History of El Clásico in Timeline
El Clásico, meaning "The Classic," is the name given to any football match between fierce rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid. While it originally referred to matches within the Spanish championship, it now encompasses all competitions between the clubs, including UEFA Champions League, Supercopa de España, and Copa del Rey. Considered one of the world's biggest club football games, El Clásico is a highly watched sporting event known for its intensity, memorable goal celebrations, and the mocking rivalry between the teams.
1902: First El Clasico Match
The very first official El Clasico match was played in 1902.
1929: Real Madrid's Limited Early Success
Until the early 1950s, Real Madrid had limited success, having won just two Primera División titles between 1929 and 1953.
1936: Josep Sunyol, president of Barcelona, is executed
In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Josep Sunyol, president of Barcelona and member of the Republican Left of Catalonia, was arrested and executed without trial by Franco's troops.
1939: Beginning of Franco's rule
Francisco Franco began his rule over Spain in 1939, ushering in an era of significant influence on the trajectory of both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
June 1943: Real Madrid defeats Barcelona 11-1
On June 13, 1943, Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 11-1 at the Chamartín in the second leg of the Copa del Generalísimo semi-finals, after losing the first leg 3-0. The game was controversial, with Barcelona alleging intimidation and the Madrid press accusing Barcelona's supporters of attacking representatives of Spain.
September 1953: Barcelona President Resigns Over Di Stéfano Transfer Dispute
In September 1953, the president of FC Barcelona was forced to resign due to discontent among club members over the decision to let Alfredo Di Stéfano play for Real Madrid for two seasons as part of a transfer agreement.
1953: Arrival of Di Stéfano and Gento Transforms Real Madrid
The arrival of Alfredo Di Stéfano and Paco Gento in 1953 marked a turning point for Real Madrid.
1954: Di Stéfano Signs with Real Madrid
After a lengthy dispute between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Alfredo Di Stéfano officially signed with Real Madrid in 1954 for a then-significant sum of 5.5 million Spanish pesetas.
1955: Kubala Leads Barcelona and Other Notable Arrivals
Barcelona relied on Hungarian star László Kubala, who joined in 1955, along with other notable players like Luis Suárez, Sándor Kocsis, Zoltán Czibor, and Evaristo.
1955: Di Stéfano Helps Real Madrid Win Their Second Consecutive European Cup
In 1955, Alfredo Di Stéfano contributed to Real Madrid's success as they secured their second consecutive European Cup title.
1956: Di Stéfano Leads Real Madrid to Third Consecutive European Cup
In 1956, Alfredo Di Stéfano played a crucial role in leading Real Madrid to their third consecutive European Cup victory.
1956: Kopa Joins Real Madrid
Raymond Kopa joined Real Madrid in 1956, adding to their growing strength.
1956: Ballon d'Or Established
The Ballon d'Or, a prestigious football award, was first presented in 1956 by France Football magazine.
1957: Fernando Maria Castiella becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fernando Maria Castiella began his service as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Spain in 1957, during which he famously described Real Madrid as "the best embassy we have ever had."
1958: Puskás Completes Real Madrid's Formidable Squad
Ferenc Puskás joined Real Madrid in 1958, completing a formidable squad that went on to dominate Spanish and European football.
1959: Real Madrid Defeats Barcelona en Route to Fifth Consecutive European Cup
In 1959, Real Madrid defeated Barcelona in a European Cup matchup, securing their path to a fifth consecutive title.
1960: Barcelona Prevails Over Real Madrid in European Cup, Eventually Losing in the Final
In 1960, Barcelona emerged victorious against Real Madrid in a European Cup encounter, although they ultimately lost in the final.
July 1968: Barcelona Wins Copa del Generalísimo, Real Madrid Fans React Angrily to Refereeing
In July 1968, Barcelona emerged victorious against Real Madrid in the Copa del Generalísimo final. However, the match concluded with Real Madrid fans expressing their frustration by throwing bottles onto the field, targeting the referee and Barcelona players due to their dissatisfaction with the officiating.
1969: Fernando Maria Castiella ends service as Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fernando Maria Castiella concluded his term as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Spain in 1969.
1975: Death of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco died in 1975, marking the end of his rule over Spain and leading to the country's transition to democracy.
1980: Cunningham Earns Respect at Camp Nou
In 1980, Laurie Cunningham became the first Real Madrid player to receive applause from Barcelona fans at Camp Nou after an excellent performance in a 2-0 Real Madrid win.
1980: Ultras Sur is founded
Ultras Sur, a far-right-leaning Real Madrid ultras group, was founded in 1980.
1981: Boixos Nois is founded
Boixos Nois, a Barcelona ultras group that initially leaned left and later became far-right, was founded in 1981.
June 1983: Maradona Earns Applause at Bernabéu
In June 1983, Diego Maradona scored a remarkable goal for Barcelona against Real Madrid in the Copa de la Liga final, dribbling past the goalkeeper and stopping before shooting into an empty net as a Madrid defender slid into the goalpost. This act of sportsmanship earned Maradona applause from many Madrid fans.
April 1988: Real Madrid Receives Pasillo from Barcelona
On April 1988, Barcelona gave Real Madrid a guard of honor, known as the pasillo, in recognition of their La Liga title victory.
June 1991: Barcelona Receives Pasillo from Real Madrid
In June 1991, Barcelona was honored with a pasillo by Real Madrid for clinching the La Liga championship.
1991: FIFA World Player of the Year Award Established
FIFA inaugurated the FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 1991.
October 1999: Raul Silences Camp Nou
In October 1999, Real Madrid's Raúl scored an 86th-minute equaliser at Camp Nou and celebrated by putting a finger to his lips, silencing the 100,000 Barcelona fans in attendance.
1999: Laureus World Sports Awards Established
The Laureus World Sports Awards, recognizing outstanding athletic achievements, were established in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
2000: Florentino Pérez Offers Figo Deal to Join Real Madrid
In 2000, Florentino Pérez, the presidential candidate for Real Madrid, presented Luís Figo, the vice-captain of Barcelona, with a lucrative offer of $2.4 million to sign an agreement committing him to Madrid if Pérez emerged victorious in the elections.
2002: Figo Faces Hostile Reception at Camp Nou After Transfer to Real Madrid
In 2002, during his return to Camp Nou as a Real Madrid player, Luís Figo encountered an intensely hostile reception from Barcelona fans. He was subjected to derogatory chants and a barrage of objects hurled from the stands, reflecting the deep resentment stemming from his controversial transfer to Real Madrid.
2002: Real Madrid Defeats Barcelona in 'Match of the Century'
In 2002, Real Madrid emerged victorious against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, a tie that was dubbed the 'Match of the Century'. Real Madrid won 2–0 in Barcelona and drew 1–1 in Madrid, resulting in a 3–1 aggregate win.
November 2005: Ronaldinho Receives Standing Ovation
In November 2005, Ronaldinho became the second Barcelona player to receive a standing ovation from Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu, after scoring two brilliant goals in a 3-0 Barcelona victory.
2007: Real Madrid Holds Slight Popularity Edge
A 2007 survey by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas found that 32% of the Spanish population supported Real Madrid, compared to 25% for Barcelona, with Valencia in third with 5% support.
2007: First El Clasico Without Messi or Ronaldo Since 2007
In 2018, Messi's arm injury and Ronaldo's prior departure marked the first El Clasico since 2007 without either player, signifying the 'end of an era'.
May 2008: Real Madrid Receives Pasillo from Barcelona
In May 2008, Real Madrid was given a pasillo by Barcelona to acknowledge their La Liga title triumph.
May 2009: Puyol Kisses Catalan Armband
In May 2009, Barcelona captain Carles Puyol kissed his Catalan armband in front of Real Madrid fans after scoring in the 21st minute of a 6-2 Barcelona win at the Santiago Bernabéu.
2009: Beginning of Messi-Ronaldo Rivalry
The start of the highly competitive rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in El Clásico, with both players quickly becoming their clubs' all-time top scorers.
2010: Ballon d'Or and FIFA Partnership
The Ballon d'Or partnered with FIFA in 2010 and the award was renamed FIFA Ballon d'Or.
2011: Barcelona Claims Top Spot in Popularity
In 2011, an Ikerfel poll declared Barcelona as the most popular team in Spain with 44% support, while Real Madrid came second with 37%. Atlético Madrid, Valencia, and Athletic Bilbao rounded out the top five.
2011: Real Madrid's Record-Breaking Season
Real Madrid achieved a record-breaking 100 points in La Liga during the 2011-2012 season, with Cristiano Ronaldo as a key contributor.
2011: UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award Established
The UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award was established in 2011 to recognize the best male footballer playing for a European club.
2011: Rivalry Intensifies with Heated Encounters
The rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid intensified in 2011 when the teams met four times in just 18 days, including the Copa Del Rey final and the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. These matches saw accusations of unsportsmanlike behaviour from both sides, four red cards, and a war of words off the pitch, leading Spain national team coach Vicente del Bosque to express concern about the impact on the national team.
2012: Barcelona's Record-Breaking Season
Barcelona also achieved a record-breaking 100 points in La Liga during the 2012-2013 season, with Lionel Messi as a key contributor.
2012: Ronaldo's Calm Down Gesture at Camp Nou
In 2012, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning goal for Real Madrid in a 2-1 win against Barcelona at Camp Nou and gestured to the crowd to "calm down" during his celebration.
2014: Start of Five Consecutive Champions League Wins
The beginning of a period of dominance for Real Madrid and Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, winning five consecutive titles from 2014 to 2018.
2014: Forbes ranks Barcelona and Real Madrid as the world's two most valuable sports teams
In 2014, Forbes ranked Barcelona and Real Madrid as the two most valuable sports teams in the world.
November 2015: Iniesta Applauded by Rival Fans
In November 2015, Andrés Iniesta became the third Barcelona player to be applauded by Real Madrid fans. During a 4-0 Barcelona victory, Iniesta scored the third goal and was substituted to applause from both sets of fans, already a respected figure in Spain for scoring the World Cup winning goal in 2010.
2015: FIFA World Player of the Year Award Discontinued
FIFA World Player of the Year Award was discontinued in 2015.
2015: End of Ballon d'Or and FIFA Partnership
The Ballon d'Or ended its partnership with FIFA in 2015 and the award reverted to its original name.
2016: Ronaldo Repeats Calm Down Gesture
In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo again scored the winning goal for Real Madrid in a 2-1 win at Camp Nou and repeated his "calm down" gesture to the Barcelona supporters.
April 2017: Messi Celebrates in Front of Madrid Fans
In April 2017, Lionel Messi scored a 93rd-minute winner for Barcelona against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. In a bold celebration, he took off his shirt and held it up to the Real Madrid fans, his name and number facing them.
December 2017: Barcelona Refuses to Give Real Madrid a Pasillo
In December 2017, Barcelona declined to give Real Madrid a pasillo, despite Real Madrid's recent FIFA Club World Cup victory.
May 2018: Real Madrid Refuses to Give Barcelona a Pasillo
In May 2018, Real Madrid declined to perform the pasillo for Barcelona despite the latter securing the La Liga championship. Real Madrid's coach, Zinedine Zidane, justified this decision by citing Barcelona's previous refusal to give Real Madrid a pasillo after they won the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2017.
2018: End of Messi-Ronaldo Rivalry in El Clasico
Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus, marking the end of an era in El Clasico.
2018: Ronaldo Leaves Real Madrid
Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018 marks a significant shift in the dynamics of El Clásico.
2018: End of Five Consecutive Champions League Wins
The end of a period of dominance for Real Madrid and Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, winning five consecutive titles from 2014 to 2018.
2020: Real Madrid Femenino Founded
Real Madrid Femenino was founded in 2020, making it a relatively new club compared to FC Barcelona Femení which has a history of over 30 years.
March 2022: Women's Rivalry Emerges
In March 2022, the record attendance for the women's El Clásico marked the emergence of a genuine rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Despite the rivalry, both clubs emphasized their commitment to collaborating for the growth of women's football. However, tensions rose in mid-2022 when several top Spanish women's teams, including Barcelona, openly opposed the governing body (RFEF), while Real Madrid remained aligned with the RFEF, further fueling the rivalry.
March 2022: Record Attendance for Women's El Clásico
The second leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou in March 2022 saw a record attendance of 91,553, making it the largest known attendance for a women's football match at the time. Barcelona, the reigning champions, won the match 5-2, securing an 8-3 aggregate victory.
April 2024: Real Madrid leads head-to-head results in official competitive matches
As of April 2024, Real Madrid leads in head-to-head results against Barcelona in official competitive matches with 105 wins to Barcelona's 100 with 52 draws.
2024: Messi and Ronaldo's Continued Dominance
As of 2024, Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, followed by Messi. Messi is the all-time top scorer of La Liga, and Ronaldo is ranked second.