What is the Pichichi award?

CAIRO – 20 August 2017: With the beginning of the Spanish League (La Liga), Egypt Today decided to look back on the story behind the award called the Pichichi, which is given each season to the player who scores the most goals in the Spanish League.

Spanish newspaper, Marca, named the award Pichichi after Athletic Bilbao's striker Rafael "Pichichi" Moreno who used to play for the club from 1911-1921. The Marca decided to honor the player after his death in the 1920's.

Athletic Bilbao icon Telmo Zara holds the record of being the player who has won the award six times, followed by Real Madrid's legend Alfredo Di Stefano who won it five times. Sporting Gijon and Barcelona's attacking player Quini also won the trophy five times, and Real Madrid's iconic player Hugo Sanchez received the trophy five times as well.

Next in the list comes Barcelona's star player Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Hungarian goal scorer Ferenc Puskas who was awarded the trophy four times.

Real Madrid's figure Cristiano Ronaldo succeeds Messi in the list with Madrid's symbol receiving three awards alongside Real Oviedo's star Isidro Langara and Atletico Madrid's player Jose Eulogio Garate.

Real Madrid's star Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona's duo Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi are the main contenders for the trophy, having won it before in the past few years. Messi was the last player to win the trophy last year.