Table of Contents
- The highly anticipated clash between Barca and Madrid lived up to the expectations of fans worldwide
- Barcelona, who were already the team with the most Copa del Rey titles, added a record 32nd one to their trophy cabinet
- Laurie Cunningham was the first English footballer to score in a match between Real Madrid and Barcelona
Sportsleo brings you the list of English goalscorers in El Clasico history. On Saturday, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid clashed in the final of the Copa del Rey, which ended in a 3-2 victory for the Catalans.
Barcelona, who were already the team with the most Copa del Rey titles, added a record 32nd one to their trophy cabinet. The Spanish giants have won eight Copa del Rey titles than second-placed Athletic Club with 24. Their historic rivals Real Madrid have won the title 20 times.
The highly anticipated clash between Barca and Madrid lived up to the expectations of fans worldwide. While the big name players such as Kylian Mbappe and Pedri found the back of the net in the thriller, Jude Bellingham wasn’t lucky enough to score.
Nevertheless, he has scored in the El Clasico before, including a brace last year in Real Madrid’s crucial 2-1 win. With that said, let’s take a look at all English goalscorers in El Clasico.
Jude Bellingham with his Real Madrid teamnates. Photo/ Sportstar – The Hindu.
1. Laurie Cunningham – Real Madrid
During the summer of 1979, Laurie Cunningham, secured a historic transfer from English club West Bromwich Albion to La Liga giants Real Madrid for a fee of £950,000. In his first season, he played a significant role as the Los Blancos won the La Liga and Copa del Rey. He also paved way for English goalscorers to score in El Clasico by becoming the first Englishman to do so in his debut season.
Just like Bellingham on Sunday, Cunningham scored the winner in Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory. He would later spend time on loan at Manchester United and Sporting Gijon after falling out of favour at the club before eventually being sold to Marseille in 1984.
Cunningham spent the last years of his life playing for Spanish club Rayo Vallecano before being killed in a car crash on 15 July 1989. He was 33 at the time of his death.
2. Gary Lineker – Barcelona
Gary Lineker is a popular name among football fans. The legendary striker signed for Barcelona in 1986 after his heroic performance at the World Cup where he won the Golden Boot. During his time with the Catalans, he made 138 appearances and scored 52 goals.
One of his most memorable moments as a Barcelona player was when he scored a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Barcelona. Lineker, who is one of the most prolific English goalscorers in El Clasico, netted five goals against Real Madrid before returning to England where he signed with Tottenham Hotspur. He spent the last years of his playing career at Japanese club Nagoya Grampus and the retired in 1994.
Gary Lineker in action for Barcelona. Photo/ YouTube.
3. Steve McManaman – Real Madrid
After joining Real Madrid from Liverpool in 1999 on a free transfer, Steve McManaman became a fan favourite at the Santiago Bernabeu. He won the UEFA Champions League with the Los Blancos, becoming the first Englishman to achieve such a feat.
McManaman played in the El Clasico seven times but scored just once. His only goal against Barca came in the semi-final of the Champions League at Camp Nou where Real Madrid won 2-0. He never lost a Clasico during his days in Spain.
4. Michael Owen
Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen is one of the English goalscorers in El Clasico. Unlike the other players on this list, Owen spent just one season in Spain, joining Real Madrid from Liverpool in the summer of 2004 and leaving at the end of the 2004-05 season.
In his only season with the Los Blancos, Owen scored a total of 16 goals from 45 games, 26 of which were starts. He often played as a substitute because he failed to dislodge Raul and Ronaldo as the club’s first-choice in attack. The Englishman’s only goal against Barcelona came in April 2005 as Real secured a 4-2 victory. He left without winning any title.
David Beckham assisted Michael Owen’s goal against Barcelona in April 2005. Photo/ Planet Football.
Owen continued with his career at Newcastle United with whom he won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2006. He then signed with Manchester United and won the English Premier League, Football League Cup and FA Community Shield. He retired in 2013 after a season at Stock City.
