It doesn’t happen often and it happens at bigger and bigger intervals. – It was El Clásico on Sunday we take a look at some of the most notorious players who have switched sides in the world’s most famous club rivalry.
It was not difficult for anyone watching the match between Barcelona and Real Madrid to see the level of excitement. Despite a hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe, it was Barcelona who eventually won 4 – 3 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
It will take a small miracle for Barcelona not to take home the La Liga gold this season.
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Luis Figo
On July 24, 2000, Luis Figo became the world’s most expensive player when he signed for Real Madrid from Barcelona. Much to the frustration of Barca fans, Figo made the transfer at the peak of his career and won the Ballon d’Or shortly after becoming part of the archenemy. The Portuguese star excelled for both clubs, with over 150 appearances and two league titles for each team. Figo eventually left Real Madrid in 2003 and solidified his place as one of the best foreign players in La Liga.
Ronaldo Nazário
Perhaps it is Ronaldo Nazário’s outstanding talent that keeps him loved by both fan bases. “Il Fenomeno” signed for Barcelona in the 1996/97 season from PSV. Despite only one season, he was superb with 47 goals in 49 games and helped Barca win the Cup Winners’ Cup, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. Due to contract problems, Inter Milan signed him shortly after. Five years later, he became part of Real Madrid’s “Galácticos” project alongside Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Roberto Carlos. Despite injury problems, he won the Ballon d’Or, La Liga, the Intercontinental Cup and the Spanish Super Cup with 83 goals in 127 games.
Michael Laudrup
Considered one of the best players of his generation, Laudrup was a key player in Johan Cruyff’s “Dream Team” in Barcelona. Under Cruyff, he won nine trophies, including four straight league titles and the Champions League in 1992. In a controversial transfer, he signed for Real Madrid after the 1994 World Cup and won La Liga in 1995 – becoming the only player to win the Spanish league five years in a row with two different clubs.
Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique is the fourth player on the list to have played for both rivals. He joined Real Madrid from Sporting Gijón in 1991 and scored in a 5–0 win over Barcelona in 1995. After feeling undervalued, he signed for Barca in 1996 and became a club legend with 73 goals in 207 games. Later, he led Barcelona to league and Champions League triumphs as a coach.
Bernd Schuster
Schuster was a Barca stalwart for eight years and quickly became a crowd favorite. His move to Real Madrid in 1988 was highly controversial, and he helped them regain dominance in La Liga. As a coach, he later led Real Madrid to league glory in 2007/08.
Other famous players
Among others who have crossed the border are Samuel Eto’o, Javier Saviola, Albert Celades, Julen Lopetegui, Luis Milla, Ricardo Zamora and Josep Samitier – one of Barcelona’s early greats. In recent times, such transfers have become less frequent, perhaps demonstrating how difficult it is to switch sides in this intense rivalry.
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