El Clasico is arguably the most famous
Football rivalry in the world. Partly fuelled by the political turmoil caused by the dicatator Francisco Franco and partly fuelled by the sporting rivalry that has emerged as a result of the two clubs being the biggest to come from Iberia, it has come to define Spanish football to a degree. There have been hundreds of fantastic players to have graced the rivalry and many of them have been lethal goalscorers. David Villa, , Raul, Hugo Sanchez, two different , and two different have all had the pleasure of playing in and scoring in an . 23 people have had the honour of scoring 28 different hat-tricks in an El Clasico match and this article details every single one of those occasions. El Clasico hat-trick scorers Player Name Team Date(s) Santiago Bernabeu
Real Madrid 2 April 1916, 13 April 1916 Luis Belaunde Real Madrid 13 April 1916 Paulino Alcántara
Barcelona 13 April 1916 Josep Samitier Barcelona 18 April 1926 Jaime Lazcana Real Madrid 30 March 1930, 3 February 1935 Juan Ramon Barcelona 5 April 1931 Ildefonso Sanudo Real Madrid 3 February 1935 Marti Ventolra Barcelona 21 April 1935 Pruden Real Madrid 13 June 1943 Sabino Barinaga Real Madrid 13 June 1943 Pahino Real Madrid 18 September 1949 Jesus Narro Real Madrid 14 January 1951 Cesar Rodriguez Barcelona 2 March 1952 Eulogio Martinez Barcelona 19 May 1957 Evaristo Barcelona 26 October 1958 Ferenc Puskás Real Madrid 27 January 1963 Ferenc Puskás Real Madrid 30 March 1964 Amancio Real Madrid 8 November 1964 Gary Lineker Barcelona 31 January 1987 Romario Barcelona 8 January 1994 Ivan Zamorano Real Madrid 7 January 1995
Lionel Messi Barcelona 10 March 2007, 23 March 2014 Luis Suarez Barcelona 28 October 2018 Karim Benzema Real Madrid 5 April 2023 Vinicius Junior Real Madrid 14 January 2024 The first hat-trick was scored by a legend called Santiago Bernabeu, and it was the first of four scored in the 1916 Copa del Rey semi-final. The first leg of that semi-final forced a replay as both teams won one game each. Goal difference was not taken into account at the time, which led to Luis Belaunde, Paulino Alcantara, and Bernabeu adding the second, third, and fourth hat-tricks of the famous rivalry. 10 years would pass by before Josep Samitier scored the fifth hat-trick in the quarter-final of the 1926 Copa del Rey. This would set up to win their seventh Copa del Rey. The first La Liga hat-trick took place three years later in a clash at the Estadio Chamartin and it was scored by Jamie Lazcano in a 5-1 win for Real Madrid. A hat-trick of hat-tricks was scored five years later in the 1934-35 season. Lazcano scored his second El Clasico hat-trick with Ildefonso Sanudo scoring another in the same 8-2 victory, but a few months later Barcelona got their revenge as a Marti Ventolra hat-trick powered them to a 5-0 victory. The next two hat-tricks occurred in what is one of the most controversial games in football history. In the 1943 Copa del Generalisimo, the Copa del Rey was renamed by the fascist dictator of Spain, the first leg was won by Barcelona. The Madrid press did not like this, and given the political climate of the time that saw Catalans oppressed in Spain, fuelled the furore that drove Madrid fans to create an atmosphere so hostile that some Barcelona players said they feared for their lives. Madrid won the game 11-1 with Pruden and Sabino Barinaga both scoring hat-tricks. This can be pointed to as the true start of the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with the reserve goalkeeper for the Blaugrana, Fernando Argila, recalling for Sid Lowe's book, Fear and Loathing in La Liga, that "There was no rivalry. Not, at least, until that game." Palhino's hat-trick in 1949 was the first to be scored at the Santiago Bernabeu, then called Estadio Real Madrid Club de Futbol, and Evaristo scored the first hat-trick at the Camp Nou. Ferenc Puskas became the first player to score at both the Santiago Bernabeu and Camp Nou and Amancio's hat-trick in November 1964 was the last in the fixture before a certain Gary Lineker came along. was brought to Barcelona by the late Terry Venables, known as El Tel during this time, and was a success during his first season, scoring a brace on his debut against Racing Santander. Lineker opened his El Clasico account with a tap in from close range in the second El Clasico of the 1986-87 season. It epitomised his poacher style of play and the second goal was no different as he was presented with an easy finish from even closer range after a shot was redirected into his path. The third goal came after a fantastic kick from goalkeeper Urruti bounced off the head of a Real Madrid defender into Lineker's path allowing him to slot home easily. It remains the only hat-trick to have been scored by a
British player in El Clasico. Romario's 1993-94 season was absolutely superb as his goalscoring antics fired Barcelona to a , a Supercopa de Espana, and the final of the which they unfortunately lost to AC Milan. He scored the first El Clasico hat-trick for seven years in what was a 5-0 win for the Blaugrana. The first was a moment of absolutely superb skill as a little drag of the ball saw him escape the Real Madrid defense allowing him to poke the ball past Francisco Buyo. The second was probably scored with a helping hand from the linesman as they missed what appeared to be an offside that allowed Romario to find himself wide open for a tap in and the third was another simple finish for the Brazilian as he once again found himself free and available in the box to score another easy tap in. Ivan Zamorano is one of the most iconic Chilean players and he joined Real Madrid from Sevilla in 1992. He won one league title and one Copa del Rey in his four years at the club, but he endeared himself to the Madrid faithful with a hat-trick against Barcelona almost exactly a year to the day of Romario's hat-trick. The first goal was an emphatic finish at the near post as he latched onto a loose ball and lashed it into the roof of the net to open the scoring. The second goal saw the Chilean hold off a Barcelona defender before slotting home calmly to extend Madrid's lead. He assisted another of Madrid's goals before latching onto a driven ball across the goalmouth for an easy finish at the back post. is one of four players who has scored two El Clasico hat-tricks. The first came in 2007 and it was the Argentinian's first professional hat-trick. He started it off with a relatively easy finish, finding himself wide open he calmly slotted home past for the first of 18 goals against the legendary Spanish goalkeeper. His second goal was an emphatic finish as a bouncing ball in the box came towards him before he lashed it home to level the score for a second time. His third goal secured a 3-3 draw for Barcelona as he managed to skip away from the Madrid defense before scoring with a powerful finish. This game fully announced Lionel Messi to the world and was the first three of his 26 goals against Los Blancos. His second hat-trick came seven years later in what is one of the greatest El Clasico matches of all time. Andrés Iniesta had opened the scoring early on before scored twice, and nearly added a third, to put Real Madrid ahead. Messi equalised for his first goal of the hat-trick after a scrappy fight for the ball in the box ended with him swinging at the ball and scoring past Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez.
Cristiano Ronaldo then scored a penalty to put Madrid back ahead but Barcelona and Messi were not finished for the day. A superb pass from Messi found who was through on goal before being fouled in the box by . Messi put away the resulting penalty to level the score once again before then fouled for Barcelona's second, and the match's third, penalty. Messi, of course, scored the penalty, completing his hat-trick, and completing a brilliant comeback that saw Barcelona win El Clasico. One of two Luis Suarez's to have played for Barcelona, but the only one to have scored a hat-trick, the Uruguayan demolished Real Madrid in 2018. He opened his tally for the evening with a simple penalty after he was fouled in the box by . But not many people have a better highlights reel of goals than El Pistolero (except perhaps ) and he added to this whilst completing his hat-trick as his second goal was an absolutely fantastic looping header that sailed past and nestled into the back of the net. He completed his hat-trick by chipping Courtois after drawing him off his line. Suarez more than made up for Lionel Messi's absence due to injury and this win only added to what would turn out to be a miserable season for Los Blancos. Karim Benzema is the second-highest goalscorer in Real Madrid's history, and is only one of two players in the top 10 to have scored a hat-trick in an El Clasico. Benzema opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time with a tap in from the goal line after blocked a shot. He then added a second after space opened up around him to give him an easy effort on goal. His final goal was a powerful penalty that secured Madrid's advance to the final of that season's Copa del Rey which they would go on to win against CA Osasuna. The most recent hat-trick was the first to take place outside of
Spain thanks to Vinicius Jr. Barcelona and Real Madrid played the 2024 Supercopa de Espana in
Saudi Arabia alongside and CA Osasuna. The Brazilian forward opened the scoring after a horrendous mistake at the back from Barcelona allowed him to break free, round the keeper, and slot home easily. It perfectly exemplified his anticipation, speed, and control. The second was an El Clasico classic as, as is often the case in this list, Vinicius scored from extremely close range as he slid to connect with a ball across the mouth of the goal. He capped off his strong performance with a strong penalty as Real Madrid won the Supercopa.