Are any leagues actually better than one another?

By: Rob | January 10th, 2010

As you might know, my weekday job here at the Offside is on the Premier League blog. Something that has come up from time to time has been the arguments as to which league is the best one. The Premier League has certainly had a strong last five or so years, and I know that the Offside has plenty of fans of Serie A and La Liga (as well as elsewhere, of course)

So my question is, aren’t they all basically the same? Maybe its just because I approach the question from a slightly different angle (I’ve lived in England my whole life, but it was Italian football that got me interested in the game as a kid) but I can’t help but feel that whatever you league you follow is always going to be the best one.

Ultimately all the leagues are comprised of the same things. Around 20 teams, a small number of which are the elite, then a next bunch who challenge for Europe but never the title, a host of mid-table sides, and then the relegation fodder.

What makes the leagues interesting is the stories behind everything. The games, certainly, but the rivalries, the history, the speculation, the banter. All the leagues have these, if you follow them.

The three leagues that are usually held up as contenders for the best league are in Italy, Spain and England, and they all tend to have a few years in the sun, before one of the other leagues begins to compete. In the late 90s, Italy was the only place to be, at the start of this decade it was Spain, and for the last few years it has been England.

If you take them now, they all have great players in them, and good football to watch. Sure, Spain might have more great players at this moment in time, as Barcelona and Real Madrid both have thrilling XI’s, but there is just as much genius to be found in England or Italy.

Ultimately, they are uncomparable. If you follow them, then the nuances and styles appeal to you, and of course you are going to find the league you follow more enjoyable. I obviously follow the Premier League quite avidly, but I have more than a passing interest in Italy, and tend to watch the big matches in Spain and France, and occasionally Germany. Ultimately, I just love football. I don’t feel the need to argue about who is the best at it.

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Category: Bundesliga, English Premier League, French Ligue 1, Serie A, Spain La Liga, World Football

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Mr. wrongfoot

Personal choice

I love Serie A.

While, others love EPL, LIGUE 1, LA LIGA, or BUNDASLIGA.
Jeremy

Definitely prefer the Coke in Central America over the US version. Which is generally the same preference I have when it comes to football, too.
Jose67

Ingredients used (American Coke is HF corn syrup, most Latin American Cokes use cane sugar), water quality and even bottling process all make Cokes 'round the world very different. And delicious.
cap123

yep i have noticed a difference in other countries too coconut, mainly in the syrup levels i guess
Coconut

"When you buy a bottle of coke, you know it will taste the same as the other 500million around the world."

A bit off-topic, but that example isnt true. I live in the USA, and I am walking distance from Mexico. And i can tell you, the coke in USA is different from the one in Mexico. I actually like Mexico coke a bit more, but hopefully someone else can back me up on this.

and yes, im talking about the soft-drink.

anyways, when it comes to leagues, to each their own. My friend loves EPL, while la liga appeals to me more. And i'm actually starting to like Italian soccer a bit as well.
kabir

"No contest .
In terms of entertainment value , overall value for money and level of excitement , the Premier League is out on it’s own."

Wow, that was exactly what this article aimed to avoid...
Luka

Football, in a sense, is a product. However, the quality of the product varies across each game. When you buy a bottle of coke, you know it will taste the same as the other 500million around the world. However, when you watch an EPL, Serie A, La Liga game, you don't know whether it will be a classic or a mind-numbingly boring game, so the only time you know you have received value for money is AFTER the game. So you cannot talk about value for money when it comes to football.

I watch all 3 of the top leagues (plus plenty of Bundesliga and Ligue 1 games) and I enjoy them all equally. Blackburn v Bolton may, on it's day, be more exciting than Inter v Juve on a bad day. Furthermore, St Etienne v Lille could top the lot on a particular day. If you truly love football, then you cannot say one league is always better or worse than the other, and hence choose to only watch one or the other. Hell, I've seen Sunday league games involving my mates that were just as interesting as some Champions League games I've seen.

Also, back to the 'value for money concept', I think some people forget the tribalism involved in football - I would rather my team win 1-0 with a goal in the 1st minute and have nothing else happen, than for them to lose 5-6 in the greatest game of all time. Value for money only applies to neutrals and football noobs in my opinion.
SoccerLimey

Ed,

Probably true .

However , I would pay twice the price to see Arsenal Everton at the Emirates over Milan Genoa at the San Siro.

Simply more entertaining.

If it's a bad product, I don't care how cheap it is.
Johonna

I agree completely, Rob. I never really understood why one league had to be better than another. True, my favorite is Italian, but I also enjoy watching my local MLS team. The EPL and La Liga are sort of relaxing for me - I can watch and just enjoy the game as I have no vested interest in who wins in the end.

I will say, though, that all that money for ticket prices in England is reflected in the grounds - they have some lovely pitches.
ED

Limey, and just how many pounds are those good seats to a Chelsea, Arsenal or Man. United game these days? I am sure they are twice as much as some of the other Leagues! I wouldn't use the word value for money when you pay that much for a ticket to an Arsenal game.
alex w

way to take the high road
SoccerLimey

No contest .

In terms of entertainment value , overall value for money and level of excitement , the Premier League is out on it's own.
ED

All of the big four have something to offer and you can usually find what it is your are looking for in at least one of them. The EPL has been more unpredictable this year which has helped bring in some excitement. La Liga has Real and Barca which usually shoot it out for the title year in and year out. Bundesliga is very competitive top to bottom and can have big suprises one year to the next. Serie A has some great rivalries in its league and some great teams. They are all great and should be enjoyed by all for their own uniqueness.
cap123

@alessio

this year's epl has been really unpredictable. big four losing all over the place, liverpool down in 7TH equal with birmingham, man united with half their team, wigan beating chelsea one week then losing 9-1 to spurs. it's ridiculous stuff
Hawk

No one ever specifies what they mean by "best league".
Is it most exciting? Or do they mean that in a head to head competition between the leagues, which one would win.
...Speaking of which, that would be pretty awesome. An inter-league tournament.