La Liga: 5 Best Players Of November & December 2024

It’s time to take a look back at the best performers of the last two months in La Liga: Some choices will seem obvious, others less so. 

5. Ayoze Pérez

The Villarreal forward suffered an injury in November, which downgraded his ranking. However, he scored and assisted in Spain’s match against Denmark, marking his direct involvement in both goals. 

Ayoze performed well in the game against Real Betis despite the team’s defeat. It’s tough to perform when the whole side doesn’t, but he continued creating opportunities whenever he had the chance. 

He was also key in his last match, equalizing for the Yellow Submarine against Rayo Vallecano. His goal was necessary a few minutes before the half-time call. 

4. Ante Budimir

Ante Budimir’s November wasn’t stellar, but his performances in December were. He helped Osasuna hold a draw against Villarreal, scoring both goals and a converted penalty. 

In each of the following three games, Budimir scored a goal. It included Osasuna’s only goal against Sevilla (1-1), the first goal against Ceuta in the Copa Del Rey (3-2), and the first one against Deportivo Alavés (2-2). 

He finishes the year with 10 goals in 16 matches in the 24/25 La Liga season, making his contributions essential for Osasuna’s survival. 

3. Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal’s injury prevents him from reaching the podium higher than the two others, but he is undeniably essential to the team. His absence has been devastating for Hansi Flick, highlighting his reliance on his genius for creating chances in the final third. 

He assisted in three back-to-back games against Mallorca, Real Betis and Dortmund. They’re worth noting because Barcelona weren’t dominant in any of them, which makes a case for Lamine Yamal being a problem-solver for the team. 

His dribbles make him one of the most challenging attackers to defend against, and he already possesses his move: the trivela. He isn’t the first to do it, but it’s a move he often pulls out of his bag of tricks. His accurate crosses are an asset to the team, as he’s the only reliable crosser. 

These were matches in which Barcelona needed a Plan B, given that Plan A didn’t seem to work. Crosses are helpful with Lewandowski in the box, making Lamine a true Swiss knife in the final third. This also comes at a time when Raphinha and Lewandowski are struggling, multiplying the importance of Yamal’s performances. 

2. Antoine Griezmann

Despite his legendary status, Griezmann’s performance at the beginning of the season was heavily criticized. He struggled to synchronize with Julián Alvarez due to his high transfer fee. However, as they played more matches together, a partnership started, and they were the team’s best performers. 

His November started with a crucial assist in the last minute of play, with him feeding Ángel Correa for the 2-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. The Frenchman followed with an equalizer against Deportivo Alavés, converting his penalty. 

The following games would see an exceptional version of Griezmann, scoring against Sparta Praha in Atlético’s 6-0 win and another in the next match, opposing Los Rojiblancos to Real Valladolid (5-0). While some might argue the goals were insignificant, Griezmann scored twice against Sevilla (a 4-3 win for Atlético) and another two in the following match against Slovan Bratislava (a 3-1 win for Atlético). 

If anything, it’s difficult to argue that he shouldn’t rank second. At the age of 33, it’s a difficult achievement in Diego Simeone’s demanding system.

1. Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham is another player who struggled to adapt to the demands of the new season, including playing deeper following Toni Kroos’ exit. Despite the dysfunctionality of the system, Bellingham found a way to thrive—closer to the net. This was reflected in the last two months, as his name appeared more often on the scoresheet. 

He scored and assisted against Osasuna in one of Real Madrid’s best games this season—including an assist for Vinicius Jr., who went on to score a hat-trick. He also proved his worth with the National Team, assisting two goals in England’s victory against Ireland (5-0). In the next match, Jude Bellingham single-handedly dismantled Léganes, including an assist. 

While this looks great on paper, it’s his form from December that led me to select him as the first. Jude scored in five back-to-back games, which is something he didn’t even achieve during his incredible season in 23/24. He converted his penalty and provided an assist in Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory against Getafe. He also assisted Real Madrid’s only goal in their defeat to Athletic Club. 

The Basques are known for being a difficult team to play against, and Real Madrid couldn’t cope with their intensity. Assisting a goal at San Mamés makes the performance even more impressive. 

He was directly involved in two of Real Madrid’s three goals against Girona. More importantly, he scored the winner in the 3-2 victory against Atalanta. This was crucial for the team’s survival in the Champions League. His last goal of the year in Real Madrid’s chaotic 3-3 draw in Vallecas was the second goal.