When it comes to the best derbies in soccer, El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid will always come up to mind fast. The Spanish giants take the limelight whenever they face each other, no matter what tournament nor time of the season we're talking about.
Big-name players have featured in these highly anticipated derbies, but the attractiveness of this clash is bigger than any superstar who can step into the field. Their upcoming game, which won't have Lionel Messi nor Sergio Ramos, for instance, is still a must-see, which you can do via ESPN+ in the US.
But long before this eagerly-awaited matchup became an extremely popular event, they faced off at a modest venue in a match that didn't mean much by then. What they didn't know at the time was that they were about to give place to one of the greatest rivalries of all time.
When and where did Barcelona and Real Madrid played the first-ever Clasico?
The first Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid took part 119 years ago, on May 13, 1902. By then, Los Blaugranas had only two years and a half of existence, while Los Blancos were established only a few months earlier.
It was for the semifinal of the Copa Coronacion, which turned out to be the inaugural edition of the Copa del Rey. That tournament was organized to honor Alfonso XIII, who was going to be crowned once he turned 16 years old.
Barcelona and Real Madrid, who were named Madrid FC by then, met at a racecourse near where the Santiago Bernabeu is today. Los Blaugranas emerged victorious that day, claiming a 3-1 victory in what would turned out to be the first chapter of a long-lasting rivalry.
Nobody knew at the time, but those who were there have witnessed a historic encounter, although the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid was fueled many years later. 119 years later, these two archrivals will add another match for the history books which will be broadcast in the US by ESPN+.
