Next up for the Kit Battle is the big one: El Clasico.
Any time FC Barcelona and Real Madrid square off, it’s appointment viewing. Spain’s biggest clubs have perhaps the sport’s most prestigious rivalry, and El Clasico always delivers.
However, this Sunday’s matchup between the two giants has more than just pride on the line — there’s a league title up for grabs.
Barcelona, on the heels of a heartbreaking exit from the Champions League at the hands of Inter Milan in what was one of the great semifinal ties of all time, have nonetheless been one of the most exciting sides in the world this year. Raphinha has played his way into Ballon d’Or conversations, and 17-year-old Lamine Yamal has rid himself of the “young” modifier to become one of the best players in the world full stop.
Pedri, Pau Cubarsi and Frenkie De Jong add to the quality manager Hansi Flick has at his disposal, and when you add in veteran Robert Lewandowski, you can see why Barça sit atop the La Liga table.
But lurking just four points behind them are their rivals from the Spanish capital.
It’s been a rocky stretch for Los Blancos, at least by their lofty standards. Their 2024-25 campaign has seen a UCL quarterfinals defeat to Arsenal, their earliest exit in the tournament since 2020. A Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona added salt to the wound, and manager Carlo Ancelotti will not be returning to the club next season.
There seems to be a slight learning curve to the absurdly talented Real Madrid roster that features the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Jude Bellingham. But you can never count this club out of a title race.
While it wouldn’t be enough to leapfrog Barcelona for the top spot, a win in this Sunday’s El Clasico would certainly be a momentous one that could propel Real Madrid to snatch a trophy in what has otherwise been a frustrating season.
But as usual in these kit battles, we’re not here to discuss the on-pitch stuff. We’re here to look at the kits. Which one of these Spanish giants have had the best kits over the years? Let’s dive into this El Clasico version of the Kit Battle and find out.
Real Madrid 1950-60s Home
We’ve got to start with a classic, right? All white. No sponsor. The literal epitome of what a Real Madrid kit is meant to be. Clean, classic, iconic. Los Blancos wore this kit when they went on a run of five European Cups, starting the trend of the club’s European dominance and its journey to becoming the most successful team in history. Plus, it was worn by the likes of Alfredo Di Stefano and Puskas. Eternal.
Barcelona 1991-92 Home
This was a big kit for Barcelona because it was worn during the season they won their first European Cup, 37 years after Real Madrid’s first. In the final, Barça suited up in their away kits, but switched into the home shirts to celebrate in the iconic Blaugrana stripes.
In addition to the European glory, they also won La Liga domestically, completing the ultimate double win. It’s made by Meyba, a brand that hails from Barcelona itself, which adds to the romance of this kit and the season. And when a shirt is worn by the likes of Pep Guardiola, Ronald Koeman, and Michael Laudrup to win a double, you know it’s got status.
Real Madrid 2003-04 Home
This was a season Madrid actually went trophyless, a rare occasion. It gets even more baffling when you hear the names this team had as well. Fresh off the back of a La Liga win in 2002-03, Real Madrid hit the pitch with the likes of David Beckham, Ronaldo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, Zinedine Zidane, and Luis Figo — the Galacticos. And it’s this reason as to why this kit, and all the other kits in the early ’00s era, are so iconic. How can you not love a kit when a lineup of superstars like that wear it?
Barcelona 1996-97 Away
We are now entering Barcelona’s Kappa era — a time period revered among the football cool. This kit is etched in football shirt folklore. It’s a ’90s Kappa design, which instantly makes it a win, but was also worn by Brazilian Ronaldo during his one and only season at the club. But that was enough to cement this kit in history and create a time of great fondness — Ronaldo at Barcelona. It’s a beautiful shirt, if not a bit wacky, and is a grail for many collectors. *Logs onto eBay…*
Real Madrid 1985-86 Home
This is everything I love about a shirt: A crazy collar, a cotton build, cuffs, long sleeves with purple stripes down them, and the iconic adidas Trefoil. It’s a stunning shirt with a clean design. While it’s not one that you can probably recall off the top of your head when listing Real Madrid kits, it deserves to be in the conversation, especially when it was worn to win yet another La Liga trophy. Worn by the likes of Hugo Sanchez and Emilio Butragueño, it’s a classic.
Barcelona 2003-04 Away
This kit is soaked in nostalgia, especially for me. Just think of Ronaldinho dancing on the edge of the box before toe-poking it past a stranded Petr Cech in the Champions League game against Chelsea. I’m a sucker for a gold kit and this one is one of the best. Ronaldinho brought so much joy to the sport, and this kit is one of them that instantly makes you think of the Brazilian. No trophies to show for it but who cares? Let’s have fun.
Real Madrid 2016-17 Away
I could pick any kit from between 2010 and 2024, and it’d be classified as a classic. This period of football for Real Madrid was one of their best, winning six Champions Leagues (including three in a row) and eight La Ligas to match. I picked this year, though, because it was a year they did the double, which topped it off nicely. Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, and Co. all brought home the club’s 12th European title in this kit.
Barcelona 2010-11 Home
There had to be a kit from Barcelona’s most dominant period, of course. Guardiola’s Barcelona was a machine, quite possibly the greatest of all time, and this kit is etched into that history. They won the Champions League this season, dismantling Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United at Wembley, which is often regarded as one of the best performances in a final ever. Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta are synonymous with this shirt, which is more evidence of how good this kit is.
Real Madrid 2013-14 Home
The shirt that delivered La Decima. How can I not include it? Dismantling rivals Atletico Madrid in the final in Lisbon, Real Madrid won their 10th Champions League in this kit. When you think of this shirt, too, you instantly think of Gareth Bale. This was him entering the peak of his game and it’s also the season he ran the length of the pitch, brushing past Marc Bartra, to score the winner against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final. Iconic.
Barcelona 2008-09 Home
Now, Barcelona won six trophies in one year in 2009, which means I could have chosen either 2008-09’s shirt or 2009-10. We’re going with the former because it’s a kit worn in yet another Champions League final win, again against Manchester United. However, this one was decided by a Messi header to win 1-0. Regardless, a kit that puts you on the way to winning six trophies is an instant icon and deserves to be in the list of your greatest kits of all time. Fact. The half-and-half design was also beautiful, even if it did venture away from their classic stripes.
Winner: Barcelona
It has to be Barcelona. All in all, there’s not much about many of the Real Madrid kits that gives them enough basis to win this kit battle. All white shirts are hard to differentiate year on year. Both clubs have some iconic shirts worn in some legendary moments, but it’s hard to look past what a striped kit as fantastic as Barcelona’s has offered over the years.
