s Kylian Mbappé — he’s set the pace early in the 2025-26 campaign. And when talking about all-time legends, Lionel Messi still towers above the rest with his 474-goal record.
KMSoccer will keep tracking the top scorers every week, so you can follow the chase — who overtakes who, who keeps their hot streak, and who might challenge those historic records. Want to see predictions, player comparisons, or who’s likely to win the Pichichi this season? Just say the word.
