El Clásico is one of the fiercest rivalries in the world of football, and for good reason – it’s a intense mix of politics, refereeing disputes, and infamous incidents like pigs heads being chucked onto the pitch. Yet its all the amazing players who’ve made this iconic matchup what it is.
Those two Spanish and European football titans have produced a staggering 14 Ballon d’Or winners – the last one outside of the two clubs was Andriy Shevchenko all the way back in 2004. You’ve got legends like Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho who despite being absolute superstars in the game – could never manage to get 10 goals in El Clasico, and now the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal are chomping at the bit to put their names on this list of legends. Below are the top 10 goal scorers in El Clasico history.
10. Luis Suarez – 11 Goals
Luis Suarez came out of nowhere with a blazing El Clasico debut in 2014, hot on the heels of a 4 month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup. Just four minutes into his very first game at the Santiago Bernabeu he set up Neymar’s opener but it ended in a 3-1 loss for Barcelona. Then in October 2018 – with Lionel Messi sidelined with injury watching from the stands with Suarez’s kids – he really showed what he was made of with a hat-trick in a 5-1 thrashing of Real Madrid at Camp Nou. Barcelona career: 2014–2020 El Clasico appearances: 15 (7 wins, 4 draws, 4 losses)
9. Santillana – 12 Goals
The 1970s & 1980s saw Santillana become a constant thorn in Barcelona’s side. A thorn in the flesh for their fans – he was the first player to score in four straight El Clasicos at the Bernabeu – and he thrived in the charged atmosphere of a packed stadium where fans’ cat-calling was loud and proud. You really saw his mettle as he netted goals in four different venues – four at Camp Nou and two in Copa del Rey final showdowns at neutral sites. Real Madrid career: 1971–1988 El Clasico appearances: 35 (13 wins, 7 draws, 15 losses)
8. Ferenc Puskas – 14 Goals
When Ferenc Puskas arrived at Real Madrid in 1956 he was a bit on the heavy side and pretty much past it – but that didn’t stop him becoming a El Clasico legend. The Hungarian’s left foot was a thing of beauty & delivered two hat-tricks including 2 goals in both legs of the 1960 European Cup semi-final against Barcelona – where his strikes were especially vindictive, given the jibes he used to get from Hungarian players on Barcelona’s books. Real Madrid career: 1958–1966 El Clasico appearances: 18 (11 wins, 1 draw, 6 losses)
7. Paco Gento – 14 Goals
The ‘Galerna’ – as he was known for his speed – tormented defenders like Barcelona’s Josep Seguer who one day asked him .. cheekily .. if he’d ever get off his bike. Paco Gento was fast. But what really made him a El Clasico mainstay was his sheer pace. He played for 18 years at Real Madrid, and when he finally hung up his boots – you could still see him outrun the opposition. What a legacy. Real Madrid career: 1953–1971 El Clasico appearances: 45 (22 wins, 8 draws, 15 losses)
6. Cesar Rodriguez – 14 Goals
Before Lionel Messi rewrote the record books, Cesar Rodriguez was the guy who sat on top of Barcelona’s all-time scoring list. But his time at the top was a relatively short one – especially compared to some of the all-time greats. Still though, he shone brightly in the 1951/52 season and was instrumental in a 4-2 Clasico win back in March 1952 when he scored a hat-trick to help seal La Liga’s top spot, with Jordan Vila’s opener getting a helping hand from Rodriguez. Barcelona career: 1939-1955 Clasico appearances: 28 (13 wins, 2 draws, 13 losses)
5. Raul – 15 Goals
Raul is, of course, an icon of Real Madrid. You can still see his picture plastered on the walls of sports bars in the Spanish capital – specifically his ‘I’m not saying anything’ gesture – that seems to have a silencing effect on the opposing fans. His 1999 Camp Nou goal, for example, is still talked about to this day in terms of being a great team performance. Real had to come back from two down to equalise – one of those goals being a delicate chip in by Raul to seal a 2-2 draw. He’s also got a knack for big moments – which is possibly why he still holds the number one spot for Madrid’s all-time top scorer until 2015. Real Madrid career: 1994-2010 Clasico appearances: 37 (11 wins, 10 draws, 16 losses)
4. Karim Benzema – 16 Goals
Karim Benzema though, is one player who deserves a little more recognition than just his goal tally. Not only is he one of the most complete players out there, but he’s also recently shown that he can hold his own even when playing alongside another all-time great in Cristiano Ronaldo – managing to get on the scoresheet in Real Madrid’s Clasico’s against Barcelona in five consecutive seasons. And let’s be honest, we all remember that second half hat-trick he scored in a 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final rout at Camp Nou in 2023, an absolute embarrassment for the Catalan side. Real Madrid career: 2009-2023 Clasico appearances: 43 (15 wins, 9 draws, 19 losses)
3. Cristiano Ronaldo – 18 Goals
Early in his time at Real Madrid, people started saying that Cristiano Ronaldo was, shall we say, a bit of a big-game bottler. He was, after all, goalless in a few Clasicos before then. But then came his towering header in the 2011 Copa del Rey & then his title-clinching strike at Camp Nou in 2012 – with that moment being topped off with one of his famous ‘calm down’ celebrations. That was probably the turning point in Ronaldo’s time at Real Madrid, and from then on it was all over for the teams he was playing. Real Madrid career: 2009-2018 Clasico appearances: 30 (8 wins, 8 draws, 14 losses)
2. Alfredo Di Stefano – 18 Goals
Alfredo Di Stefano’s transfer to Real Madrid in 1953 was, of course, that particularly contentious deal with Barcelona. But it marked the start of an era for Los Blancos, and Di Stefano was right in the middle of it all. He scored twice in a 5-0 thrashing of Barcelona just two days after signing – so it was clear from the word go that he was the real deal. And with his impressive Super Ballon d’Or win under his belt, it’s no wonder that Di Stefano is considered one of the greatest of all time. Real Madrid career: 1953-1964 Clasico appearances: 30 (17 wins, 3 draws, 10 losses)
1. Lionel Messi – 26 Goals
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Clasico players of all time. His 2007 hat-trick at just 19 said it all – he was ready to take on the big boys. Then came that 6-2 Bernabeu thrashing of Barcelona in 2009 – which, of course, showed the world what a truly revolutionary team Pep Guardiola had built. And was it really that long ago that he scored that incredible solo goal in the 2011 Champions League semi-final, or that winner in 2017 that he celebrated by holding his shirt aloft? The memories never fade when it comes to Lionel Messi. Barcelona career: 2004-2021 Clasico appearances: 45 (19 wins, 11 draws, 15 losses)
Top Scorers in El Clasico History
| Rank | Player | Active Years | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | 2004–2021 | 26 |
| 2 | Alfredo Di Stefano | 1953–1964 | 18 |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2009–2018 | 18 |
| 4 | Karim Benzema | 2009–2023 | 16 |
| 5 | Raul | 1994–2010 | 15 |
| 6 | Cesar Rodriguez | 1939–1955 | 14 |
| 7 | Paco Gento | 1953–1971 | 14 |
| 8 | Ferenc Puskas | 1958–1966 | 14 |
| 9 | Santillana | 1971–1988 | 12 |
| 10 | Luis Suarez | 2014–2020 | 11 |
Stats accurate as of October 27, 2025 (via TransferMarkt)
