Watch: Best El Clásico goals from Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo
Ahead of Saturday's meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid, SI decided to look back on five of the best El Clásico goals scored by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi has scored more than any other player in El Clásico history, netting 21 goals. Ronaldo, however, isn't far behind with 15 to his name.
Barcelona is on top of La Liga with 76 points, nine ahead of second–place Atletico Madrid and 10 ahead of Real Madrid. Barcelona won the league last season and is aiming to win the treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League) for the second consecutive year.
Take a look at some of Messi and Ronaldo's best El Clásico goals below.
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Lionel Messi
6. March 10, 2007 (La Liga)
Despite having already scored two goals earlier in the game, Messi and Barcelona were trailing Real Madrid 3–2 in a 2007 La Liga contest. But in the 88th minute, Messi put in this gem for his third career El Clásico goal, and his third on the day.
5. Dec. 13, 2008 (La Liga)
In the 89th minute, Messi put in one of his cheekier El Clásico goals, chipping the keeper to put the game out of reach and win 2-0. This was his fourth career goal against Real Madrid.
4. Aug. 17, 2011 (Spanish Super Cup)
Locked at 2-2 in the second leg of the Spanish SuperCup, Messi sealed a Super Cup victory for Barcelona with a dazzling team goal.
3. Oct. 7, 2012 (La Liga)
With the score tied 1-1 in the 61st minute, Messi unleashed a deadly free kick, curling away from the keeper and into the right hand side of the goal. Ronaldo would tie the match a few minutes later, and the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
2. Aug. 29, 2012 (Spanish Super Cup)
Lionel Messi is decent at those free kicks, eh? In the 2012 Super Cup, he curled a scintillating shot over the wall and past the outstretched arms of Iker Casillas to put Barcelona on the board. Messi's goal wasn't enough, as Real Madrid took the Cup with a 2–1 victory over 10-man Barcelona.
1. April 27, 2011 (UEFA Champions League semifinal)
In the first leg of the 2011 Champions League semifinal, the game was scoreless until Messi took matters into his own hands. After Real Madrid's Pepe was sent off, Messi scored two goals in the final 15 minutes, including a game-clincher in the 87th minute to earn his team a 2-0 at the Bernabeu. The second goal was a nifty solo effort:
Barcelona ultimately won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to the final, where the club toppled Manchester United.
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Cristiano Ronaldo
6. Feb. 26, 2013 (Copa del Rey)
Ok, this one really belongs to Ángel di Maria. While it wasn't Ronaldo's individual brilliance that landed this one in the top five, he calmly converted off an assist from Di María, who broke the ankles of Barca defender Carles Puyol before taking the shot that rebounded to Ronaldo.
5. Jan. 25, 2012 (Copa Del Rey)
Ronaldo made it look easy when he received a through ball and juked out the keeper before hitting a right-footed shot into the back of the net. Down 2-0 in the second half, Ronaldo put Real Madrid on the board. Karim Benzema equalized just four minutes later, and the match ended in a draw.
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTf2D-6Qqjg]
4. Aug. 23, 2012 (Spanish Super Cup)
In the 55th minute of this Spanish Super Cup meeting, Ronaldo broke a scoreless affair to give Real Madrid the lead. Just two minutes later, Barcelona put in the equalizer and ended up winning 3-2 in the first leg of the matchup.
3. April 21, 2012 (La Liga)
Moments after Alexis Sanchez equalized for Barcelona in a crucial La Liga match, Ronaldo scored to give Real Madrid an important three points in the title race.
2. Aug. 29, 2012 (Spanish Super Cup)
In the second leg of that same Spanish Super Cup matchup, Ronaldo beat his defender on a fast break by brilliantly back-heeling the through ball over the defender, setting himself up to put in a goal, giving Madrid the 2-0 advantage early in the first half. Messi would score in the 45th minute, but Real won the match 2-1.
1. April 20, 2011 (Copa del Rey final)
In the 2011 Copa del Rey Final, Ronaldo's prettiest El Clásico goal gave Real Madrid the victory. Ronaldo's second career El Clásico goal led the way to Los Blancos lifting the trophy for the 18th time in the history of the club.
Barcelona hosts Real Madrid on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
