Is the Premier League really the best league in the world?

The Big Question

12Jul

Is the Premier League really the best league in the world?

The Life’s A Pitch panel of top football writers tackles The Big Question of whether the Premier League really is the best domestic competition in the world. While they feel it’s definitely the most exciting, they consider Spain’s La Liga to be of a higher standard.

John Cross of the Daily Mirror regards the Premier League as the most watchable, but considers Spain’s La Liga to be of a higher calibre. “I think [the Premier League] is the most exciting, the most competitive, and from that end, it’s probably the most watchable,” he explains. “But the standard has now fallen short of Spain. You only need to look at the ultimate litmus test which is Barcelona, champions of Spain [who] became kings of Europe by completely outclassing Manchester United.

“And while I think we do have a very tight, competitive league, which is great to watch, I think Spain are pulling away from us a little bit.”

David Walker of the Sunday Mirror agrees with John that the quality of football is better in Spain. But he considers La Liga to be more competitive than the Premier League because a higher number of different teams qualify for the Champions League in Spain than in England - despite the fact that only Barcelona and Real Madrid contest the league title each season.

Of Spain’s title race, David says: “It’s a two-club race, but I agree with John, the best team in Spain is better than anything we’ve got. If you look at the Spanish league, there have been an awful lot more teams make it into their top three, top four to play in the Champions League than we’ve seen. And I think that’s the measure of it.

“We’ve got some very, very strong teams at the top of our league. But look beyond that and I don’t think it’s a very good league.”

While La Liga might be technically superior, Dominic Fifield of the Guardian feels that Italy’s Serie A is no match for the Premier League these days. “It sort of feels like [Serie A] needs a more successful [AC] Milan, more successful Juventus to re-emerge as proper contenders.”

But in Serie A’s defence Dom points out that “they still have players coming through. You see [Alexis] Sanchez at Udinese at the moment – he’s the player that everybody wants. He’s done it in Serie A with an unlikely club. And Inter were obviously champions of Europe [in 2010].”

The panel also considers the merits of France’s Ligue 1 and how Uefa’s financial fair-play rules will affect Europe’s top leagues.

Iain Macintosh: The Copa América – Shaving foam and pink cards

Michael Cox (Zonal Marking): David Silva is the key to Man City’s success

Video: Time Man City trimmed squad to meet financial fair play

Sam Kelly: The Premier League on tour in the Copa América

Callum Hamilton: Arsène Wenger’s legacy is disappearing fast

If you are unable to view the video, watch it on YouTube by clicking here.

Follow Life’s a Pitch on Twitter @BTLifesapitch

Comments

Please leave your comments using the box below. Learn more

Ryan

my head says la liga but my heart says premier league, and because my heart beats so quickly when watching any team in the premier league, I am going to go with my heart on this one.
DM

what a load of crap. The premier league is easily the best league in the world! Spain have 2 teams – just take a look at their league table year on year and see the gap in points between 2nd and 3rd place. The race for this years title has never been closer in England, no-one knows who’s going to win it. As for how we compete in Europe, it’s true that at the moment Barcelona are by far the strongest side, but one (or two) incredible teams doesn’t make a league good. For years now England has seen it’s teams flourish in the champions league. Simples.
antigamente

brazilian league is 1st: cos the brazilians are the best players in the world. xd
europe:
1st EPL( just because of great marketing machine and money….) and La Liga.
2st: Serie A, Bundesliga and Liga Zon Sagres. ( these three at similar level today).
rest of leagues are just crap.
Matt

DM doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about. Did you even watch the program? Only 2 clubs have won the prem since 2004 and the top 4 is always the same until a new mega rich club comes along and spends billions so the club can “flourish”. Moreover, la liga is more attractive, with every team from barca and madrid to gijon and zaragoza playing free flowing passing football. Unlike blackburn who boot the ball up to Samba every goal kick or Stoke whose main aim in a game is to break a player’s leg. Look what Shawcross did to Ramsey! Oh and if it’s the best, why are the league leaders man city and champions man u in the europa league. Face it, the only reason u think it’s the best is because the media in england restricts football coverage to domestic games and spreads noncense that la liga is a duopoly and the EPL is the best league in the world. I feel 4 u, i really do. U obviously knw next to nothing about football.
Jim

DM is an idiot
keith coates

premier league, liverpool, manchester utd, man city etc is the best in the world
Brogan hewitt

liverpool premier league
Spook

You are a typical, ignorant clueless twat.
Brian

The English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga are the 2 of the most popular and these 2 leagues are my favorite. English Premier League and Spanish La Liga have being the poorest ever this season due to what has happened in the UEFA Champions League this season. Manchester City finished 4th in Group D and and got knocked out, Chelsea finished 3rd and qualified for UEFA Europa League knockout stage, Manchester United got knocked out by Real Madrid in the first knockout Arsenal got knocked out by Bayern Munich in the first knockout, Valencia got knocked out by Paris Saint Germain in the first knockout, Malaga got knocked out by Borussia Dortmund in the second knockout, a hot favorites to win the tornament which is Real Madrid got knocked out by Borussia Dortmund in the third knockout and another hot favorites to win the tournament which is Barcelona got knocked out by Bayern Munich in the third knockout. My goodness! This season saw a rise of the German Bundesliga. That means the Direct Football is coming back to life except it’s combined with possesion football and park the bus. Thats Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s style of play but in extremely high power and extremely high precision.
Brian

I’m a Manchester United and Real Madrid fan and I will support Chelsea to win the UEFA Europa League.
Brian

Next season I hope Manchester United can get a treble unlike this season. They just got to play like the best team in a world to get the treble.

BT is not responsible for any external content or links uploaded by users of the site. Nor does the presence of information or links about other parties' products or services confer any form of endorsement of another party's products or services by BT. Please show respect to other users and avoid bad language when posting