Real Madrid or Barcelona: Who has won more El Clasicos?

All you need to know about El Clasico history

Arguably the most famous rivalry in world football, heavyweight outfits from Catalunya and the Spanish capital always deliver entertainment in terms of quality football. With both teams boasting big budgets and reputations that appeal to world-class performers across the planet, their respective ranks have been loaded with match-winners over the years.

El Clasico, which translates in English to ‘The Classic’, is the name given to any match that takes place between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The long-standing rivalry the two clubs share is one of the biggest in football and stems from both sporting and non-sporting reasons. They have historically held opposing political beliefs with Real Madrid supporting Spanish nationalism and Barcelona supporting Catalonian nationalism, and that has long created tension between the two.

So too has the fact that they’ve almost always been the two biggest and best sides in the country, therefore always competing against each other for the biggest trophies, making the clashes all the fiercer. Both clubs have a global fanbase; they are the world’s two most followed sports teams on social media. They are the only clubs in La Liga to have never been relegated alongside Athletic Bilbao.

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Who has won more El Clasicos among the two rivals?

It is considered one of the biggest club football games in the world and is among the most viewed annual sporting events. A fixture known for its intensity, it has featured memorable goal celebrations from both teams, often involving mockery from both sides. There have often been disciplinary issues and brawls which often lead to unnecessary bookings.

Real Madrid leads in head-to-head results in competitive matches with 101 wins to Barcelona’s 100 with 52 draws, Barcelona leads in exhibition matches with 20 victories to Madrid’s four with 10 draws and in total matches with 120 wins to Madrid’s 105 with 62 draws as of the match played on 19 March 2023. Real Madrid boasts the better record in both La Liga and Champions League combined whereas Barcelona dominates the cup competitions.

‼️Some El Clasico stats:
Total wins for Barca: 99
Total wins for R. Madrid: 101
Draws: 52
Goals for Barca: 413
Goals for R. Madrid: 419
Most Goals Player: Leo (26)
Most Assists Player: Leo (14)
Most Apperance Player: Busquets (46)
Most Hattricks: Messi, Puskas and Bernabeu (2) pic.twitter.com/CWiBKJIhvD
— Barça Worldwide (@BarcaWorldwide) March 19, 2023

Both teams were led by two of the best players in the world which made the matches even more attractive. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo changed the phase of the clubs’ rivalries both competing fiercely for individual and continental successes. They are the all-time top scorers for their respective clubs. The departures of these legends hindered the progress of both teams and the heavy reliance imposed on them was exposed after lacklustre seasons. Nevertheless, smart and quality signings have revived the quality of football back and improved from previous seasons.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid: The trophy cabinets

Barca’s recent period of dominance has seen them overtake their rivals in terms of their respective trophy cabinets, though Madrid remains well ahead in La Liga. Los Blancos have won 34 league championships, a Spanish record and are eight ahead of the Blaugrana. They are also well clear when it comes to the Champions League, with 13 to Barca’s five.

Real won the Europa League twice, while Barca is the most successful team in the Spanish competitions. Overall the Blaugranes have 97 trophies in the entirety of their history while Madrid is not far behind with an impressive 91. They hold the record for most La Liga and Champions League triumphs in football history.

After Barca made Pep Guardiola their coach in the summer of 2008, the tide started to turn in their favor somewhat. In La Liga, Barca won 13 of the Clasicos played after Guardiola’s appointment, drawing four and losing six. They also won the 2010-11 Champions League semi-final, which was the first time the clubs met in that competition since 2002. They are one of the only clubs in the world along with Bayern Munich to have achieved the sextuple.

Barcelona & Real Madrid individual honors

Untitled design 11zon — Messi and Ronaldo during their glory days in the Spain (credit: Twitter)

The current era of football has been defined by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as much as it has by Real Madrid and Barcelona as clubs, though that image has been broken with both players now playing elsewhere. The pair of superstars have battled it out for the Ballon d’Or ever since Ronaldo decided to leave Manchester United for La Liga.

Messi surpassed Ronaldo with his six Ballons d’Or to the Portugal striker’s five when he was awarded the honor in December 2019 – before going on to claim that crown again in 2021 after leaving Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain. After Karim Benzema’s Ballon d’Or win last year, Real Madrid is now tied with Barcelona on 12 Ballons d’Or awards.

Barcelona hosts Real Madrid in the Copa Del Ray semi-final second leg where they have an advantage going 1-0 in the first leg. They have already won the Supercopa de Espana and aim for a double whereas the Los Blancos are vulnerable to going trophyless this season unless they can overturn their hurdles by a consecutive Champions League triumph.