5 Reasons why the El Clasico is now more popular than ever

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid CF - La Liga
The biggest league match on the planet?

Spain's La Liga may not be acknowledged by media houses as the most powerful league in European Football, but the Spaniards definitely rule over the entire world, at-least twice a season, when the two poster clubs of Spain, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF lock horns for a promising clash, popularly known as El Clasico.

The Clasico is not a regular derby, yet it garners more attention than any other derby in world football. The match has been historically portrayed as a clash between the wealthy, conservative right-wing Real Madrid against the liberal, left-wing FC Barcelona.

El Clasico gained unmatched popularity in the Iberian Peninsula during General Franco's regime. The military dictator imposed the central 'government's' strength over the regions of Basque County and Catalunya. Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona were termed as the main victims of Franco's regime in footballing terms.

Political differences led to a rise in the popularity and significance of the Classic, but it was mainly restricted to Spain and surrounding regions. However, in recent times, the massive tie has received unparalleled media attention and fanfare globally. Known for its intensity and fast-flowing football, El Clasico is a true spectacle.

Although there is no proof to back the claim, most journalist and research sites state that around 400 million viewers tune in on an average to watch the two Spanish giant battle it out.

Let's have a look at few points which are potentially driving Clasico's popularity to the moon;


#1 La Liga's Marketing

TAG Heuer Becomes the Official Timekeeper and Official Sponsor of La Liga
Javier Tebas - La Liga's President

There is no denying that we live in an era of marketing, and any firm which wins the battle of accurate and calculative marketing often tends to win the war of superiority. FIFA's failure to appropriately promote its events in second-and-third-world countries and a lack of participation from emerging economies led to European leagues seizing the opportunity to cast their shadow over these markets.

England's Premier League and Spain's First Division are the only two global brands which have succeeded in the art of marketing. However, the former's recent failure on the European stage and the dominance of the Spanish giants in the Champions League gives La Liga a slight advantage over the Prem. El Clasico acts as La Liga's poster material for marketing and the Spaniards have used the monumental clash's influence to their good.

#2 Decreasing global popularity of other derbies

Serie A: AC Milan v Inter Milan
The once popular Milan Derby has lost its popularity over the years

While derbies are still a critical part of local culture and tradition, most of the derbies have lost their global significance over the years. Not technically a derby match, the El Clasico has built its popularity over the failure of other famous matches. In Italy, the Milan Derby was once considered to be one of the most promising matches but the failure of both the Milan teams over the past few years has led to a dip in the average viewerships of Derby di Milano. South American derbies are one of the most aggressive and showcase sheer footballing spirit, but a marketing failure of the local leagues are an impediment. France and Germany don't offer a lot of promising clashes and are therefore considered as some of the easiest leagues to play in, at least in recent times.

Manchester United v Liverpool - Premier League
Manchester United v Liverpool: A Premier League Classic

In the Premier League, the much vaunted Merseyside Derby has lost its class and competitive nature. Other clashes like the North London Derby have also died out in the popularity charts. The Manchester Derby still remains a solid match, but United has failed to report any significant success after Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. The highly anticipated match between United and Liverpool has also lost its sheen over the years.

FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, on the other hand, are the two most successful clubs in Europe (all competitions) and continue to deliver thrilling encounters with alarming regularity.

#3 Quality of Football

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid CF - La Liga
FC Barcelona v Real Madrid CF - La Liga

Pep Guardiola's appointment at the Barcelona helm revolutionized the footballing system in Catalunya for good. Not only did Barca's success under the Spaniard made them one of the finest squad in world football, it was a foundation for Spain's success in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In Madrid, Jose Mourinho instilled ruthless counter-attacking, which is still a fundamental part of Zidane's side.

Some of the finest footballers in the world play for these two sides, partly due to the impressive youth systems of the two clubs and party due to the massive budgets at their disposal. Both clubs are known for their strong midfield.

On the current managerial front, Zinedine Zidane has established himself as a solid manager in a very short period of time. The Frenchman guided Los Blancos to the Champions League final thrice, winning twice. Real Madrid will face Liverpool for the 2018 Final in Kyiv. In Catalunya, Ernesto Valverde coached the Azulgranas to a domestic double in his first season.

#4 Relevance of the Match

Barcelona Victory Parade
Barcelona Victory Parade

While other derbies are primarily conflicts between two opposing ideologies, the Clasico promises more. In mostly all league clashes between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, the title is at stake. In the last decade, the two main clubs of Spain haven't missed the top three position in the league table even once. Such is the relevance of the Clasico that the three points at stake often lead to be the title decider for the league season.

“Obviously they are all special games. I was lucky enough to watch many of them, and then had the opportunity to play in this fixture. It’s incredible. It’s a spectacle for everyone, despite the fact that as a player you suffer with nerves and anxiety. The most important thing is to put on a good show, because it’s the most watched game in the world." - Luis Suarez
Malaga CF v Real Madrid CF - La Liga
Madrid players celebrate the 2016-2017 League Title

Only Atletico Madrid have had the privilege of denying any of Barcelona or Real Madrid a league title in the last decade once. The Catalans have won the Spanish League in seven out of the last ten seasons, and so FC Barcelona calls it a 'Culer Decade'. Madrid, on the other hand, winning only two of the last ten, haven't been as successful in the league as their rivals in the last decade but their European dominance always puts a tough test for the Blaugrana.

#5 Messi vs Ronaldo

Real Madrid CF v FC Barcelona - La Liga
Ronaldo vs Messi

Undoubtedly the two greatest footballers of this generation, Messi and Ronaldo took El Clasico to a completely new level. El Clasico guarantees that the two incredible athletes would come to face to face at-least twice every season. The Argentine is the leading scorer in El Clasico history and happens to know a thing or two about scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, also has a impressive goal-scoring statistic and has a habit of silencing the Camp Nou crowd. With the amount of quality on the field, the Clasico is a match hard to be ignored. Both Messi and Ronaldo manage to contribute massively in every other game, scoring a lot too.

Football, and the sporting industry in general, are essentially are mode of entertainment, and entertainment is one thing that the Clasico guarantees due to the level of players representing the two clubs. Fans eagerly wait for a photo or two of the two players together.

The two have been consistent for over a decade now. Smashing old records, creating new unbreakable ones, the duo has performed at a level possibly no other set of rivals have performed at in the past.

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Edited by Zeeshan Ali