Real Madrid and Barcelona All-Time El Clasico Combined XI

Generations of superstars have come through both Real Madrid and Barcelona, but 11 players stand out as legends of the game.

El Clásico is one of the best rivalries in sports, let alone soccer. Not only are Real Madrid and Barcelona bitter rivals, but they are also two of the biggest clubs in the world with trophy cabinets most teams can only dream of.

The success of the two Spanish giants comes from their incredible wealth of talented players throughout the years. Some of the best to ever lace up a pair of boots, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, can trace their careers back to Real Madrid and Barcelona.

In fact, a lineup featuring the best players from both clubs just might be the most unstoppable team in the history of the sport.

Here's Sports Illustrated's all-time combined XI for Real Madrid and Barcelona.

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Real Madrid and Barcelona All-Time Combined XI (4-3-1-2)

GK: Iker Casillas—At his prime, Casillas was the best goalkeeper in the world. From age 18 and onward, the Spaniard made 725 appearances for Real Madrid, making him the second-most capped player in club history. Casillas lifted five La Liga titles and three Champions League titles during his time in white.

RB: Dani Alves—Alves has won the second-most trophies in soccer history, and 23 came from his time at Barcelona. The Brazilian was part of arguably the greatest club team of all time and helped the Catalans claim two trebles with his brilliance on the right flank.

CB: Sergio Ramos—Ramos etched his name in Real Madrid history during the 2014 Champions League final. The defender then went on to captain Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018. There were a few red cards along the way, but Ramos' tenacity formed the defensive identity for Los Blancos in the 16 seasons he spent in Madrid.

CB: Carles Puyol—Speaking of club legends, Puyol spent 15 seasons at Barcelona, 10 of which he donned the captain's armband. Not only was he an exceptional leader both on and off the pitch, but he is one of the best defenders in Spanish history. Puyol's physicality and expert tackling gave him the edge over any striker in the world.

LB: Marcelo—There has yet to be another left back in La Liga, and maybe even in Europe, who can do what Marcelo did for Real Madrid. From his dribbling ability and pinpoint crosses to his defensive prowess, the Brazilian was a must-see player on a team full of superstars. An argument can be made for Roberto Carlos, but the pure talent of Marcelo cannot be denied.

CM: Xavi— Xavi is known as one of the greatest midfielders of all time for good reason. The Spaniard controlled every game for Barcelona, using his exceptional passing to dictate the tempo of matches. Xavi could anticipate an opponent's move before they even made it, and helped the Catalans win eight La Liga titles and four Champions League titles.

CM: Luka Modrić—If Modrić's playmaking and technical skill are not enough to convince you of his spot in our combined XI, then his trophy cabinet should be. The Croatian has won six Champions League titles, the most by a single player in history. He also is the only player not named Messi or Ronaldo in our lineup to take home the Ballon d'Or.

CM: Andrés Iniesta—Iniesta will forever be a hero in Spain and not just for his 2010 FIFA World Cup-winning goal against the Netherlands. The Spaniard's time at Barcelona was full of silverware, much in part thanks to his vision and composure in the midfield. When you factor in his off-the-charts work rate and 136 assists across all competitions, Iniesta is undoubtedly one of one.

AM: Zinedine Zidane—There was not much Zidane couldn't do in his days as a player. The Frenchman created chances out of nothing, dribbled past just about any defender and scored some of the most ridiculous goals of all time. He would go on to become a legendary coach at Real Madrid, leading the club to its 11th, 12th and 13th Champions League titles in consecutive seasons.

ST: Lionel Messi—Eight Ballon d'Or awards. Need we say more? Messi is still carving his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time, but he will never be able to replicate what he did at Barcelona. The Argentine took home 35 trophies in 17 seasons with the Catalans and produced countless highlight-reel worthy goals, assists and individual pieces of magic that will stand the test of time.

ST: Cristiano Ronaldo—Ronaldo holds just about every goalscoring record for Real Madrid. The forward bagged a club-high 451 goals in his time in white and is on his way to scoring 1,000 career goals. No one was more instrumental than Ronaldo in Real Madrid's historic Champions League threepeat and the Portugal international is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner.