The Pichichi Trophy is the award given to the top goalscorer in Spain’s top division. It is named after Athletic Club legend Rafael Moreno Aranzadi, known as “Pichichi,” and was created by Spanish sports newspaper Marca in 1953.
The award is based on goals scored in league matches only. Cup competitions, European matches and international goals do not count toward the Pichichi race.
Latest completed season: Kylian Mbappé won the 2025/26 Pichichi Trophy after scoring 25 La Liga goals for Real Madrid, finishing ahead of Vedat Muriqi on 23.
What Is the Pichichi Trophy?
The Pichichi Trophy recognises the leading scorer in La Liga for a completed season. Although it is one of Spanish football’s best-known individual honours, the trophy was created by Marca, rather than by La Liga itself.
The name honours Rafael Moreno Aranzadi, the early Athletic Club goalscorer better known as Pichichi. La Liga notes that Marca created the award in 1953 in tribute to him.
How Does the Pichichi Trophy Work?
The concept is straightforward: the player who finishes the Spanish league season with the highest recognised goal total wins the Pichichi.
- Only league goals count.
- Goals in the Copa del Rey, Champions League and other competitions are excluded.
- Penalty goals count in the same way as other league goals.
- The race runs across the full La Liga season.
That makes the award different from a general “all competitions” scoring total. A player may score more goals overall during a season but still lose the Pichichi if another player scores more in La Liga.
Why Is It Called the Pichichi Trophy?
The trophy is named after Rafael Moreno Aranzadi, a prolific Athletic Club forward from the early 20th century. His nickname, Pichichi, became so closely associated with goalscoring that the word later came to be used in Spanish football for a leading scorer.
La Liga records that Pichichi scored the first goal at the old San Mamés stadium when it opened in 1913. The award bearing his name was established decades later.
Who Has Won the Most Pichichi Trophies?
Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Pichichi Trophies. His wins came in 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21.
Messi moved beyond Athletic Club legend Telmo Zarra, who had held the previous record with six.
Messi also owns the record for the most goals in a single La Liga season, scoring 50 in 2011/12.
For the broader historical scoring table, see our La Liga all-time top scorers guide.
Recent Pichichi Trophy Winners
| Season | Winner | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 30 |
| 2021/22 | Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | 27 |
| 2022/23 | Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona | 23 |
| 2023/24 | Artem Dovbyk | Girona | 24 |
| 2024/25 | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | 31 |
| 2025/26 | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | 25 |
Mbappé’s 2025/26 victory was his second consecutive Pichichi after also leading La Liga in 2024/25.
Pichichi Trophy vs European Golden Shoe
The Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe both reward goalscorers, but they are not the same award.
| Award | What It Rewards | Competition Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Pichichi Trophy | Most league goals in Spain’s top division | La Liga only |
| European Golden Shoe | Top league goalscorer under the European coefficient system | Domestic leagues across Europe |
A player can therefore win both in the same season, but winning the Pichichi does not automatically guarantee the European Golden Shoe.
Pichichi Trophy vs Zarra Trophy
The Zarra Trophy is a separate Spanish scoring award. While the Pichichi is open to any player in La Liga, the Zarra Trophy recognises the highest-scoring Spanish player.
That means the same player can win both if the La Liga top scorer is Spanish.
How the Pichichi Fits Into LaLigaUpdate’s Stats Coverage
This article explains the award itself rather than tracking the live scoring race. For current-season leaderboards, use our La Liga Stats 2026/27 hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Spanish football, Pichichi refers to the league’s leading goalscorer and to the award given to that scorer.
The award was created by Spanish sports newspaper Marca in 1953.
Lionel Messi holds the record with eight.
Kylian Mbappé won it with 25 La Liga goals for Real Madrid.
No. Only goals scored in Spain’s top-flight league competition count toward the Pichichi race.
No. The Pichichi is for the top scorer in La Liga, while the European Golden Shoe compares domestic-league scorers across Europe using a coefficient system.
