The epic story of Bernd Schuster

The epic story of Bernd Schuster - the man who crossed all three of LaLiga’s great divides

The 65-year-old German (as of 2025) was one of the greatest footballers to have ever plied their trade in LaLiga and he just so happens to be one of two players to have ever represented all three of Spain’s biggest clubs - Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

The only other player to have achieved the same feat is Spaniard left-back Miquel Soler whose La Liga career spanned over two decades

Nicknamed ‘the Blonde Angel’, Schuster rose to prominence in 1980 when he was signed by Barca from Bundesliga club FC Cologne and was named runner-up in the Ballon d’Or rankings by the end of his first season at just 20 years of age.

He went on to make 316 appearances across all three Spanish powerhouses, scoring a total of 87 goals from midfield.

Schuster’s eight-year stay at the Camp Nou ended on a sour note when he decided to cross the great divide by joining arch-rivals Real Madrid in 1988 after being forced out of the Barca squad for an entire season by President Nunez.

Under the tutelage of John Toshack, the side was built around five academy products in Emilio Butragueno, Manolo Sanchis, Rafael Vazquez, Michel and Miguel Pardezza, with Schuster as one of the outside talents added to the line-up.

While the Champions League may not have been his competition, Schuster had plenty of success in the Copa del Rey, winning three with Barca, one with Madrid and two with Atletico Madrid, which was his next destination.