Leyton Orient’s greatest ever player had historic Real Madrid, Barcelona moment: View | OneFootball

Every Leyton Orient fan should know Laurie Cunningham’s name - he is the best player to have worn the famous red and white shirt.

And not only did he make an impact on the pitch, but he was also a trailblazer in the pursuit of racial equality in football.

For those reasons, he is thoroughly deserving of the statue dedicated to him in the Coronation Gardens near to the Gaughan Group Stadium.

However, some O’s fans, and indeed supporters from across the EFL, may not know enough about the London-born legend and how he once made his mark on football’s greatest rivalry.

Laurie Cunningham at Leyton Orient

Cunningham was rejected by Arsenal before joining Orient in 1974 at 18 years of age.

He spent the next three seasons at the East London club, all of which were in the Second Division.

He only scored one goal in his debut campaign, but the following two were far more prolific, netting eight times and seven times, respectively.

Though it was never really about production with Cunningham, instead he was admired for his exciting style of play.

The winger’s speed, trickery, and unpredictability made him an entertaining watch and is the reason why O’s fans appreciated him so much.

He made his last appearance for the club in March 1977, against Oldham Athletic, who he also made his debut against, before joining First Division club West Bromwich Albion.

Cunningham not only proved himself in the top flight at The Hawthorns but also in European competition.

The wide man scored four goals in eight UEFA Cup games, helping the Baggies beat Galatasaray, Braga, and Valencia before losing to Red Star Belgrade in the quarter-finals.

Laurie Cunningham at Real Madrid

Cunningham’s exploits for the O’s and the Baggies earned him a move to the Santiago Bernabéu, making him the first Englishman to play for Real Madrid.

The then-23-year-old was part of an outstanding front three, alongside Juanito and Santillana, with Spain’s World Cup-winning head coach Vicente Del Bosque in midfield.

Featuring in 29 out of a possible 34 La Liga games, scoring eight goals, Cunningham was a major contributor as his team lifted the 1979-80 La Liga title.

One of those strikes came in a 3-2 home win against Barcelona, though his finest performance came in the reverse fixture at Camp Nou.

Laurie Cunningham’s El Clásico moment

Cunningham achieved a feat that only Ronaldinho has since matched – receiving a standing ovation from opposing fans after an El Clásico game.

The O’s icon put in such a magnificent performance in Madrid’s 2-0 victory on February 10, 1980, that the Barça fans felt obliged to show their appreciation, which is something that has happened rarely, if at all, before or since.

"Ovation for Magnificent Cunningham," read the headline of Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo the next day.

Delivering a masterclass in dynamic wing play, and assisting Santillana with a defence-splitting through ball, Cunningham produced his very best on the biggest stage.

"He drove us crazy with his dribbling, his bursts, his speed. He was electric, impressive," recalled Migueli, the legendary Barcelona centre-back.