The Spanish Super Cup final has witnessed a long list of memorable games since its inception, matches that will endure forever in one of the greatest soccer nations in the world.
The Supercopa de España is one of the three major domestic trophies available in Spanish soccer every season. Although the format of the competition has changed in its 44-year history, winning the final remains a prestigious feat for any team in Spain.
Ten teams across Spain have won the Super Cup since the tournament began, with Barcelona and Real Madrid—the nation’s powerhouses—the two most decorated teams of all time.
But the final specifically has witnessed iconic matches, breathtaking individual performances, dramatic endings and controversial scenes that have elevated the competition to new heights.
Here, Sports Illustrated ranks the five greatest Spanish Super Cup finals of all time.
5. Real Madrid 5-3 Barcelona (1997)
Real Madrid won their fifth Spanish Super Cup in 1997 and their fourth straight final against Barcelona in the competition, planting the seeds for what would end up being an historic season.
Excitement surrounded Barcelona as they entered the Louis Van Gaal era aiming to recapture the glory of the Johan Cruyff “Dream Team” from years prior, and a 2–1 victory at Camp Nou in the first leg of the final only increased the expectations.
But it was all Real Madrid in the second leg. Los Blancos ruthlessly dismantled Barcelona at the Bernabéu, scoring four unanswered goals within the hour, including a brace from club legend Raúl. It was an absolute beatdown from Los Blancos, a victory kickstarting a season that ended with Real Madrid ending a 32-year Champions League title drought nine months later.
4. Barcelona 3–2 Real Madrid (2026)
The latest edition of the Spanish Super Cup final was an absolute thriller of an El Clásico that was action-packed from the start. Barcelona ended up overcoming Real Madrid to become the first team to win consecutive Supercopa titles in its four-team formant.
Real Madrid were eager for revenge after Barcelona pummeled them 5–2 in the final a year prior. However, it was the Catalans who opened the scoring through Raphinha, before a gripping and chaotic end of the first half saw Real Madrid respond to tie the game two apiece by halftime.
In a tense second half, the bitter rivals traded blows but it was Raphinha who scored the decider to clinch a 3–2 win for the Blaugrana, bagging a brace in the final against Los Blancos for the second year in a row. For the third time in one year, Hansi Flick led Barcelona past Real Madrid in a final to maintain their dominance within Spanish soccer.
But the ramifications of the defeat were drastic within Real Madrid, who parted ways with manager Xabi Alonso less than 24 hours after the final whistle blew in Saudi Arabia.
3. Athletic Club 3–2 Barcelona (2021)
Barcelona where heavily favored to defeat Athletic Club in the 2021 final, but the pride of the Basque country pulled off arguably the greatest comeback in the history of the competition to stun the Catalans and lift their first piece of silverware in over half a decade.
A pair of Antoine Griezmann strikes saw Barcelona get within touching distance of Super Cup glory, but Athletic Club had other ideas and Asier Villalibre’s dramatic goal with one minute of stoppage time left sent the final to extra-time. Once there, Iñaki Williams became the hero, scoring a stunning goal worthy of winning a trophy.
Although Barcelona ventured forward in the dying moments, they couldn’t truly test Unai Simón and frustrations got the better of their biggest star, Lionel Messi. In the last Spanish Super Cup final Messi played, he saw the first and only red card of his Barcelona career after hitting out at Villalibre towards the end.
2. Real Madrid 5-1 Barcelona (2017)
Real Madrid entered the 2017 Super Cup final on the back of conquering their second straight Champions League title. Meanwhile, Barcelona where still reeling in the immediate aftermath of Neymar’s shock departure.
It was the perfect storm for Los Blancos to massacre their greatest foe, and they didn’t squander it.
The first leg of the final was the Cristiano Ronaldo show. The greatest player in Real Madrid history scored a cracking goal to seal a 3–1 victory at Camp Nou. Ronaldo famously took off his shirt and displayed it for all Barça fans to see, an iconic moment that will never be forgotten by both sides of the rivalry, but one that earned him a yellow card that came back to bite him later.
Near the end of the first leg, Ronaldo was sent off for simulation trying to win a penalty. The Portuguese talisman lost his cool in evident fury and shoved match referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, earning a five-game suspension to start the 2017–18 term, including the second leg.
Real Madrid didn’t skip a beat without Ronaldo, though, dispatching the Catalans 2–0 in the second leg with a sensational goal from Marco Asencio—who also scored a brilliant goal in the first leg in what was an inspired final performance from the then Real Madrid youngster.
1. Barcelona 5–4 Real Madrid (2011)
At the height of the Barcelona vs. Real Madrid rivalry during the Pep Guardiola–Jose Mourinho era, the two Spanish juggernauts met in the two legged 2011 Super Cup final and went on deliver nothing short of fireworks in both games.
The first leg at the Bernabéu was a vibrant affair where both sides stood in the middle of the ring in a heavyweight bout. In the end, goals from David Villa, Messi, Mesut Özil and Xabi Alonso sent the final all square on aggregate to the second leg at the Camp Nou.
The return match was arguably one of the best El Clásicos played in the 21st century, a clash that had absolutely everything and encapsulated the essence of the biggest rivalry in the sport. As was the case during many Clásicos during that period, it was Messi’s brilliance that made the difference.
Messi assisted Andrés Iniesta’s opener before Los Blancos responded through Ronaldo. Messi restored Barcelona’s lead with a now famous chip over Iker Casillas, with Ronaldo on his knees trailing behind in an unsuccessful attempt to stop him.
Karim Benzema equalized again for Madrid in the second half, but Messi wouldn’t be denied and scored the winner with a stellar volley inside the last five minutes of the final. Yet the action didn’t stop there, as Mourinho then infamously poked the eye of then Barcelona assistant manager Tito Villanova, resulting in a two-match suspension.
It was a breathtaking Spanish Super Cup final between the two best teams in the world at the time, one that perfectly illustrated the incredible heights of the unparalleled spectacle that was El Clásico.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Best Spanish Super Cup Finals of All Time—Ranked.
