Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho… the top ten El Clasico stars in history
IF Real Madrid’s La Liga title hopes aren’t already over, they could well be by Saturday afternoon after El Clasico.
Although Los Blancos have played a game fewer than their rivals, a win for Barcelona would take them 14 points clear of Madrid at the top of the table.
It’s a lead that would be almost impossible for Zinedine Zidane’s side to overhaul.
El Clasico games are always great and with so much riding on Saturday’s meeting, the clash is just that little bit more tantalising.
Several of the world’s best players will be on show and that has been the case for countless decades.
So with that in mind, we asked our friends at to look at ten of the greatest stars to grace the fixture.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
There’s nowhere else to start this list than with Messi, who is arguably the greatest player ever.
With 24 goals against Real Madrid, nobody has scored more than the Argentine in the history of El Clasico.
That includes the two he netted in the last league meeting between the pair at the Bernabeu, back in April, which saw Barca win 3-2 thanks to his injury-time effort.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
If born in another era, the Portuguese superstar would have been considered the best of his generation by some distance.
Instead he’s come up against Messi, and the rivalry between him and the Argentine will obviously be something to watch out for on Saturday.
While he may have seven goals fewer in Clasicos than Barca’s No10, Ronaldo holds the record for scoring in consecutive games between the two sides – managing seven in six straight matches.
Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)
One of the greatest Real Madrid players of all time, Di Stefano spent more than a decade at the club, where he won eight league titles and five European Cups.
He was the top scorer in Clasico history with 18 until Messi broke his record back in 2014, but it could’ve been all so different.
Before joining Real, Di Stefano appeared destined for Barcelona and even played a pre-season friendly for the Catalan giants back in 1953.
However, the RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) refused to sanction the transfer, which saw him end up at Madrid.
Many believe Spain’s dictator Francisco Franco personally intervened to see the forward end up in the capital.
Diego Maradona (Barcelona)
The Argentine genius was only at the Catalan side for two seasons.
Although he was a world-record signing at the time, his time at Barcelona was memorable for his issues on and off the pitch.
His time there saw him suffer from hepatitis and also start a mass brawl against Athletic Bilbao.
But despite that, Maradona is widely accepted to have been the first Barca player to be applauded by Real Madrid fans after his audacious and skilful Clasico goal in 1983.
He dribbled past Madrid goalkeeper Agustin and as he approached the empty goal, stopped dead.
Defender Juan Jose slid desperately slid in to attempt to block an expected shot and crashed into the post. Maradona was left with an unguarded net to slot into.
Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
While Maradona was the first to receive a standing ovation at the Bernabeu, Ronaldinho was the second.
He destroyed Madrid’s Galacticos single-handedly as he scored twice in a 3-0 win in 2005.
The Brazilian’s silky skills at his peak were one of football’s finest sights and he always seemed to turn it on for Clasicos.
He scored in four consecutive matches against Real Madrid between 2004/05 and 2005/06.
Manuel Sanchis (Real Madrid)
The former Los Blancos captain spent his entire career with the club and has made more Clasico appearances than anyone else – 43.
He was part of the famous Quinta del Buitre – the five homegrown Real Madrid players who were at the core of the side that dominated Spanish football in the 1980s – alongside Emilio Butragueno, Michel, Rafael Martin Vazquez and Miguel Pardeza.
A classy but aggressive player, Sanchis would often act as sweeper for his side and spent 13 seasons as captain before retiring in 2001.
Xavi (Barcelona)
Just one appearance short of Sanchis’ 43 Clasico games, Xavi’s talent inspired a generation of ball-playing, possession-based technical midfielders.
His career at Barcelona saw him win everything, including eight La Liga titles, four Champions League and two Club World Cups.
He was also part of the Spanish World Cup-winning side of 2010 and the team that won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
Ferenc Puskas (Real Madrid)
The Hungarian is regarded as one of the best of all time, scoring 622 goals in 629 games throughout his career, with 14 of those in Clasicos.
He had a great record at Real Madrid after moving from Budapest Honved, breaking the 40-goal mark in three successive seasons from 1959/60 to 1961/62.
Puskas was known for his powerful shot and was named by World Soccer Magazine as the seventh-greatest player of the 20th century.
Raul (Real Madrid)
Only Di Stefano and Ronaldo have scored more Clasico goals than the Spanish forward’s 15 for Real Madrid.
He’s the only player to be named Uefa's Forward of the Year three times and that was because Raul scored goals at key moments in matches.
The striker was also Real Madrid’s talisman for a number of years, and was Los Blancos captain before Iker Casillas.
Johan Cruyff (Barcelona)
After arriving from Ajax in 1973, the Dutchman immediately helped Barca to their first league title in 14 years, scoring once in a 5-0 win over Real Madrid along the way.
But that won’t be what he’s remembered most for in Catalonia.
Instead he instilled a style of play at the club that lasts to this day – arguably no man has had a greater influence in Barcelona history than Cruyff.