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El Clásico facts for kids

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This page is about the FC Barcelona–Real Madrid CF rivalry. For other uses, see El Clásico (disambiguation).
Final SuperCopa ESP 2011 (6056383408).jpg
Barcelona and Real Madrid contesting the 2011 Supercopa de España
Native name El Clásico (Spanish)
El Clàssic (Catalan)
Locale Spain
Teams Barcelona
Real Madrid
First meeting 13 May 1902
1902 Copa de la Coronación
FC Barcelona 3–1 Madrid FC
Latest meeting 21 April 2024
La Liga
Real Madrid 3–2 Barcelona
Next meeting 3 August 2024
Friendly
Barcelona v Real Madrid
Stadiums Camp Nou (Barcelona)
Santiago Bernabéu (Real Madrid)
Quick facts for kids
Statistics
Meetings total 257 (official matches)
Most wins Real Madrid (105)
Most player appearances Sergio Busquets (48)
Top scorer Lionel Messi (26)
Largest victory Real Madrid 11–1 Barcelona
Copa del Rey
(19 June 1943)
Longest win streak Real Madrid (7)
(1962–1965)

El Clásico (meaning "The Classic" in both Spanish and Catalan) is the name for any football match between the famous rival clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid. This term first referred to games in the Spanish championship. Now, it includes every match between them, like those in the UEFA Champions League, Supercopa de España, and Copa del Rey. It is one of the biggest club football games in the world. Many people watch it every year. These games are known for being very intense. Players often celebrate goals in memorable ways, sometimes teasing the other team.

This rivalry also has a big political side. Madrid is the capital city of Spain. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, a region that wants to be independent. Real Madrid is often seen as representing Spanish nationalism. Barcelona is seen as representing Catalan nationalism. Both clubs are super rich and successful. In 2014, Forbes magazine said Barcelona and Real Madrid were the world's two most valuable sports teams. They also have huge fanbases all over the world. They are the two most followed sports teams on social media.

Real Madrid has won more official games, with 105 wins compared to Barcelona's 100. They have drawn 52 times. The last game was on April 21, 2024. Along with Athletic Bilbao, they are the only clubs in La Liga that have never been moved down to a lower league.

The Famous Rivalry

A Long History

Real Madrid - Barça (3495454182)
Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid fans show their team's white colors before El Clásico. Spanish flags are also common at Real Madrid games.
Camp Nou during El Clasico October 2012
Camp Nou. FC Barcelona fans make a mosaic of the Catalan flag before El Clásico. The club's crest also has a Senyera in the top right corner.

The competition between Real Madrid and Barcelona is more than just a game. Even choosing the club presidents has become very political. People who write about Spanish football say the teams "hate each other with an intensity that can truly shock the outsider."

As early as the 1930s, Barcelona was seen as a symbol of Catalan identity. This was against the idea of a strong central government in Madrid. In 1936, when Francisco Franco started a war against the Spanish government, Barcelona's president, Josep Sunyol, was arrested and killed. During Franco's time as dictator (1939–1975), all regional languages and identities in Spain were not allowed. Many people in Barcelona were against this government. During this time, Barcelona got its motto Més que un club (meaning More than a club). This was because of its connection to Catalan identity and ideas of progress.

There is a debate about how much Franco's rule affected Barcelona and Real Madrid. Most historians agree Franco did not have a favorite team at first. But his Spanish nationalist beliefs made him support powerful teams like Real Madrid. He also wanted Barcelona to succeed as a "Spanish team," not just a Catalan one. In Franco's early years, Real Madrid was not very successful. Barcelona won more league titles during that time.

One controversial event was Real Madrid's 11–1 win against Barcelona in 1943. Barcelona claimed they were intimidated. Another was the transfer of Alfredo Di Stéfano to Real Madrid. He had first agreed to join Barcelona. These events helped Real Madrid become very dominant. The club's chairman, Santiago Bernabéu, helped create the European Cup. Real Madrid won the first five European Cups in the 1950s. Franco then realized how important Real Madrid was for Spain's image around the world. The club became his favorite team.

After Franco died in 1975, Spain became a democracy. Under Franco's rule, Real Madrid won many titles, including 14 league titles and 6 European Cups. Barcelona won 8 league titles and 9 Copa del Generalísimo titles.

Some fan groups, called ultras, also made the rivalry more intense. They became known for being very passionate.

Today, many people still see Barcelona as the "rebellious club." It is often seen as different from Real Madrid's more traditional image. Polls show Real Madrid is the favorite team for most people in Spain. Barcelona is second. In Catalonia, almost everyone supports Barcelona. But Barcelona also has many fans outside Catalonia, especially among young people.

The 1943 Copa del Generalísimo Semi-finals

Marca portada rmadrid 11 vs 1 barcelona
Cover of Marca newspaper titled "an extraordinary match of Real Madrid" to describe the 11–1 win over Barcelona.

On June 13, 1943, Real Madrid beat Barcelona 11–1. This was in the second game of the Copa del Generalísimo semi-finals. The first game, in Barcelona, ended with Barcelona winning 3–0. Madrid complained about the referee's decisions in that game. Barcelona fans had also booed Madrid.

Barcelona fans were not allowed to travel to Madrid for the second game. On the day of the game, the Barcelona team's bus was attacked with stones. Barcelona players said their penalty area was full of coins. They also said people were shouting insults.

Real Madrid scored two goals in the first 30 minutes. Then, a Barcelona player was sent off. Madrid scored six more goals before halftime, making it 8–0. A writer said, "It was humanly impossible to play" in that atmosphere. Both clubs were fined. Barcelona's president resigned because of the unfairness.

A newspaper said Barcelona's only goal was a "reminder that there was a team there who knew how to play football." This game made many people see Madrid as the team of the dictatorship and Barcelona as its victims.

The Di Stéfano Transfer

Di stefano real madrid cf (cropped)
Alfredo Di Stéfano's controversial 1953 transfer to Real Madrid instead of Barcelona intensified the rivalry.

The rivalry grew stronger in the 1950s because of a fight over signing Argentine player Alfredo Di Stéfano. He had impressed both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Barcelona agreed to buy him from his old club. But then, a battle started between the two Spanish teams for his rights. A mediator decided Di Stéfano would play for Madrid for two seasons, then Barcelona for two seasons.

Barcelona's president agreed, but many fans were unhappy. He was forced to resign. Barcelona then sold their share of Di Stéfano to Real Madrid. Di Stéfano joined Real Madrid. He scored twice in his first game against Barcelona. With him, Real Madrid won the first five European Cups.

In the 1960s, Real Madrid and Barcelona played each other twice in the European Cup. Madrid won one time, and Barcelona won the other.

The "Final of the Bottles"

On July 11, 1968, Barcelona beat Real Madrid 1–0 in the Copa del Generalísimo final. The game was at Real Madrid's stadium. Real Madrid fans were angry about the referee's calls. They started throwing bottles at the referee and Barcelona players. The referee was accused of helping Barcelona. General Franco gave the trophy to Barcelona on a field covered in bottles. That's why it's called the "Final of the Bottles."

The Luís Figo Transfer

Luis Figo-2009 cropped
Luís Figo's transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000 resulted in a strong reaction from some of his former club's fans.

In 2000, a candidate for Real Madrid's president, Florentino Pérez, offered Barcelona's star player, Luís Figo, a lot of money to join Madrid if Pérez won the election. Figo denied it, saying he would stay at Barcelona. He even told his Barcelona teammates he wasn't leaving.

But on July 24, Figo was presented as a Real Madrid player. Barcelona's president said, "Figo's move destroyed us."

When Figo returned to Barcelona to play for Real Madrid, fans were furious. Banners called him "Judas" and "Mercenary." They threw oranges, bottles, and even a pig's head at him. This showed how intense the rivalry had become.

Recent Clásico Moments

Pasillo Real Madrid - F.C. Barcelona
Barcelona players performing the pasillo at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2008.

In recent years, the rivalry has included a tradition called the pasillo. This is when one team forms a guard of honor for the other team if they have already won the La Liga trophy. This happened three times. The last time was in 2008, when Real Madrid had won the championship. In 2018, Real Madrid refused to do the pasillo for Barcelona. Their coach said Barcelona had also refused to do it earlier.

In 2002, Real Madrid and Barcelona met in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Real Madrid won. The Spanish media called it the "Match of the Century."

Even though the rivalry is fierce, sometimes fans have cheered for players on the other team.

  • In 1980, Laurie Cunningham of Real Madrid got applause from Barcelona fans.
  • In 1983, Diego Maradona of Barcelona scored a goal that was so amazing, many Real Madrid fans applauded him.
  • In 2005, Ronaldinho of Barcelona received a standing ovation from Real Madrid fans after scoring two great goals.
  • In 2015, Andrés Iniesta of Barcelona also got applause from Real Madrid fans. He was already popular for scoring Spain's World Cup winning goal in 2010.
Ronaldinho 11feb2007
In 2005, Ronaldinho became the second Barcelona player, after Diego Maradona in 1983, to receive a standing ovation from Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu.

A 2007 survey showed that 32% of Spanish people supported Real Madrid, and 25% supported Barcelona. The rivalry became even more intense in 2011. Barcelona and Real Madrid played each other four times in 18 days. This included the Copa Del Rey final and Champions League semi-finals. There were many arguments and red cards. The coach of the Spanish national team worried that this hatred could cause problems for the national team players.

El Clásico games are known for their intensity. Players often celebrate goals by teasing the other team.

  • In 1999, Real Madrid's Raúl silenced 100,000 Barcelona fans by putting his finger to his lips after scoring.
  • In 2009, Barcelona captain Carles Puyol kissed his Catalan armband in front of Madrid fans after scoring.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo twice told the crowd to "calm down" after scoring winning goals at Camp Nou.
  • In 2017, Lionel Messi celebrated a last-minute winner by holding up his shirt to Real Madrid fans. Later that year, Ronaldo did the same to Barcelona fans.

Women's Clásico

The rivalry has also grown in women's football. Real Madrid Femenino was only started in 2020. FC Barcelona Femení is much older and has been a top club since the 2010s. In 2022, a UEFA Women's Champions League game between them had 91,553 fans. This was a record for a women's football match at the time. Barcelona won that game.

Because Real Madrid's women's team is new, the rivalry wasn't as strong at first. Barcelona's women's team was much better. But Real Madrid's team quickly improved. The record attendance in 2022 showed that a real rivalry was starting. Both clubs want to help women's football grow.

Player Rivalries

Kubala and Di Stéfano (1953–1961)

László Kubala in 1953
Alfredo Di Stéfano
László Kubala and Alfredo Di Stéfano

Before the 1950s, Real Madrid didn't win many titles. But that changed when Alfredo Di Stéfano joined in 1953. Other great players like Paco Gento, Raymond Kopa, and Ferenc Puskás also joined. Real Madrid became very strong in Spain and Europe. Barcelona had its own stars like László Kubala and Luis Suárez.

With these players, a rivalry began. It wasn't as big as it is today, but it was growing. They played many games against each other, including in European competitions. During this time, they played 26 El Clásico matches. Real Madrid won 13, Barcelona won 10, and 3 were draws. Di Stéfano scored 14 goals, and Kubala scored 4.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (2009–2018)

Cristiano Ronaldo in 2012
Lionel Messi in 2011
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the 2011–12 season

The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo from 2009 to 2018 was the most competitive in El Clásico history. Both players were the top scorers for their clubs. They broke many records. They often took turns being the top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League. Ronaldo won the European Golden Shoe three times, and Messi won it five times. Messi won the Ballon d'Or five times, and Ronaldo won it four times.

During their nine years in Spain, they scored 922 goals combined. They scored 38 goals in El Clásico matches, with Messi scoring 20 and Ronaldo 18. Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, and Messi is second. Messi is the all-time top scorer in La Liga, and Ronaldo is second. Both players helped their clubs reach 100 points in a La Liga season, a record.

The Messi–Ronaldo rivalry made El Clásico even more exciting. They helped their clubs win many titles in Europe. They won six Champions League titles in nine seasons. Messi has a record 26 goals in El Clásico. Ronaldo has 18, tied for second most. Ronaldo scored a goal every 141 minutes in El Clásico, slightly better than Messi's 151.54 minutes.

When Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018, and Messi was injured for a Clásico game, it was the first time since 2007 that neither player was in the match. Some people called it the "end of an era." Barcelona won that game 5–1.

Statistics

Matches Summary

Matches Wins Draws Goals Home wins Home draws Away wins Other venue wins
RMA BAR RMA BAR RMA BAR RMA BAR RMA BAR RMA BAR
La Liga 188 79 74 35 304 301 56 51 15 20 23 23 0 0
Copa de la Coronación 1 0 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Copa del Rey 37 13 16 8 69 68 5 7 5 3 4 6 4 3
Copa de la Liga 6 0 2 4 8 13 0 1 2 2 0 1 0 0
Supercopa de España 17 10 5 2 38 24 6 4 1 1 2 0 2 1
UEFA Champions League 8 3 2 3 13 10 1 1 2 1 2 1 0 0
All competitions 257 105 100 52 433 419 68 64 25 27 31 31 6 5
Exhibition games 42 6 24 12 55 104 4 12 5 7 0 6 2 6
All matches 299 111 124 64 488 523 72 76 30 34 31 37 8 11

Head-to-Head Ranking in La Liga (1929–2024)

P. 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
7 7 7
8 8
9 9 9 9 9
10 10
11 11
12 12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
  • Total: Real Madrid has finished higher in the league 48 times. Barcelona has finished higher 45 times (as of the end of the 2023–24 season).
  • The biggest difference in positions for Real Madrid from Barcelona is 10 places in the 1941–42 season. The biggest difference for Barcelona from Real Madrid is 10 places in the 1947–48 season.

Hat-tricks

24 players have scored three goals (a hat-trick) in official El Clásico matches.

No. Player For Score Date Competition Stadium
1 Spain Santiago Bernabéu Real Madrid 4–1 (H) 2 April 1916 1916 Copa del Rey Campo de O'Donnell
2 Spain Luis Belaunde Real Madrid 6–6 (N) 13 April 1916 1916 Copa del Rey Campo de O'Donnell (Atlético Madrid)
3 Spain Paulino Alcántara Barcelona 6–6 (N) 13 April 1916 1916 Copa del Rey Campo de O'Donnell (Atlético Madrid)
4 Spain Santiago Bernabéu Real Madrid 6–6 (N) 13 April 1916 1916 Copa del Rey Campo de O'Donnell (Atlético Madrid)
5 Spain Josep Samitier Barcelona 1–5 (A) 18 April 1926 1926 Copa del Rey Estadio Chamartín
6 Spain Jaime Lazcano Real Madrid 5–1 (H) 30 March 1930 1929–30 La Liga Estadio Chamartín
7 Spain Juan Ramón Barcelona 3–1 (H) 5 April 1931 1930–31 La Liga Camp de Les Corts
8 Spain Jaime Lazcano Real Madrid 8–2 (H) 3 February 1935 1934–35 La Liga Estadio Chamartín
9 Spain Ildefonso Sañudo4 Real Madrid 8–2 (H) 3 February 1935 1934–35 La Liga Estadio Chamartín
10 Spain Martí Ventolrà4 Barcelona 5–0 (H) 21 April 1935 1934–35 La Liga Camp de Les Corts
11 Spain Pruden Real Madrid 11–1 (H) 13 June 1943 1943 Copa del Generalísimo Estadio Chamartín
12 Spain Sabino Barinaga4 Real Madrid 11–1 (H) 13 June 1943 1943 Copa del Generalísimo Estadio Chamartín
13 Spain Pahiño Real Madrid 6–1 (H) 18 September 1949 1949–50 La Liga Estadio Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
14 Spain Jesús Narro Real Madrid 4–1 (H) 14 January 1951 1950–51 La Liga Estadio Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
15 Spain César Rodríguez Barcelona 4–2 (H) 2 March 1952 1951–52 La Liga Camp de Les Corts
16 Paraguay Eulogio Martínez4 Barcelona 6–1 (H) 19 May 1957 1957 Copa del Generalísimo Camp de Les Corts
17 Brazil Evaristo Barcelona 4–0 (H) 26 October 1958 1958–59 La Liga Camp Nou
18 Hungary Ferenc Puskás Real Madrid 1–5 (A) 27 January 1963 1962–63 La Liga Camp Nou
19 Hungary Ferenc Puskás Real Madrid 4–0 (H) 30 March 1964 1963–64 La Liga Santiago Bernabéu
20 Spain Amancio Real Madrid 4–1 (H) 8 November 1964 1964–65 La Liga Santiago Bernabéu
21 England Gary Lineker Barcelona 3–2 (H) 31 January 1987 1986–87 La Liga Camp Nou
22 Brazil Romário Barcelona 5–0 (H) 8 January 1994 1993–94 La Liga Camp Nou
23 Chile Iván Zamorano Real Madrid 5–0 (H) 7 January 1995 1994–95 La Liga Santiago Bernabéu
24 Argentina Lionel Messi Barcelona 3–3 (H) 10 March 2007 2006–07 La Liga Camp Nou
25 Argentina Lionel Messi Barcelona 3–4 (A) 23 March 2014 2013–14 La Liga Santiago Bernabéu
26 Uruguay Luis Suárez Barcelona 5–1 (H) 28 October 2018 2018–19 La Liga Camp Nou
27 France Karim Benzema Real Madrid 0–4 (A) 5 April 2023 2022–23 Copa del Rey Camp Nou
28 Brazil Vinícius Júnior Real Madrid 4–1 (N) 14 January 2024 2023–24 Supercopa de España KSU Stadium

Notes

  • 4 = 4 goals scored; (H) = Home, (A) = Away, (N) = Neutral location; home team score listed first.
  • This list does not include friendly matches.

Stadiums

Since the first match in 1902, official Clásico games have been played at sixteen stadiums. Fourteen of these are in Spain. The table below shows details of the stadiums that have hosted El Clásico. Friendly matches are not included.

El Clásico stadiums
Stadium Owner Results Notes Competition(s)
RMA Draws BAR
Hipódromo de la Castellana Community of Madrid 0 0 1 The very first El Clásico was played here on May 13, 1902. It was a semi-final in the Copa de la Coronación, Spain's first official tournament. Copa de la Coronación (1)
Total: 1
Camp del carrer Muntaner Espanyol 0 0 1 This was Espanyol's stadium. It hosted the first game of the 1916 Copa del Rey semi-finals. Copa del Rey (1)
Total: 1
Campo de O'Donnell Real Madrid 1 0 0 Real Madrid's home stadium from 1912 to 1923. Copa del Rey (1)
Total: 1
Campo de O'Donnell Atlético Madrid 1 1 0 Atlético Madrid's home stadium (1913–1923). Two matches were held here in 1916. Copa del Rey (2)
Total: 2
Chamartín Real Madrid 12 1 4 Real Madrid's home stadium from 1924 to 1946. Copa del Rey/Copa del Generalísimo (2)
La Liga (15)
Total: 17
Camp de Les Corts Barcelona 7 5 18 Barcelona's home stadium from 1922 to 1957. The first La Liga El Clásico was played here. Copa del Rey/Copa del Generalísimo (4)
La Liga (26)
Total: 30
Mestalla Valencia 3 0 1 Valencia's home stadium since 1923. It hosted four Copa del Rey finals between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Copa del Rey/Copa del Presidente de la República (4)
Total: 4
Metropolitano de Madrid Atlético Madrid 1 1 0 Atlético Madrid's home stadium (1923–1966). Real Madrid used it temporarily in the 1940s. La Liga (2)
Total: 2
Santiago Bernabéu Real Madrid 52 22 28 Real Madrid's home stadium since 1947. It has hosted more El Clásico matches than any other stadium. La Liga (76)
Copa del Rey/Copa del Generalísimo (12)
Copa de la Liga (3)
Supercopa de España (7)
European Cup/Champions League (4)
Total: 102
Camp Nou Barcelona 23 22 45 Barcelona's home stadium since 1958. La Liga (67)
Copa del Rey/Copa del Generalísimo (9)
Copa de la Liga (3)
Supercopa de España (7)
European Cup/Champions League (4)
Total: 90
Vicente Calderón Atlético Madrid 1 0 0 Atlético Madrid's home stadium (1966–2017). It hosted the 1974 Copa del Generalísimo Final. Copa del Generalísimo (1)
Total: 1
La Romareda Real Zaragoza 0 0 1 Real Zaragoza's home stadium since 1957. It hosted the 1983 Copa del Rey Final. Copa del Rey (1)
Total: 1
Alfredo Di Stéfano Real Madrid 1 0 0 Real Madrid's temporary stadium (2020–2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic and Bernabéu renovations. La Liga (1)
Total: 1
King Fahd International Stadium Government of Saudi Arabia 1 0 1 The first stadium outside Spain to host an El Clásico, for the Supercopa de España. Supercopa de España (2)
Total: 2
Olímpic de Montjuïc City Council of Barcelona 1 0 0 Barcelona's temporary stadium (2023–2024) during Camp Nou renovations. La Liga (1)
Total: 1
KSU Stadium King Saud University 1 0 0 The second stadium outside Spain to host an El Clásico, for the Supercopa de España. Supercopa de España (1)
Total: 1

Records

  • Friendly matches are not included in the following records unless noted.

Results

Biggest Wins (5+ goals)

Winning margin Result Date Competition
10 Real Madrid 11–1 Barcelona 19 June 1943 Copa del Rey
6 Real Madrid 8–2 Barcelona 3 February 1935 La Liga
5 Barcelona 7–2 Real Madrid 24 September 1950
Barcelona 6–1 Real Madrid 19 May 1957 Copa del Rey
Real Madrid 6–1 Barcelona 18 September 1949 La Liga
Barcelona 5–0 Real Madrid 21 April 1935
Barcelona 5–0 Real Madrid 25 March 1945
Real Madrid 5–0 Barcelona 5 October 1953
Real Madrid 0–5 Barcelona 17 February 1974
Barcelona 5–0 Real Madrid 8 January 1994
Real Madrid 5–0 Barcelona 7 January 1995
Barcelona 5–0 Real Madrid 29 November 2010

Most Goals in a Match

Goals Result Date Competition
12 Real Madrid 6–6 Barcelona 13 April 1916 Copa del Rey
Real Madrid 11–1 Barcelona 13 June 1943
10 Real Madrid 8–2 Barcelona 3 February 1935 La Liga
Barcelona 5–5 Real Madrid 10 January 1943
9 Barcelona 7–2 Real Madrid 24 September 1950
8 Barcelona 3–5 Real Madrid 4 December 1960
Real Madrid 2–6 Barcelona 2 May 2009

Longest Runs

Most Consecutive Wins
Games Club Period
7 Real Madrid 22 April 1962 – 28 February 1965
5 Barcelona 13 December 2008 – 29 November 2010
5 Real Madrid 1 March 2020 – 20 March 2022
Most Consecutive Draws
Games Period
3 1 May 2002 – 20 April 2003
Longest Undefeated Runs
Games Club Period
8 Real Madrid 3 March 2001 – 6 December 2003
7 Real Madrid 31 January 1932 – 3 February 1935
7 Real Madrid 22 April 1962 – 18 February 1965
7 Barcelona 27 April 2011 – 25 January 2012
7 Barcelona 23 December 2017 – 18 December 2019
Most Consecutive Games Scoring
Games Club Period
24 Barcelona 27 April 2011 – 13 August 2017
21 Barcelona 30 November 1980 – 31 January 1987
18 Real Madrid 3 May 2011 – 22 March 2015

Players

Top Goalscorers

2015 UEFA Super Cup 64 crop
Lionel Messi is the all-time top scorer in El Clásico history with 26 goals.
  • This list does not include friendly matches.
Rank Player Club La Liga Copa Supercopa League Cup Europe Total
1 Argentina Lionel Messi Barcelona 18 — 6 — 2 26
2 ArgentinaSpain Alfredo Di Stéfano Real Madrid 14 2 — — 2 18
Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid 9 5 4 — —
4 France Karim Benzema Real Madrid 8 4 4 — — 16
5 Spain Raúl Real Madrid 11 — 3 — 1 15
6 Spain César Barcelona 12 2 — — — 14
Spain Paco Gento Real Madrid 10 2 — — 2
HungarySpain Ferenc Puskás Real Madrid 9 2 — — 3
9 Spain Santillana Real Madrid 9 2 — 1 — 12
10 Uruguay Luis Suárez Barcelona 9 2 — — — 11

Most Appearances

2015 UEFA Super Cup 61
Sergio Busquets has made the most appearances in El Clásico, with 48.
Apps Player Club
48 Sergio Busquets Barcelona
45 Lionel Messi Barcelona
Sergio Ramos Real Madrid
43 Karim Benzema Real Madrid
42 Paco Gento Real Madrid
Manuel Sanchís Real Madrid
Xavi Barcelona
40 Gerard Piqué Barcelona
38 Andrés Iniesta Barcelona

Other Player Records

Managers

Most Appearances

Rank Manager Team Matches Years Competition(s) (matches)
1 Spain Miguel Muñoz Real Madrid 36 1960–1974 La Liga (27)
Copa del Rey (5)
European Cup (4)
2 Netherlands Johan Cruyff Barcelona 25 1988–1996 La Liga (16)
Copa del Rey (3)
Supercopa de España (6)
3 Portugal José Mourinho Real Madrid 17 2010–2013 La Liga (6)
Copa del Rey (5)
Supercopa de España (4)
UEFA Champions League (2)
4 Italy Carlo Ancelotti Real Madrid 16 2013–2015
2021–present		 La Liga (10)
Copa del Rey (3)
Supercopa de España (3)
5 Spain Pep Guardiola Barcelona 15 2008–2012 La Liga (8)
Copa del Rey (3)
Supercopa de España (2)
UEFA Champions League (2)

Most Wins

Rank Manager Club Period Wins
1 Spain Miguel Muñoz Real Madrid 1960–1974 16
2 Netherlands Johan Cruyff Barcelona 1988–1996 9
Spain Pep Guardiola Barcelona 2008–2012
Italy Carlo Ancelotti Real Madrid 2013–2015
2021–present

General Club Information

Basic Facts

Real Madrid Barcelona
Club name after establishment Madrid Football Club Foot-Ball Club Barcelona
Founding date 6 March 1902 29 November 1899
Number of members 91,701 (2020–21 report) 150,317 (as of May 31, 2023)
Stadium Santiago Bernabéu Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (temporary)
Capacity 83,186 54,367
Seasons in La Liga 93 (never been moved down to a lower league)
Most goals in a La Liga season 121 (2011–12) 116 (2016–17)
Most points in a La Liga season 100 (2011–12) 100 (2012–13)
Number of "Double" wins
(La Liga and Copa del Rey)		 4 8
Number of "Double" wins
(La Liga and UEFA Champions League)		 5 5
Number of "Treble" wins
(La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League)		 0 2

Trophies Won

The rivalry in El Clásico comes from Barcelona and Real Madrid being the most successful football clubs in Spain. Real Madrid has won more official trophies overall (104) compared to Barcelona (99). Some older cups are counted as official by the Spanish Football Federation but not by UEFA.

  •        Numbers with this background mean the club holds the record in that competition.
Barcelona Competition Real Madrid
Domestic (in Spain)
27 La Liga 36
31 Copa del Rey 20
14 Supercopa de España 13
3 Copa Eva Duarte (no longer played) 1
2 Copa de la Liga (no longer played) 1
77 Total Domestic Trophies 71
European (in Europe)
5 UEFA Champions League 15
4 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (no longer played) —
— UEFA Europa League 2
5 UEFA Super Cup 5
3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (no longer played) —
2 Latin Cup (no longer played) 2
19 Total European Trophies 24
Worldwide
— Ibero-American Cup (no longer played) 1
— Intercontinental Cup (no longer played) 3
3 FIFA Club World Cup 5
3 Total Worldwide Trophies 9
99 Grand Total Trophies 104

Players Who Played for Both Clubs

Javier Saviola 15abr2007
Javier Saviola was the most recent player to transfer directly between the two rivals, in 2007.
Marcos Alonso
Marcos Alonso became the most recent player to play for both clubs after joining Barcelona in 2022.

Many players have played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Sometimes they moved directly between the two clubs. Other times, they played for another club in between.

Barcelona to Real Madrid
Real Madrid to Barcelona
From Barcelona to Real Madrid 17
From Barcelona to another club before Real Madrid 5
Total 22
From Real Madrid to Barcelona 6
From Real Madrid to another club before Barcelona 10
Total 16
Total switches 38

Managers

Radomir Antić
Radomir Antić managed both clubs.

Only two coaches have managed both clubs:

Images for kids

  • Marca portada rmadrid 11 vs 1 barcelona

    Cover of Marca newspaper about the 11–1 win.

Error: no page names specified (help).

  • El Clásico (basketball)
  • Madrid derby
  • Derbi Barceloní
  • Major football rivalries
  • Nationalism and sport
  • List of sports rivalries
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