No Ronaldo or Messi? The most valuable combined Barcelona and Real Madrid XI ever

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Combined worth of €1.6b 

©TM/IMAGO

On Sunday Barcelona and Real Madrid will lock horns for the first “El Clasico” of 2025 to see which of the Spanish giants can lay claim to the Spanish Super Cup. Over the course of their illustrious history, the LaLiga duo have locked horns in no less than 258 games across all competitions, with Madrid winning 106 of them and Barcelona winning 101. As such, while this fixture may not be the most important of the sporting calendar, any opportunity to beat a historic rival is always one that both of these clubs take extremely seriously. 

Aside from the game itself, this fixture offers us an opportunity to look back at what many consider to be the biggest rivalry in all of European football. While other fixtures can lay claim to better atmospheres or or stronger geographical ties, few clubs can match the rich history and remarkable star power that Madrid and Barcelona have been able to boast about for much of the last 100 years. So when we flick through the history books and remember the many top talents that played for both clubs, which ones would make an all-time starting XI from both clubs if we were to judge them on their highest ever market value? Let’s take a look.  

The most valuable Barcelona and Real Madrid starting XI of all time

The graphic below displays a starting XI composed of the most valuable players to have ever represented Barcelona or Real Madrid based on their peak market values at Transfermarkt. The team has a total combined value of €1.6 billion, highlighting the immense quality and financial stature of players from these two iconic clubs. The forward line is led by Kylian Mbappé, valued at €180m when he made the move to Spain last year, flanked by Vinícius Jr on the left, who current boasts a value of €200m, and Barcelona’s young sensation Lamine Yamal on the right, who is currently valued at €180m. Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history, occupies the No.10 position with a peak value of €180m when he was playing for Barcelona in 2018. 

The midfield features Madrid pair Jude Bellingham alongside Federico Valverde, who both have a current market value of €180m and €130m respectively. Their current market values are not only the highest of any midfielder to play for either Spanish giant, but also places them first and seventh respectively among every midfielder to have ever played the game and be assigned a market value. Which goes some way to underlining the immense quality of both players. They also sit considerably higher than other current players, such as Pedri (currently €100m), Eduardo Camavinga (€100m in 2024) and Aurélien Tchouaméni (€100m in 2024)

While Madrid may have enjoyed a clean sweep of midfield, when it comes to the defence we see Barcelona make a triumphant return. On either flank are two players from the Catalan club: Jordi Alba can still lay claim to being the most valuable left-beck at either club, having enjoyed a market value of €80m in 2018, while Jules Koundé’s current market value of €60m puts him in first place on the right flank. In the centre of defence we have a blast from the past in Raphael Varane (market value of €80m in 2018), which contrasts quite nicely with young Barcelona star Pau Cubarsí, who currently enjoys a market value of €70m despite only being 17 years old. The goalkeeper spot is taken by Barcelona’s Marc-André ter Stegen, valued at €90m at his peak in 2019, which makes him the second most valuable shot-stopper of all time. 

Where is Cristiano Ronaldo? 

While the starting XI pictured above is unquestionably a who’s who of some of the best players to ever grace Spanish football, there is undoubtedly one obvious name missing: Cristiano Ronaldo. Few players can claim to be as decorated as the former Real Madrid star, while only one other player in the world can even compare to what the Portuguese forward has achieved over the course of his career. So why didn’t Ronaldo make the cut? Well, unfortunately for the forward, at his peak for Madrid his market value rose to a high of €120m in 2014 and stayed there or thereabouts until 2018. In that period Ronaldo was considered the joint most valuable player in the world alongside Messi. However, football has come on leaps and bounds since then and with more money in the game, it has meant that transfer fees and market values have also risen with each passing year. As such, Ronaldo’s peak market value of €120m places him 27th on the list of most valuable players of all time, and considerably behind the attacking line up that Madrid and Barcelona can put together.