Top 10 Football Rivalries
Football Rivalries it’s one of the most beautiful things in football. The derby game between your favourite team and your rival its the game you are waiting for the whole season. Its the day when millions of people gather in front of the small screen holding breath for the first whistle in waiting for the start of the game. The day when you don’t want your team to lose because otherwise the oppositions fans will remind you for that lost every convenient second. So in this article, we will show Top 10 Football Rivalries in the World.
10. The Ruhr Derby
The beginning of this fierce derby began with a 4-2 Schalke victory on 3th of May 1925. With the creation of Gauliga in 1936, Dortmund developed their rivalry with Schalke. Which at that time was the most successful team in Germany with six of seven up to date German Championships and one German Cup. In the early meetings, Schalke was the team who dominated over Dortmund with 14 wins and one draw.
With the creating of Bundesliga in 1963, the rivalry continued with full steam ahead. There are many games between these two German giants during history, but the two most memorable matches will be the one in 2005 and 2007. The game played in 2005 ended Schalke’s a seven-year undefeated streak in the derbies between those teams. But the game in 2007 will always be memorable for both sides, especially for Schalke’s fans. Withholding the first place for three months and two games left before the end of the season, the final match was against Dortmund. Guess what happened? With nothing left to fight Dortmund ruined their arch-rivals title dreams by beating them 2-0 and leaving Schalke two points behind Stuttgart and behind the Silver Sabatier.
9. Inter Milan vs AC Milan
The Derby Della Madonina as it is known around the world its another derby between two city neighbours. The rivalry started eight years after AC Milan was founded, as some misunderstanding between the people on the top regarding signing international players led to a separation between the board, who later would go to create Inter Milan.
The record between this clubs its very close, with 80 wins for Inter and 77 wins for AC Milan. Talking about titles, both teams are very close too. Both sides won 18 league titles, while in Copa Italia Inter is leading the race with seven to five titles against AC Milan.
Regarding the most prestigious club tournament in the world – Champions League, nobody except Real Madrid has won more titles the AC Milan, who has seven. In contrast, Inter Milan has won only three. In the past few years, both clubs been far from their best form, lurking around top 4 and struggling to get closer to the hegemon in Italian football Juventus. But one thing it’s sure that those two European giants will do everything to go back where they used to be- at the top of the World.
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8. Tottenham vs Arsenal
This old English derby is also known as the North London derby its played between the two most notable clubs in London. Always providing the viewers with spectacular games this derby it’s also one of the most fierce one in England. With their attacking football and fast pace philosophy, you will never be bored watching them.
For many years Arsenal has been the better team between these two clubs by winning the Premier League title and FA Cup multiple times while Spurs been struggling to get closer to their biggest rival. But in recent years with investing a lot of money in the club for buying quality players its seems that the gap between them it’s getting smaller and smaller. With the appointment of Mauricio Potchetino Tottenham reach peaks which no one believed they would reach and becoming the better team in North London by ending before their rival in the league and competing for the title. But the most significant achievement so far for Spurs it’s the reaching the Champions League Final in 2019 loosing 2-0 against Liverpool.
In the record between these two clubs Arsenal, it’s leading the race with 77 wins while Tottenham has 58 and the draws are 51. In terms of titles Arsenal its also leading the race with 44 titles of which 13 Premier League titles, while Spurs has 21 titles of which only two times they manage to win the League. But without a doubt exciting times are coming ahead for both teams with Michael Arteta as Arsenal manager and Jose Mourinho as Spurs manager.
7. Lazio vs Roma
The derby of the Eternal City or know as the “Derby Della Capitale” it’s one of the best derbies in the World. It’s fascinating how the rivalry between those two teams began. In 1927 one of the most controversial people in Italy’s history know as Benito Mussolini decided to create a unified team so he could compete with the teams from North ( Inter, Milan and Juventus) and the name of the team was AS Roma. He manages to unified several teams from the capital of Italy apart one, and that one was Lazio. They manage to avoid that because of very influential fascist general Giorgio Vaccaro.
Since then, the rivalry between these two clubs has always been charged with a lot of emotions, and hight voltage tension between their ultras. With numerous violent actions from both sides, they are known as one of the most dangerous factions in the football world.
In the record between these two teams AS Roma has 71 wins and Lazio has won 53 games, the draw games are 65. In the title race, they are very close to each other. AS Roma has won 16 major titles of which 3 Seria A titles and 9 Copa Italia titles while Lazio has won 17 major titles of which 2 Seria A titles and 7 Copa Italia titles.
6. Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos
What a derby we are having here. Know as the Derby of the eternal rivals and Mother of all Battles, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos is the local derby of Athens and its also derby between the two most successful Greece football teams. Mother of all Battles derby it’s one of the most fearsome derbies in the world know with the tension between their ultras and great choreographic during the derby.
Panathinaikos was founded in 1908 and considered as the team of the high-class people. While Olympiacos founded in 1925 viewed as the team of the working-class people, this class differences between the people who support these clubs offered a further reason for the hostility between these two clubs. This derby its also famous with the acts of violence during the games, and there were multiple cases when it ended with the death of someone. That is the ugly side of this sport where the hatred in some situations it’s bigger than the game, and unfortunately, human lives are getting lost.
On the domestic scene, Olympiacos is the most successful team in Greece with record 79 major official titles compared to Panathinaikos with 44 titles and also being more successful in head to head games. But on the other hand, Panathinaikos is the better team on an International level with reaching two semi-finals in Champions league in 1985 and 1996 while Olympiacos best performance it’s reaching the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League in 1999.
5. Liverpool vs Manchester United
Know as one of the greatest rivalries in English football, Liverpool and Manchester United derby is one of the most passionate games one can see. The two most successful teams in English football always offer great spectacles to the football world whenever they play each other.
Leading the race in that prestige chart its Manchester United with 66 major titles of which 20 Premier League titles and three Champions League titles. At the same time, Liverpool has 63 major titles of which 18 Premier League titles and 6 Champions League titles, which make them the best European team in England. In head to head games, Manchester United have a lead of 75 wins against 63 wins for Liverpool and 51 draws.
This game has seen a lot of incredible and unforgettable games between this two clubs with the obvious hatred between their players on and off the pitch, and for sure we will be looking forward to the next North West Derby.
4. Glasgow Rangers vs Celtic
Also, known as the Old Firm Derby this rivalry it’s one of the most famous in the football world. The battle between the most successful teams in Scottish Football always offers fearless tackles and tons of passion on the field. That derby its one of the oldest and most fiercely games in the world, and it’s responsible for bringing substantial revenue to the economy of the country.
On the other hand, unfortunately, the violence takes an important part of this derby with multiply accessions and invasions on the pitch, and vandalism. The violence also resulted in couple deaths over the years, which gives a dark flavour of this beautiful game where the violence doesn’t have a place.
In terms of games record Rangers are leading the race with 162 wins, while Celtic has 159 and draws between them are 99. Regarding the titles again Rangers are leading the race with 115 major titles of which 54 are SFL titles, while Celtic has 109 major titles of which 50 SFL titles. But on the International stage, Celtic is the leader with 1 Champions League title against 0 for Rangers.
3. Red Star Belgrade vs Partizan Belgrade
This Balkan derby its not only famous in Serbia but it’s famous all around the world with spectacular choreographs during the game and endless singing from the stands. Founded in the same year 1945 Red Star and Partizan have been dominant teams in Yugoslavia in the past and nowadays in Serbia, creating a rivalry that is known all around the globe.
Whenever they are facing each other in the League, the whole town its paralysed in waiting what the game will bring. World wide famous with their passionate ultras and very often with violence before and after the match this derby its one of the most dangerous to attend. With 108,000 spectators at the stadium watching the game, you can imagine how important is that game for the country and Belgrad.
In head to head games, Red Star has 64 wins while Partizan has 47 and 50 games ended a draw.
2. El Clasico
This derby between the biggest clubs in the world Real Madrid and Barcelona it’s one of the most famous games around the globe, and it’s among the most viewed annual sporting events. The match sees the highest level of football with the best football players in the world, representing the biggest clubs in the country and the two biggest cities in Spain. Also, know for opposition political parties, this makes the derby even more intense and passionate among their fans.
The world has seen some of the greatest football players in both teams. With players from the calibre of Zinedine Zidane and both Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid and Cuman, Stoichkov, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and of course Leonel Messi for Barcelona.
In the games between them, Real Madrid has 99 wins while Barcelona has 115 wins and 62 games ended a draw. In terms of titles, Barcelona has 96 major titles while Real Madrid has 92. In the international level, Real Madrid is the most titled club in the world with the record 13 Champions League titles and only 5 for Barcelona.
1. Boca Juniors vs River Plate
One of the most famous if not the most famous derby in the world Superclasico its between the giants of Argentina football River Plate and Boca Juniors. Based in the same city Buenos Aires this is another derby between two very noisy neighbours. This derby its know for one of the fiercest and most essential derbies.
This derby is noted for the passion of the fans, and the violent factions on both sides. Also famous with their stadiums, La Bombonera and El Monumental this derby its also know world wide for the chants and the songs of their fans during the game.
In terms of head to head games, Boca has 88 wins with 83 wins for River and 78 matches ended a draw. Regarding major trophies, the gap it’s not so big with 68 titles for Boca and 66 titles for River Plate.
Feel free to share which derby around the world it’s your favourite one down below in the comments.
Petar Leykov
