After 32 Matchdays, Real Madrid sit first in LaLiga by a margin of 11 points over historic rivals Barcelona and 13 points over upstarts Girona, who were once neck-and-neck with the Merengues at the start of the season.
But Real Madrid blew Girona out in both of their head-to-head meetings. Now, they are fresh off a last-gasp Clasico triumph over Barcelona, courtesy of yet another heroic performance from Jude Bellingham to lift Real to victory.
Bellingham, the club’s blockbuster 100 million euro signing, is unsurprisingly a member of the 2023/24 LaLiga Team of the Season. But which other Real Madrid standouts join him? Which underrated stars crack the list?
Here is an updated 2023/24 LaLiga Team of the Season after 32 Matchdays.
GK Andriy Lunin, Real Madrid
No goalkeeper in LaLiga boasts a higher save percentage than Andriy Lunin’s mark of 79.3. Many thought Real Madrid would be in trouble when Thibaut Courtois went down with a torn ACL at the start of the season, but Lunin has been nearly as good for Madrid, keeping a clean sheet in half of his matches despite a rash of injuries.
As Lunin’s performance in the Champions League quarterfinals against Manchester City showed, he can be a game-winning shot-stopper and is one of the world’s elite goalkeepers. With 20 LaLiga starts this season, the scary thing is Real Madrid could have been even more dominant if they didn’t bother starting Kepa Arrizbalaga at the beginning of the season.
LB Sergi Cardona, Las Palmas
Elite clubs around European football will soon be wise to the qualities of Las Palmas left back Sergi Cardona, who is one of a number of impressive standouts starting for one of the most exciting teams in LaLiga.
Las Palmas have impressed as newcomers to the Spanish top flight, with Cardona standing out as one of the best left backs in European football, and he isn’t yet at his peak at the age of 24.
Cardona is averaging 2.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game, which are world-class defensive numbers at the left back position. Even defensive midfielders would envy that kind of production. He helps out enough offensively, too, with one key pass per game.
CB Sergio Ramos, Sevilla
Sevilla continue to be major disappointments in LaLiga despite being reigning Europa League winners, but at least they can count on their center back duo as a strength.
Center back play has been weaker in 2023/24 than it was in 2022/23, but one of the biggest legends of Spanish football, Sergio Ramos, is still going strong.
The 38-year-old remains the class of Spanish football in central defense, completing nearly 89 percent of his passes with over three combined tackles and interceptions per game. Ramos still has it as a goal-scorer, too, with three for Sevilla. He is by far the Nervionenses’ best player.
CB Loic Bade, Sevilla
Loic Bade is a close second to Sergio Ramos on the list of the best Sevilla players in 2024. The Frenchman broke out as a true star in European football last season, playing the most critical role in Sevilla’s Europa League Final triumph over Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.
This season, the 24-year-old Bade is averaging 2.0 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game. He is one of the most intelligent defenders in LaLiga.
RB Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid
After being written off due to injuries and inconsistent play, Dani Carvajal is putting together his most complete season for Real Madrid in years, emphatically returning to the top as LaLiga’s unquestioned best right back.
Carvajal has four goals and two assists, providing a midfielder-like ability to make an impact in the final third. His defending has gotten better with age in terms of his positioning, discipline, and technique in the tackle. The Spanish icon is putting up 2.7 combined tackles and interceptions per game.
Offensively, Carvajal looks rejuvenated and is healthier than he has been in a long, long time. Carvajal is showing that at 32, a player can still rebound at the world-class level.
CM Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham is the 2024 Ballon d’Or favorite right now, as he added another marquee moment to his resume with the game-winning goal in stoppage time to lift Real Madrid to a 3-2 Clasico victory over political rivals FC Barcelona.
The 20-year-old attacking midfielder has blossomed in a more forward role than the one he fulfilled with Borussia Dortmund, scoring 17 goals with 4 assists to fight Girona striker Artem Dovbyk in the Pichichi race.
Bellingham is averaging 4.5 combined fouls drawn and dribbles completed per game with well over 1.5 key passes per match. He has not sagged defensively either despite being a more attacking player, notching a healthy 2.3 tackles and interceptions per match to fit the Real Madrid mantra that all XI players on the pitch defend as a unit.
CM Toni Kroos, Real Madrid
Toni Kroos is going strong at 34, and while there have been rumors of his retirement, it seems like there’s no way Real Madrid let Kroos walk without pushing hard to convince him.
Set to return to Germany for the European Championships, Kroos has proven a lot of critics wrong with his high-level performances for Real Madrid in 2023/24, particularly in the biggest games.
The veteran deep playmaker has registered seven assists in LaLiga with nearly two key passes per game. Defensively, he is better than ever with more than two combined tackles and interceptions per match. If anything, Kroos has gotten better with age and looks like he could play until 40, though it’s unlikely he will put his body through that.
CM Isco, Real Betis
A former Real Madrid star, Isco’s career was truly written off as “finished” by even reasonable pundits, though his faithful followers never gave up hope that the one-time Malaga magician would rebound as a top LaLiga player in a different environment.
Isco is doing his best to carry Real Betis to a European finish, as they are currently in seventh despite a host of disappointing performances surrounding the 32-year-old Andalusian playmaker.
With 10 total goal contributions, Isco is providing sufficient end product to go with 3 key passes per game and 5.3 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per match.
Those are world-class playmaking numbers, and there is a case to be made that after Jude Bellingham, it is Real Betis’ playmaker Isco who is the MVP of LaLiga.
LW Savio, Girona
Savio has an MVP argument of his own, as the electrifying Brazilian has played a crucial role in Girona pushing for the LaLiga title and essentially locking up a Champions League qualification.
Clearly ready for the next step at Manchester City, Savio is capable of destabilizing any defense and is the most exciting player in LaLiga after Vinicius Junior. For this season, he has been just slightly better throughout the campaign than his Ballon d’Or-level countryman.
The 20-year-old has quietly been one of LaLiga’s most productive forwards with 8 goals and 8 assists, even though he does a lot of the hard work to start chances by taking defenders on a journey with his one-on-ones. Savio is averaging around three dribbles completed per game, creating many of his goals and assists from out of nowhere.
ST Artem Dovbyk, Girona
Artem Dovbyk is the best striker in LaLiga right now, given Robert Lewandowski has shown signs of decline at Barcelona. The Ukrainian, meanwhile, has been consistently clinical throughout the campaign and has made a greater all-around impact than the former Bundesliga record-breaking striker.
The leader of the Pichichi race with 18 goals, Dovbyk uses his frame expertly to help teammates like Savio get into goal-scoring situations themselves.
With five assists, Dovbyk has been a modestly effective playmaker in his own right for Girona, and when Savio leaves, he will be the centerpiece of the attack.
RW Inaki Williams, Athletic Club
Nico Williams is deservedly getting a ton of hype amidst another great campaign for Athletic Club, and he is pushing Savio and Vinicius Junior for a spot on the 2023/24 LaLiga Team of the Season on the left wing.
However, his older brother Inaki Williams gets the nod in a less competitive position, as the elder Williams is also aging like a fine wine, in the Toni Kroos and Sergio Ramos realm.
Just as much of a LaLiga legend as the two Real Madrid icons, Inaki Williams has scored 9 goals with 3 assists for the Lions this season, averaging 1.4 key passes and 1.5 dribbles completed per game. His class, consistency, work ethic, and all-around impact make him one of Europe’s best and, still, most underrated right wingers.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.