Top five Barcelona and Real Madrid players who grew up supporting the rival club

These players have been excellent during their time in La Liga.

Among all sporting rivalries, FC Barcelona versus Real Madrid is arguably the most fierce. Their competition on the pitch has always been fierce. But they also compete on off-field businesses to earn bragging rights as the best in the world. 

The rivalry between them divides the world into two parts, and the emotions of players and fans make the rivalry the most beautiful. Nevertheless, since both clubs are among the best in the world, every player dreams of playing for them at any cost. Even if they have to go against their childhood wishes. 

There have been players from both clubs who grew up supporting rival clubs but later played for the other. Let's look at these top five FC Barcelona and Real Madrid players who grew up supporting the rival club. 

5. Isco

It is Isco who comes first on the list. The Spanish midfielder played nine years at Real Madrid and won the Champions League five times with them. Though Isco's Madrid career ended in disappointment, he was always regarded as an important player for them.

In Zidane's first tenure as manager, he was an indispensable member of the team and enjoyed his best time at the club. Despite his big history with Real Madrid, Isco was an FC Barcelona fan in his childhood. He even had a photo released online with FC Barcelona's shirt at a party that attested to his love for FC Barcelona.

4. Neymar

The story of Neymar and FC Barcelona has been a tangled one. He was offered many big offers by Real Madrid and other clubs. But rejected them all to join Barcelona in 2013, and then controversially left FC Barcelona in 2017. However, after spending some time away from FC Barcelona. He attempted to return to it from Paris Saint-Germain, but he was unsuccessful.

While Neymar played for FC Barcelona for four seasons and has a long history there, he once wanted to be a star at Real Madrid in his early years. In an interview with Marca during his time at Santos, Neymar revealed that he dreams of playing for Real Madrid and considers Zidane to be his idol.

3. Luka Modric 

Luka Modric has been defying expectations throughout his career and even at the age of 37, he is one of the best midfielders in the world. The Croatian still runs the midfield of Madrid but in 2008, he was close to joining FC Barcelona which were once his favourite club.

One of the reasons for Modric's likeness to FC Barcelona was his admiration for Johan Cruyff. FC Barcelona reportedly offered him a contract in 2008, but even after he was presented with the number 14 FC Barcelona shirt that Johan Cruyff wore at the club by a Catalan-based newspaper Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan club couldn't convince him.

2. Zidane

In both his role as a manager and as a player at Madrid, Zidane defined an era. As a player and manager, he achieved everything at the club and brought it to unimaginable heights. Though Zidane is considered an all-time great at the club, during his early days he considered FC Barcelona his favourite Spanish team.

In an interview from his early career, Zidane stated that Juventus are his favourite Italian club and FC Barcelona are his favourite Spanish football club. Nevertheless, Zidane joined Real Madrid in 2001 and what he accomplished is well known to all football fans.

1. Andreas Iniesta

Iniesta and FC Barcelona are two things that bind together. The Spanish great left European football in 2018 at the age of 34 as he could not think of himself in any other jersey than FC Barcelona's. However, an old video of him saying Real Madrid are his favourite club proves his love for them. Iniesta even confesses that he loves Real Madrid with all his power.

In reality, Andreas Iniesta was not a Real Madrid fan, but he was an Albacete hardcore fan. However, FC Barcelona thrashed them 7-1, which ignited his hatred of FC Barcelona and made him support Real Madrid, FC Barcelona's archrivals. Iniesta joined FC Barcelona's academy in 1996 and the rest is history.