Back to the International Newsfeed

Barcelona, Real Madrid and El Clasico: The people who made it the biggest match in soccer

When it comes to world soccer, there's arguably no game or rivalry bigger than Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. The sides renew acquaintances on Sunday (10:15 a.m. ET; stream LIVE on ESPN+) in the 247th official edition of El Clasico (excluding friendlies), and it might even be one of the biggest clashes in all of sports, rivaling the Super Bowl or World Series when it comes to global viewing power. These days, fans in over 180 countries can watch these two battle -- a population of over 650 million, though realistic estimates for viewing figures are in the 75-100m range -- and while both sides look vulnerable this season, the century-old feud will bring out the best in both.