Is there a better rivalry in club football than El Clásico?
More players than you’d think have crossed the divide to play for both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Some transfers stirred little reaction, others caused near-on civil war.
We rank the ten most controversial, judged by both the outrage they caused and their impact at either club.
10) Marcos Alonso
Not too controversial, this one.
Alonso comes from a football family, with both his father and grandfather having played in Spain’s top flight. Marcos Alonso joined the Real Madrid Academy in 2002 and went on to make 39 appearances for Real Madrid Castilla. However, first team opportunities were limited and the Spaniard moved to Bolton Wanderers.
Following a trophy-laden six seasons at Chelsea, Alonso joined Barcelona on a free contract, where he was part of the 2022/23 squad that won the domestic double.
9) Samuel Eto’o
Eto’o joined the Real Madrid academy as a teenager but struggled to break into the first team.
It was at Mallorca where he first found his goalscoring form, before joining Barcelona in 2004. He became a legend at Barça, scoring prolifically and contributing towards two Champions League titles.
His time at Real Madrid is mostly forgotten, but he is still remembered as a hero in Catalonia.
8) Albert Celades
A product of Barcelona’s academy, Celades made over 100 appearances for the club before moving to Real Madrid in 2000, following a stint with Celta Vigo.
While never a headline figure at either side, his professionalism earned him respect from both sets of supporters, though Barça fans were disappointed by his decision to switch.
7) Luis Milla
Luis Milla rose through the ranks at Barcelona before making his La Liga debut in 1984/85. He started 52 times in the league between 1988 and 1990, but following a bitter contract renewal dispute with club officials, he joined Real Madrid on a free contract.
Milla spent 7 years at Madrid as a regular starter and went on to win two La Liga trophies.
6) Gheorghe Hagi
Both sets of fans have similar sentiments toward Gheorghe Hagi – a great player who never quite hit the consistency required to become a club legend.
Following an impressive spell with Steaua București and the Romanian national team, Hagi joined Real Madrid. The attacking midfielder has an impressive highlight reel from his time at Madrid, including a stunning long range strike against Osasuna. However, the Romanian lasted just two seasons before joining Brescia in Serie A.
Another impressive performance at the World Cup saw Hagi join Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona in 1994. Similar to his time in Madrid, Hagi went on to score some memorable goals, but could never nail down a consistent starting spot.
5) Michael Laudrup
Laudrup’s move to Madrid in 1994 surprised many, but the gentlemanly way that he carried about his move reduced the controversy attached to the transfer.
The Dane had fallen out with Johan Cruyff, having been dropped for the 1994 European Cup final to accommodate Romário.
Laudrup and Cruyff were famously stubborn yet remained respectful of each other’s undeniable genius. The Dutchman described Laudrup as “one of the most difficult players I have worked with. When he gives 80 to 90 percent he is still by far the best, but I want 100 percent and he rarely does that”. In interviews, Laudrup continues to cite the influence of Cruyff as instrumental in his development and career.
Laudrup left Barcelona having won four La Liga titles and a European Champion Clubs’ Cup, having twice been recognised as the league Player of the Year. The Barça fans were sad to see him go, but they had the greatest of memories to cherish and little bitterness towards the Dane.
His decision to join the Madrid project was immediately vindicated, as they went on to win La Liga in his first season.
To this day, Laudrup remains in high regard with both sets of fans, a rare accolade.
4) Ronaldo
Ronaldo remains beloved by both sets of fans, a sign of just how good he was at both Barcelona and Real Madrid. He ranks above Laudrup in this list of controversy purely due to the short nature of his time at Barcelona – the pair are among a small group of elite players beloved by both sets of fans.
Having arrived at the Nou Camp in 1996, Ronaldo only lasted a season – but what a season it was. In 49 appearances, the Brazilian scored 47 goals and contributed 13 assists. He was in the physical form of his life, long before the troublesome injuries that would plague his later career.
A contract dispute ended Ronaldo’s time at Barcelona. A move to Inter Milan followed for a world-record fee.
Five seasons later, Ronaldo was back in Spain, this time joining Real Madrid as part of the infamous Galactico generation that won two La Liga titles. While Champions League glory eluded Ronaldo, he did win another Ballon d’Or in 2002.
Real Madrid fans got to enjoy Ronaldo for longer, but Barcelona fans saw the Brazilian at his peak.
3) Bernd Schuster
Schuster was a stalwart of the Barcelona midfield of the 1980s, regularly on the scoresheet and a firm fan’s favourite. When asked to name his dream five-a-side team, Pep Guardiola named Schuster among his hypothetical lineup.
However, his relationship with the Barcelona hierarchy was reportedly strained, which saw him make the move to Real Madrid in 1988. He was an instrumental part of the squad that won La Liga in both seasons at the club, despite being deployed in a deeper role.
Not content with playing for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, Schuster went on to also play for Atlético Madrid.
2) Luis Enrique
Enrique spent five seasons at Real Madrid with limited success, only scoring 18 goals in 213 appearances.
When he moved on a free contract to Barcelona, the move wasn’t initially well-received by either party. However, 108 goals, 40 assists and two La Liga triumphs later, he is fondly remembered as a certified Barcelona legend, even before taking his successful stint in the dugouts into account.
Explaining his motivation behind the move, Enrique stated that he “rarely felt appreciated by the Real Madrid supporters and didn’t have good memories there”.
He made his loyalties clear with his extravagant celebrations in 2003 when he grabbed the equalizer against Real at the Bernabéu – further endearing himself to the Barcelona crowd but forever burning the bridge with the Madridistas.
1) Luis Figo
Quite possibly the most controversial transfer of all time.
Real Madrid paid a then-world record transfer fee in 2000 to secure the signature of Luis Figo, but this was no solace to the baying Barça mob.
The Portuguese star was among the best players in the world at the time. He’d been a key part of back-to-back La Liga titles, and would go on to win the Ballon d’Or for his final season at Barcelona, albeit he was already in Madrid white by the time he picked the award up.
The Barça fans were utterly dismayed at his choice of new club, culminating in a pig’s head being thrown at the Portuguese winger.
He won everything there was to win in Madrid but will never be forgiven in Catalonia.
