EL CLÁSICO
Barcelona vs Real Madrid: which Mexican players have competed in El Clásico?
El Clásico adds to its storied history on Saturday in LaLiga, so we thought we’d consider El Tri stars to have featured in the showpiece clash.
There may not be any Mexicans in this latest Clásico -- Saturday sees the first clash of the 2023/24 season -- but there are a few El Tri legends who know what it feels like to put on the colors of Real Madrid or Barcelona as the football world sets their sights on Spain’s biggest derby.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid live online: El Clásico score, stats and updates
Celebrity fans of El Clásico: Real Madrid vs Barcelona
Drake
Richard Gere
Hamilton
Jennifer Lopez
Justin Bieber
Ryan Raynolds
Lady Gaga
Aston Kutcher and Mila Kunis
Plácido Domingo
Toni Elías, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez
Pepe Rodríguez
Snoop Dogg
Úrsula Corberó
Zapatero
Alejandro Sanz
Joan Manuel Serrat
Amaia and Ana Guerra
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Jorge Lorenzo
Elena Furiase
Estopa (Barcelona)
Stallone
José Corbacho and Luján Argüelles
Javier Fernández
Carlos Baute
Andreu Buenafuente
Fernando Alonso
José Carreras
Nieves Álvarez
Isabel Preysler y sus hijas en la final de Lisboa.
El Barrio
Rafael Nadal
José Mercé
Tiger Woods
Bill Gates
One Direction
Magic Johnson
AuronPlay
Bruna Marquezine
Andrea Duro
El Tri and El Clásico: the Mexico connection
It’s been nearly a decade since the last member of the azteca International side played for either of these teams. The first Mexican to participate in a Clásico almost a century ago. Let’s take a trip back in time...
Jose Ramon Sauto, Real Madrid (1933-1944)
The Madridista introduced Mexicans to El Clásico nine decades ago. Sauto played eight seasons for the capital city side, playing in eight matches vs. Los Cules. He could have played in more if not for the Spanish Civil War breaking out. La Liga was suspended and Sauto spent some of that time fleeing and hiding out from authorities but was eventually let free due to his ties to the club.
Hugo Sanchez
Is there anyone more famous to come out of Mexico than Hugo Sanchez? He was an international icon, and the first local that Mexicans got to watch participate in a Clásico on television. Sanchez played seasons with Los Blancos and played in 17 Clásicos. In those 17 games Sanchez scored 10 goals, which is good enough for 11th most in the all time series.
Rafa Marquez
The former captain on the International side was in Barcelona for seven seasons. His partnership with Carles Puyol was one of the most ferocious in Europe back in the early 2000′s. In his seven seasons with Barcelona, Marquez played Madrid eight times winning four, drawing one and losing three. At the end of his career he four La Liga titles, two Champions League trophies and a Copa Del Rey.
The Dos Santos brothers
Giovani Dos Santos was raised in Barcelona’s La Maisa after moving to Spain at the age of 13. He played with Barcelona’s first team for only a year, but made two appearances against Real Madrid before going on to play for eight clubs over the next 14 seasons. He came off the bench in both matches, but Barca lost 0-1 in the first encounter and 4-1 in the second.
Gio’s younger brother Johnathan was at the Catalan club much longer, but never got to play in a Clásico. He would get to play Real Madrid later in his career, but that was when he was playing for Villarreal after the Yellow Submarine scooped him in 2014.
Javier Hernandez
Chicharito was loaned to Real Madrid in 2014-15 after four seasons at Manchester United. Chicharito found it hard to get regular playing time in his time at the Bernabeu, sitting behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Chicharito was part of Madrid for two Clásicos, but didn’t play in either.
So, who could be the next Mexican to feature in this classic game? One name on several lips, including those of the aforementioned Rafa Márquez, is Santiago Giménez, who he says is ready for Real Madrid.