Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana: Full history, total wins and top goalscorers

No team has enjoyed more success in the Supercopa de Espana than Barcelona since the competition’s 1982 inauguration.

Given the club’s status as a Spanish behemoth, Barca have often earned themselves a place in the bout which once pitted the previous season’s La Liga victors up against the Copa del Rey winners. It was Spain’s answer to the English Community Shield.

However, the competition’s history, while not as extensive, is much more interesting than other domestic super cups. There have been multiple names, formats, and venues, with Barcelona’s dominance under Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola ensuring they top the trophy count.

Here’s an overview of Barca’s Supercopa de Espana history.

Barcelona won three Supercopas with Johan Cruyff in charge / Gary M. Prior/GettyImages

Barcelona won previous iterations of the Supercopa before its official establishment in 1982. The club lifted the unofficially recognised Copa de Oro Argentina in 1945 as well as the Copa Eva Duarte – named in tribute to the revered Eva Peron (Evita), wife of former Argentine president Juan Peron – on three occasions.

Barca were twice awarded the trophy for completing the Spanish double in 1952 and 1953.

The club’s history with the Supercopa de Espana began in 1983 when they claimed the first of their record 14 victories. Copa del Rey winners the season prior, Barca triumphed over La Liga winners Athletic Club under the tutelage of idealist coach Cesar Luis Menotti, who had earlier guided Argentina to World Cup glory in 1978.

Success was initially fleeting as they twice lost to Real Madrid over two legs, but Barca would then win three Supercopas under Johan Cruyff in the early 1990s. The Dutchman built a stylish, all-conquering side fittingly regarded as the ‘Dream Team’ given Cruyff’s fetish for collecting superstars.

The purchase and emergence of Brazilian phenom Ronaldo ensured Barcelona briefly remained successful, especially in cup competitions, in a post-Cruyffian Catalonia. Sir Bobby Robson oversaw the club’s dramatic 6-5 Supercopa triumph over Atletico Madrid in 1996, but that would prove to be Barca’s final victory in the competition until 2005.

The end of Louis van Gaal’s first tenure sparked a period of mediocrity at the start of the 21st century and it wasn’t until Frank Rijkaard was appointed in 2003 that Barca once again returned to the summit of the Spanish game. The club won back-to-back Supercopas in 2005 and 2006, beating Real Betis and Real Zaragoza respectively.

Like his mentor, Pep Guardiola led Barcelona to three Supercopas / JOSEP LAGO/GettyImages

A Cruyff disciple, Pep Guardiola, guided Barcelona through a second phase of notable supremacy. Guardiola led Barca to three La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey crowns, competing in the Supercopa every year between 2009 and 2011. Lionel Messi scored the first two of his record 14 goals in the competition in Barca’s 2009 second-leg victory over Athletic Club.

Guardiola’s side beat Sevilla (2010) and Real Madrid (2011) to lift the silverware before the Spaniard departed in the wake of an immensely draining 2011/12 season where they were beaten to the league title by Jose Mourinho’s Madrid.

Success in the competition has remained pretty frequent since Guardiola left town. Neymar struck the decisive blow against Atletico in 2013, while their 2016 triumph over Sevilla was emphatic. Barca beat Sevilla again over one leg in 2018 before the Supercopa changed to a four-team format.

Barcelona have competed in the competition every year since the format change, winning their 14th crown in 2022/23. They’ve so far twice been knocked out in the semi-finals, and were beaten finalists in 2020/21.