From Joan Sastre in 1929 to Leo Messi in recent years, the history of Real Madrid v Barça is a crash course in historic moments
The Real Madrid–FC Barcelona rivalry, played for the first time on 9 May 1929 is over 85 years years old. On that occasion, at Chamartin, the star of the game was Joan Sastre and almost a century later the Bernabéu Clásicos continue giving us moments for history. Moments that have always been accompanied by a proper name. Below are 10 of these names, the protagonists of some of the best Barça memories in the history of El Clásico:
BARÇA FANS Legends’ first goals, at the Bernabéu
- Joan Sastre: Author of the first and only goal of the first League Clásico at Chamartin, played on 9 May 1929. That first edition of the league championship was won by Barça.
- Miguel Ángel Bustillo: He put Barca up 2–0 in Madrid on 14 September 1969 with two goals in the first five minutes, but then was seriously injured. The game ended with a 3–3 tie.
- Johan Cruyff: The Dutchman was a contributor in the legendary 5–0 romp at the Santiago Bernabéu on 17 February 1974, scoring Barça’s second goal after a masterful move in the Madrid area.
- Terry Venables: The best debut possible for an Englishman in an official match with FC Barcelona. On 2 September 1984, the first day of the season, Barça beat Real Madrid by a score of 3–0. That year Barça would reclaim the league title after an eleven-year drought.
- Rivaldo: Rivaldo Vítor Borba was almost the hero of the match at the Bernabéu on 3 March 2001, which ended in a 2–2 draw. The Brazilian striker scored two goals and but watched in disbelief as the referee Losantos Omar incorrectly waived off Rivaldo’s third goal in the 92nd minute that would have handed the Catalans a 3–2 win.
- Xavi Hernández: On 25 April 2004 Barça beat Madrid 2–1 thanks to a goal from Xavi in the 85th minute after a great assist from Ronaldinho.
- Ronaldinho: The Madrid–Barça match on 19 November 2005 was legendary. Ronaldinho was applauded with a standing ovation from Real Madrid’s fans at the Bernabéu after the Brazilian striker scored his second goal of the day on an extraordinary individual play to put Barça up 3–0.
- Carles Puyol: It was a memorable night at the Santiago Bernabéu on 2 May 2009, with an unlikely 6–2 rout for Barça. The image of Puyol kissing the Catalan flag on the captain’s armband after scoring Barça’s second goal was a moment for posterity.
- Pep Guardiola: Barça’s 2–0 win at the Bernabéu on 10 April 2010 was plain evidence that the winning cycle of Guardiola’s Barça was not over. Goals from Messi and Pedro sealed a crucial win as Barça won the League title that year.
- Leo Messi: The world’s No. 1 player made it clear, once again, who was the best, scoring a hat trick, with two peanlty kick goals, that gave Barça a 4–3 victory on 23 March 2014.
