Five of the Fiercest Rivalries in Football
Football fans can be a passionate, tribal bunch, so it’s no surprise when a rivalry – be it geographical or historical – boils over into unsavoury scenes.
The September meeting in the Netherlands between Ajax and Feyenoord, known as De Klassieker, had to be abandoned after 56 minutes when Ajax fans began to throw flares and fireworks onto the pitch.
The Dutch Football Association ordered the rest of the match to be played behind closed doors, which is an unusual move and one prompted by the fierceness of the rivalry between the two clubs.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to football’s most hotly-contested rivalries…
Arsenal vs Tottenham
Local derbies are often the scene of impassioned competitiveness in the beautiful game, but in the case of North London neighbours Arsenal and Tottenham, there’s often more than bragging rights up for grabs.
Following the 2-2 stalemate in September 2023, Arsenal’s outright odds to win the Premier League slipped to 15/2 for those betting on today’s football matches. The was nothing to separate the two North London clubs, but this early test of the Gunners' mettle suggests that they're not quite ready to challenge Manchester City.
This will make the top-four battle between Arsenal and Spurs interesting, though. When two fierce local rivals also have a keenly fought competitive battle on the pitch, it makes the intensity all the feistier.
When two fierce local rivals also have a keenly fought competitive battle on the pitch, it makes the intensity all the feistier.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid
Some of football’s most bitter rivalries pit two teams with clear points of difference against one another.
Barcelona have historically been a club with core values about nurturing talent through the youth ranks. Barcelona's famous La Masia Academy has seen some of its graduates go on to become the world's best, including Lionel Messi. Real Madrid, meanwhile, has enjoyed success, in this century at least, through its recruitment of Galacticos. World-class marquee signings, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, have propelled Real Madrid to the top of the European stage, enjoying greater Champions League than Barcelona in recent years.
With such operational differences, Barcelona and Real Madrid are never likely to be comfortable bedfellows – factor in that they’ve been battling for the La Liga titles for decades and El Clasico, their rivalry, becomes about more than just football.
Boca Juniors vs River Plate
The two most successful clubs in Argentina play their part in a rivalry known as the ‘Superclasico’.
To offer some context, it’s thought that two-thirds of all football fans in the country support either Boca Juniors or River Plate, so this is a competitive conflict that has the hopes and dreams of tens of millions of people riding on it.
The atmosphere in Buenos Aires when the two clubs meet is, well, charged to say the least.
Celtic vs Rangers
In a similar vein to El Clasico, Celtic and Rangers – the two most decorated clubs in Scotland – have a rivalry that runs deeper than just the beautiful game.
With both teams located in Glasgow, there’s the local dominance to be won here. However, their history shows a difference in religious beliefs that is still generally true today. Couple this with the fact that they're competing for bragging rights as Scotland's number one club, every time the two meet it makes for a hotly-contested clash.
It’s a cultural melting pot and an almighty footballing battle as well: these two teams have dominated Scottish football for many, many years.
AC Milan vs Inter Milan
Sharing a city is one thing, but how about sharing the same ground?
Sadly, the San Siro stadium in Milan is likely to be replaced with a new venue one day despite a legal reprieve, but you can rest assured that the rivalry between Italian giants AC and Inter will remain every bit as passionate.
There’s a historic rivalry here – they used to be united as one club until a bitter split in 1908, with the two teams since representing the working-class people of Milan (AC) and the rather more bourgeois element (Inter).
If you’re ever seeking a cultural trip of new experiences, a visit to one of these cities when they host one of football’s major rivalries will certainly prove eye opening!
