Marc Cucurella’s €55 million ($63.75 million) move from Chelsea to Real Madrid means he will become the latest player to turn out for both Barcelona and their great rivals.
The Spain left back came up through Barça’s fabled academy system but only ever made one Copa del Rey outing for the first team before moving on to Getafe, then England and eventually making his way back to Spain.
Cucurella will be the first player to feature for Spain’s two super-clubs since fellow left back Marcos Alonso joined Barcelona in 2022, and only the third player to make appearances for the arch rivals this century.
While crossing the Clásico divide is not totally unheard of in Spanish soccer, it takes a certain type of player to do it. One requires talent to interest two of soccer’s most discerning clubs, of course, but also a level of bravado and very thick skin.
Here’s a breakdown of all 38 players who have played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid throughout history.
Which Players Have Played for Both Barcelona and Real Madrid?
1. Alfonso Albéniz
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1901–1902
Real Madrid: 1902–1903, 1911–1912
The first person to represent both of Spain’s Clásico rivals was a true renaissance man. After his soccer career, Albéniz later became a referee, then a chemical engineer, lecturer and ambassador for Spain at the League of Nations.
2. Enrique Normand
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1902–1909, 1909–1915
Barcelona: 1909
3. José Quirante
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1906–1911
Real Madrid: 1911–1913
4. Arsenio Comamala
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1903–1913
Real Madrid: 1911–1913
5. Charles Wallace
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 1907–1911
Real Madrid: 1908
Technically the first foreigner to play for both clubs, London-born Wallace made one appearance with Madrid CF (as they were known back then) on loan.
6. Walter Rositzky
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Barcelona: 1911–1913
Real Madrid: 1913–1914
The first foreign player to play for both clubs, the German-born Rositzky enjoyed success in Catalonia and Madrid but left Spain altogether after the outbreak of World War I.
7. Ricardo Zamora
Position: Goalkeeper
Barcelona: 1919–1922
Real Madrid: 1930–1936
The cap-wearing, cognac-drinking, cigarette-smoking stopper holds the rare distinction of having won honors with Madrid, Barcelona and (as a manager) Atlético Madrid.
Known asEl Divino, Zamora helped deliver Real Madrid’s first two league titles in in 1931–32 and 1932–33.
The Zamora trophy continues to be awarded to the goalkeeper who concedes the fewest goals in La Liga every season.
8. Josep Samitier
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1919–1932
Real Madrid: 1932–1934
A man with important ties in Catalonia and Madrid, Barcelona-born Samiter won trophies in Barcelona and Madrid, and later worked as manager of Barcelona and also as a scout for both clubs.
9. Hilario Marrero
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1930–1932
Real Madrid: 1932–1934
10. Hilario
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1931–1936
Barcelona: 1939
11. Josep Escolà
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 1934–1948
Real Madrid: 1948–1949
12. Joaquín Navarro
Position: Defender
Barcelona: 1941–1942
Real Madrid: 1949–1957
13. Josep Canal
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1945–1946
Barcelona: 1946–1951
14. Alfonso Navarro
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 1946–1950
Real Madrid: 1950–1951
15. Justo Tejuda
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 1952–1961
Real Madrid: 1961–1963
16. Evaristo
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 1957–1962
Real Madrid: 1962–1965
One of the great flamboyant forwards of his day, Evaristo won La Liga twice with Barcelona before leaving on a free transfer, after being pushed out over pressure to naturalize as a Spanish citizen.
The Brazilian joined Real Madrid and won another pair of league titles.
17. Chus Pereda
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1958–1959
Barcelona: 1961–1969
18. Fernand Goyvaerts
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 1962–1965
Real Madrid: 1965–1966
A European Cup winner in 1966, Goyvaerts remains the only Belgian to have featured for both clubs.
19. Lucien Müller
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1962–1965
Barcelona: 1965–1968
20. Amador Lorenzo
Position: Goalkeeper
Real Madrid: 1976–1978
Barcelona: 1980–1986
21. Bernd Schuster
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1980–1988
Real Madrid: 1988–1990
The Blond Angel twice won Don Balón’s award for Best Foreign Player as he dictated play for Barcelona and then Real Madrid during the ‘80s and early ‘90s.
He later returned as Real Madrid manager, winning La Liga in his sole season in charge in 2008.
22. Luis Milla
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1984–1990
Real Madrid: 1990–1997
23. Miquel Soler
Position: Fullback/Midfielder
Barcelona: 1988–1995
Real Madrid: 1995–1996
24. Michael Laudrup
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1989–1993
Real Madrid: 1994–1995
One of the classy soccer players to ever grace the pitch, Laudrup holds the impressive distinction of having won Clásico encounters 5–0 for both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
25. Alfonso Pérez
Position: Forward
Real Madrid: 1989–1995
Barcelona: 1995–1996
26. Julen Lopetegui
Position: Goalkeeper
Real Madrid: 1989–1990
Barcelona: 1994–1996
The future Wolve, West Ham and Qatar manager made one La Liga appearance between the sticks for Real Madrid and five for Barcelona. He is better known for his spells at Rayo Vallecano and Logroñés.
27. Nando
Position: Defender
Barcelona: 1990–1991
Real Madrid: 1992–1995
28. Gheorghe Hagi
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Real Madrid: 1990–1991
Barcelona: 1994–1995
29. Luis Enrique
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1991–1996
Barcelona: 1996–2004
Far more associated with his successes at Barcelona as a player—and then manager—Luis Enrique spent five years in Real Madrid white after earning a move from Sporting Gijón.
After crossing the divide on a free transfer, he found favor in Catalonia with his knack for scoring (and celebrating passionately) against his old club.
30. Robert Prosinečki
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1991–1993
Barcelona: 1995–1996
31. Dani García
Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid: 1993–1997
Barcelona: 1999–2002
32. Luís Figo
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1995–2000
Real Madrid: 2000–2005
By some distance the most infamous transfer between the clubs, Figo’s move to the Bernabéu was enough to provoke pig-head-throwing ire from betrayed Barcelona fans.
The Ballon d’Or-winning Portuguese winger won a pair of La Liga titles at each club, but clinched his only Champions League at Real Madrid.
33. Albert Celades
Position: Midfielder
Barcelona: 1994–1999
Real Madrid: 2000–2003
34. Ronaldo
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 1996–1997
Real Madrid: 2002–2007
The Ronaldo who signed for Real Madrid in 2002 was a markedly different soccer player to the one who lit up Camp Nou five years prior. Both were extraordinary, though.
35. Samuel Eto’o
Position: Forward
Real Madrid: 1998
Barcelona: 2004–2008
One that got away for Madrid. A baby-faced Eto’o made just six first-team outings for Los Blancos amid serious competition for places from Raúl, Fernando Morientes and Nicolas Anelka. He later came back to haut his old side as a two-time Champions League winner at Barcelona.
36. Javier Saviola
Position: Forward
Barcelona: 2001–2007
Real Madrid: 2007–2009
37. Marcos Alonso
Position: Defender
Real Madrid: 2008–2010
Barcelona: 2022–2024
38. Marc Cucruella
🤍🩷💚@Cucurella3 pic.twitter.com/8zbdr7ScZF
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) June 15, 2026
Position: Defender
Barcelona: 2017–2020
Real Madrid: 2026–
The latest man brave enough to cross the divide, Cucurella came through at La Masía but only ever made one first-team appearance for Barcelona. He will be very unfortunate not to surpass that total quite quickly at Real Madrid.
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