5 iconic players who transferred directly between Barcelona and Real Madrid

Barcelona and Real Madrid are arguably the two biggest clubs in football history.

The Spanish giants have achieved great success ever since their inception both domestically and on the European stage. Known to pretty much everyone remotely aware of the sport, these two clubs are definitely worthy of legendary status.

Both clubs have had several world-class talents in their ranks. The most recent names are, of course, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who make a fair argument for being the two best players of all time.

The clubs meet at least twice every year for what is possibly the biggest fixture in world football: El Clasico. Despite them being massive rivals in Spain, there are some players who have made the switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid or vice-versa.

Let's take a look at five iconic players who transferred directly between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

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#5. Bernd Schuster

Bernd Schuster has also won acclaim as coach.

Bernd Schuster is one of football's most well-known names from the bygone era.

The German footballer came up through the Koln academy before signing for Barcelona in 1980. He spent eight long years with Blaugrana, winning several trophies.

Schuster played primarily in midfield and was dubbed 'The Blonde Angel' by football fans. A key member of the Barca side, Schuster is well known for scoring over 10 goals in seven of his eight seasons with the club.

Schuster then went on to play for Real Madrid in 1988. The move was heavily criticized by many but didn't seem to faze Schuster, who won two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey with Madrid.

Schuster further shocked football fans by signing for Atletico Madrid in 1990, where he won two Copa del Rey trophies.

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#4. Javier Saviola

Espanyol v Barcelona

Javier Saviola is another well known name who represented both Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The Argentine made his debut with River Plate before signing for Barca in 2001. He spent six years at the Nou Camp, with Blaugrana loaning him twice, to Monaco and Sevilla.

Despite making 172 appearances for Barca and scoring 72 goals, Saviola did not win any major trophies with the club. He then shocked the football world by signing for Real Madrid in 2007.

During his two years in Madrid, Saviola made only 30 appearances. He did, however, win a La Liga medal and a Supercopa Espana. Saviola left Madrid in 2009 after signing for Portuguese side Benfica.

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#3. Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique coaches Spain now.

Luis Enrique is a bonafide legend of Spanish football.

The former midfielder initially represented Sporting Gijon before signing for Real Madrid in 1991. Enrique was with Madrid for five years, winning a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Supercopa Espana.

Enrique was widely regarded as an extremely versatile player. He was an orthodox midfielder who could play as a forward as well if required. After five years in the capital of Spain, Enrique signed for Barcelona in 1996 on a free transfer.

Enrique's time with Barcelona was blessed with much more success. The player-turned-coach flourished during his eight years at the Nou Camp, even becoming club captain and winning several trophies.

He won two La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and one UEFA Super Cup during his time with the club along with a Cup Winners' Cup and a Supercopa de Espana. He further etched his name into Barcelona's history when he became the club's manager in 2014.

As manager, he ensured Barcelona remained at their best. He won two league titles and the coveted UEFA Champions League title in 2015 as well. Enrique now serves as the coach of the Spanish national team.

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#2. Michael Laudrup

Michael Laudrup in action for Barcelona

Michael Laudrup is another legendary player who featured for both Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Dane was with Juventus in 1989 when Barcelona came calling. Laudrup left Turin to join his role model Johan Cruyff, who was building Barcelona's "Dream Team".

Laudrup spent five years with Barcelona, winning four La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and one European Cup. He then went on to sign for Real Madrid in 1994 after the FIFA World Cup.

His time with Real Madrid was comparatively shorter; Laudrup only spent a couple of years in the whites of Madrid. He spearheaded their title challenge and came out successful in 1995, becoming the only player in history to win five successive titles while representing two clubs.

Laudrup is arguably the best-ever player to have come from Denmark.

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#1. Luis Figo

Luis Figo in action for Real Madrid v Juventus

Luis Figo is the most recent player to have transferred directly between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The Portuguese started out with his hometown club Sporting Clube de Portugal before signing for Barcelona in 1995. Primarily an attacker, Figo was extremely strong and fast in attack. He was incredibly skilled and effective as a creative player.

Figo's career with Barcelona was quite successful, with two consecutive La Liga wins from 1997 to 1999. He also won two Copa Del Rays as well as the UEFA Super Cup in 1997.

Figo then went on to sign for Real Madrid in 2000, sparking hatred and disgust from Barcelona fans worldwide. The move was worth a reported €62 million, with the Portuguese becoming the world's most expensive player at the time.

His achievements with Barcelona earned him the Ballon d'Or award in 2000. Despite being labeled a 'traitor', Figo never lost focus. He went on to enjoy a successful five years with the club, winning two La Ligas, two Supercopa de Espanas and the UEFA Champions League.

Figo made a combined 493 appearances for both clubs, scoring a total of 101 goals while also providing 151 assists. The Portuguese is considered by many to be Portugal's best-ever player despite the accomplishments of Cristiano Ronaldo.