Some of the Seleção’s finest have participated in this fixture and left their mark.
Few club rivalries can boast as many Brazilian superstars as ELCLASICO. From Ronaldo Nazário, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo in the past to Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha today, several of the Seleção’s finest have graced football’s biggest game: the meeting between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. The next edition is set to take place on Sunday, with the Catalan side aiming for their seventh victory in their last eight games against Los Blancos across all competitions. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
The two teams’ current squads feature a total of five Brazilian players in Raphinha, Gabriel Jesus, Vinícius, Rodrygo Goes and Éder Militão. FC Barcelona striker Gabriel Jesus is preparing for his first-ever ELCLASICO and, should he step onto the pitch, he will join a long list of Brazilian greats to have featured in the fixture.
Brazilian stars leaving their mark
Topping the ELCLASICO scoring charts among Brazilian players is Vinícius with eight goals, followed by Raphinha with seven, while Ronaldo Nazário and Evaristo de Macedo are next with six each.
The latter two represented both clubs during their careers, and Ronaldo is remembered as one of the very best players to have turned out for both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. He arrived at FC Barcelona from PSV Eindhoven back in 1996/97, establishing himself as a LALIGA EA SPORTS star with his extraordinary goalscoring exploits. After joining Inter in 1997, the Brazilian returned to Spain with Real Madrid in 2002, fresh from winning the World Cup and already a Ballon d’Or winner. He would go on to claim the award for a second time later that year. A two-time Pichichi winner, Ronaldo scored six goals in ELCLASICO, finding the net twice for FC Barcelona and four times for Real Madrid.
He was part of Brazil’s famous Three Rs, which consisted of three players who left their mark in the Spanish top division, along with Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. They netted five ELCLASICO goals each while plying their trade at FC Barcelona. Both footballers won the Ballon d’Or as Barça players, with Rivaldo receiving the award in 1999 and Ronaldinho winning it six years later.
The latter joined the Catalan side in 2003, leading them to their second Champions League title on his way to become one of the finest players in club history. One of his most memorable performances in a Barça shirt came in a 3-0 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabéu back in 2005. The Brazilian playmaker netted twice on the road, repeatedly tormenting the home defence with his pace, dribbling and extraordinary skill. Such was his brilliance that even the rival fans couldn’t help but applaud, placing Ronaldinho in the rare company of players whose outings have transcended the fierce rivalry between the two Spanish powerhouses.
The list of Brazilian legends who have participated in ELCLASICO doesn’t end there. Another member of the Brazil side that won the World Cup in 2002, Roberto Carlos featured in more than 500 games for Real Madrid, including 18 league games against FC Barcelona, scoring a couple of goals along the way too. Fellow Brazilian left-back Marcelo then became one of Real Madrid’s most decorated players, enjoying several big moments against Barça on his way to securing 25 trophies with the club, including five Champions League and six LALIGA EA SPORTS titles.
Neymar is another Brazilian football icon who has played in this fixture, appearing in seven ELCLASICO duels in LALIGA EA SPORTS and one more in the Copa del Rey. His very first outing in this fixture was also his best one, as he scored one and assisted another in a 2-1 FC Barcelona victory at the Spotify Camp Nou in 2013.
Looking further back, Romário also left a lasting mark during his time at Los Azulgranas, where his clinical finishing and extraordinary movement made him one of the most feared forwards in all of Spain’s top tier. The Brazilian star played a key role in Johan Cruyff’s celebrated Dream Team, helping Barça win the 1993/94 LALIGA EA SPORTS title. His most memorable contribution to the rivalry against Real Madrid came in the 1994 duel at the Spotify Camp Nou, when he scored a hat-trick in FC Barcelona’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Real Madrid.
As for the modern day stars, Vinícius’ suspension from the upcoming game opens the door for Raphinha to equal or break his record as the highest-scoring Brazilian in ELCLASICO history. It now remains to be seen if the FC Barcelona forward will seize the opportunity, further cementing his place in the fixture’s history.
