Claim: Argentinian Lionel Messi plays soccer professionally.

Since the 1929 formation of La Liga , Spain 's top division of association football , a total of 56 players have finished as the competition 's top goalscorer . As no official recognition exists in Spain for the league top scorer , the following data is based on official match reports provided by the Liga de Fútbol Profesional and may differ from independent research and the unofficial Pichichi Trophy awarded by the newspaper Marca .   La Liga 's all-time top goalscorer is Barcelona 's Lionel Messi , who also holds the record for most goals scored in a season with 50 goals in 2011 -- 12 . Athletic Bilbao 's Telmo Zarra , who held the distinction of being the competition 's all-time top scorer until 2014 , was top scorer in six seasons between 1945 and 1953 . Three other players -- Real Madrid 's Alfredo Di Stéfano , Quini of Sporting de Gijón and Barcelona , and Hugo Sánchez of Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid -- each finished as top scorer in five seasons .