Throughout the years, both Real Madrid and Barcelona have boasted the best of the best, and we’ve combined the greatest modern-era El Clasico XI possible, with the focus being on players from the past 30 years.
To do this fairly, one has to look at every possible angle, with elements such as goals, silverware and club appearances all forming the core criteria for the final judgement. Without further ado, here are our picks, some of which also appear in our list of top free kick takers in history.
Our El Clasico XI of the modern era
Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas
Casillas made over 700 appearances for Real Madrid between 1999 and 2015. There really could not have been another goalkeeper in this El Clasico selection. Casillas also made 167 appearances for the Spanish national team, proving just what a key player he was for club and country.
Left-Back: Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos signed for Real Madrid in 1995 and remained a key figure in the Galacticos side through to 2007. The marauding full-back scored 69 goals in 527 games for the club including penalties, free-kicks and long-range efforts with his powerful left foot.
Centre-Back: Carles Puyol
Puyol started and ended his career with Barcelona, making him a rare one-club player in a modern age of huge transfer fees and mega-wages. Though he played at right-back, Puyol established himself in the centre of defence despite being under six foot tall. He is considered one of Barcelona's best-ever defenders and captains.
Centre-Back: Sergio Ramos
Some people may feel that Gerard Piqué should be paired with Carlos Puyol, but Ramos' eye for a big goal nudges him ahead of his former Spain teammate. With four Champions League titles to his name, Ramos is a certified Real Madrid legend and is also one of Barcelona's most hated players, and for good reason.
Right-Back: Dani Alves
This was the tale of the two Danis, but we've gone for Alves over Carvajal by the finest of margins. While Carvajal was perhaps sounder from a defensive point of view, Alves' link-up play with Messi down the right-hand side for Barcelona during their best-ever period was nothing short of mesmeric. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Messi wouldn't have enjoyed the same level of success had he not had Alves behind him.
Centre-Midfielders: Xavi & Andres Iniesta
Xavi is considered one of the best midfielders of his generation, controlling games and creating goals, as well as scoring a few. Xavi made his professional debut for Barcelona in 1998 and remained in the first team until 2015. Twice hitting double figures in the goals-scored column, Xavi was an excellent free-kick taker.
Meanwhile, Iniesta was one of the greatest creators of goals football has ever seen. He sat in the heart of Barcelona's side for over a decade, and averaged a goal contribution every five games across 572 La Liga and Champions League appearances.
Together, Xavi and Iniesta created magic, but an honourable mention must also go to Sergio Busquets, who was a great tempo setter and made the magic duo’s respective jobs infinitely easier. However, he misses out on being the third midfielder in this list for a very good reason…
Attacking-Midfield: Zinedine Zidane
Zidane might have only played for Real Madrid for five years, but what an impression he made on the European giants!
A skilful scorer and creator of goals, Zidane was the key figure during Real Madrid's Galacticos era. The Frenchman played 230 times for Real and scored 49 goals, winning La Liga in the Champions League. During his time in Madrid, Zidane was also France's key player and was an icon for football fans all over the world.
Wingers: Cristiano Ronaldo & Lionel Messi
Unless Messi has the sudden urge to leave Inter Miami and team up with CR7 at Al-Nassr (or vice-versa), then the world will forever be left wondering exactly what this duo would have achieved wearing the same jersey for more than a decade, rather than producing the greatest personal footballing rivalry of their generation.
Ronaldo broke records and won trophies during his time at Real, making 438 appearances and scoring an almighty 450 goals before joining Juventus. Ronaldo was a machine during his time at Real Madrid (2009-2018), claiming two league titles, two Copa del Rey trophies and four Champions Leagues. The Portuguese forward also picked up five Ballon d'Or awards.
Of course, where there is Ronaldo in a list of this ilk, there must also be Messi. Over the years, he’s not only become the club's all-time greatest player but is also regarded by many – players, coaches, analysts, and fans alike – as the best to ever play the game.
With a whopping 474 league goals for Barcelona, it's hard to imagine anyone else matching that feat in La Liga anytime soon. There are several vintage campaigns that spring to mind as particularly important towards Messi’s growth, but the biggest of all is arguably the 2011/12 campaign, when Messi scored an unforgettable 73-goals in 60 games across league and cup for Barcelona.
Striker: Ronaldo
This is by far the hardest gap to fill, and it could easily be Raul. Being the second-highest goal scorer for a prestigious club like Real Madrid undoubtedly places him among the elite players in the history of La Liga. Netting 323 times for Los Blancos, Raul left the Bernabeu with an impressive array of honours, including six La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies.
But with Real already having six El Clasico XI entrants to Barcelona’s four here, we’ve gone for the ‘Brazilian’ Ronaldo as our frontman, ensuring a more balanced feel between both of Spain’s big two.
During his one season at Barcelona (1996/97) under Bobby Robson, Ronaldo scored 47 goals in 49 games and established himself as one of the world's best strikers. Following a stint in Serie A with Inter Milan, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid in 2002, and remained there for just over four seasons.
Ronaldo thrilled the Real Madrid fans with 104 goals in 177 games across all competitions, but the team only secured one league title during that period, giving way to some debate over who really belongs in the number nine slot of the definitive modern-day El Clasico XI.
Prediction: Will Real Madrid and Barcelona both finish in the top two?
Six of the past seven seasons have seen Real Madrid and Barcelona finish first and second or vice-versa, the only exception to this is 2020/21, when Atletico won the title.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are both guaranteed to go into this month’s El Clasico clash occupying the top two positions, and with Atletico Madrid struggling, they should be locked into these positions for the season.
