In football, the Pichichi title is an important reward that any player wants to have. It proves class and is also a title to be proud of. Let’s learn about Pichichi and interesting information.
What is the Pichichi Award?
According to research by Jiliasia, the Pichichi is a football award given to outstanding players who score the most goals in a La Liga season. This award is presented by the sports newspaper Marca in Spain.
This award is based on the subjective criteria of the sports newspaper Marca, so this award is not officially recognized by the tournament’s governing body, LFP.
The Pichichi Award is named after legendary striker Rafael Pichichi Moreno of the Athletic Bilbao football club. Pichichi has been honored every year since the 1952-1953 season. From the 2014-2015 season, the Pichichi Award is given to the player who scores the most goals in La Liga.
Players who received the Pichichi award
Many players received this award. Here are the top players who received the most Pichichi honorary awards, including famous players from many years ago.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
In 2012-2013, Lionel Messi’s peak performance was known worldwide. And that was a once-in-a-generation season in this player’s career when he consecutively conceded 45 goals to his opponents in just 32 matches.
He not only won the Pichichi title but also the Golden Boot title, which is given to the player who scores the most goals in the Premier League season.
Lionel Messi received the Pichichi and Golden Shoe awards again in 2009-2010 and 2011-2012. This is an admirable achievement, and hardly anyone can surpass Messi.
Telmo Zarra (Athletic Bilbao)
This player is no less competitive, owning 6 Pichichi titles in seasons stretching back to 1940. In the 1940s, Zarra was a nightmare for every other team’s defense.
The matches with his presence always bring fans enthusiasm, the crowd screams and cheers with extremely eye-catching scenes of putting the ball into the net. Witnessing the hardships of the opponent and the fear of every team at that time, we only knew about the benefits of Zarra.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
In the 2014-2015 season, despite Lionel Messi’s huge shadow, Cristiano Ronaldo won the Pichichi title with 48 goals against the opponent’s net.
Although Real Madrid did not win the La Liga championship that year, Ronaldo’s honorable victories in Pichichi and Golden Shoe also brought great joy and goals to the fans.
Isidro Langara (Real Oviedo)
Real Oviedo’s legend is Isidro Langara, who played during this team’s golden period from 1933 to 1936. During his football career, Isidro Langara achieved the Pichichi honorary award three times in a row. He also hit the opponent’s net 27 times in just 18 matches. This is also exciting information for sports enthusiasts to register and learn about.
Bata (Athletic Bilbao)
A legendary striker of Athletic Bilbao, Bata won the honorary Pichichi award twice while wearing the Athletic Bilbao shirt. During the 1930s La Liga season, he scored 108 goals in 118 matches.
Mariano Martin (Barcelona)
Mariano Martin brought Barcelona’s two La Liga season championships to the club. His career peak was 32 goals in 23 matches in the 1942-1943 season, at which time he received the honorary Pichichi award.
Luis Suarez (Barcelona)
During the 2015-2016 season, Luis Suarez achieved the honorary Pichichi award and helped the club win the league championship. He scored 40 goals and is the only player to score four consecutive goals in two straight matches.
Meaning of Pichichi Cup
Although the Pichichi is not an official award from the football federation, it represents the spirit of the La Liga season. The players hope to win this title.
From 1952 to now, many players have received this honorary Pichichi award, including famous players such as Lionel Messi, who received the award seven times, and Telmo Zarra, who received the award six times.
Pichichi is meaningful in terms of reputation and honor and a career story. In sports, especially football, the more awards and achievements you win, the more opportunities you have. That’s why many players strive for the Pichichi Award.
