Raphinha matches Cristiano Ronaldo’s El Clásico win record faster as Barcelona claim Spanish Super Cup
Raphinha has enjoyed a remarkable rise since joining FC Barcelona, emerging as one of the club’s most influential players in high-profile matches, particularly against Real Madrid. With Barcelona’s Spanish Super Cup victory this weekend, the Brazilian matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s El Clásico win total in a significantly shorter span.
Cristiano Ronaldo cemented his legacy at Real Madrid as one of the most prolific goal scorers in soccer history, amassing 450 goals in 438 matches and earning the nickname “Mr. Champions” for his Champions League heroics. However, his overall results in El Clásico did not mirror his individual dominance.
With Sunday’s 3-2 Spanish Super Cup victory, Raphinha reached eight El Clásico wins, equaling Ronaldo’s total during his time at Real Madrid. The difference lies in efficiency, as Raphinha achieved the mark in just 12 appearances compared to Ronaldo’s 30 meetings with Barcelona.
Raphinha and clear dominance over Real Madrid
When Barcelona signed Raphinha from Leeds United for €58 million ahead of the 2022-23 season, he was far from being considered among the world’s elite players. His first El Clásico ended in a 3-1 defeat in October 2022, but his trajectory against Madrid quickly changed.
Raphinha has now featured in 12 El Clásico matches for Barcelona: six in La Liga, three in the Copa del Rey, and three Spanish Super Cup finals. He owns a record of eight wins and four losses while producing seven goals and three assists, including five goals and one assist across the last four meetings.
Cristiano Ronaldo and a less favorable record against Barcelona
Cristiano Ronaldo faced Barcelona frequently throughout his career, including spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. Despite his success elsewhere, Barcelona proved to be one of his most challenging opponents.
During his time at Real Madrid, Ronaldo played 30 El Clásicos across all competitions, recording eight wins, eight draws, and 14 losses. While his overall goal-scoring rate with Madrid exceeded one per match, that dominance did not consistently translate against Barcelona.
Across those 30 matches, Ronaldo scored 18 goals and added three assists. His best single-game output against Barcelona was two goals, achieved once in La Liga in October 2012 and again in the Copa del Rey in February 2013.