The 10 Biggest Rivalries in Football Today

Even though we listed these rivalries in no particular order, it’s almost inevitable to start with the most-viewed match in club football. After all, football fans from more than 180 countries watch the El Clasico, a game that’s more than football for fans in Spain and around the globe.

Barcelona and Real Madrid’s star-studded teams have been fighting for dominance for over a century, but the social and political background takes this football rivalry to the next level. Namely, Real and Barcelona symbolize Spanish and Catalan nationalisms, making every clash an electric event where even pig heads can land on the pitch.

The Derby della Madonnina or Derby di Milano is a football match between two inter-city rivals and Italian football powerhouses that even share the same stadium, the San Siro or the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. In addition, the cultural background also plays a role because Milan used to be the club of the bourgeoisie, while the working class favored Inter.

As far as cross-town adversaries go, the Milan rivalry is the biggest derby in the world. The Rossoneri and the Nerazzurri typically have formidable teams, even though their trophy cabinets mostly feature decades-old silverware. Even so, the atmosphere is always spectacular when these two football heavyweights meet in cup competitions or Serie A.

We saved the third spot for the world-renowned clash between two of England’s most successful football clubs. Also known as The Northwest Derby, the match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United trumps all other Premier League rivalries regarding fan base or trophies. Of course, these games are often title deciders, raising the stakes to the maximum.

Since these clubs are only 35 miles apart, it’s no surprise that a win in The Northwest Derby brings more than bragging rights in this part of Britain. The clubs first met in 1894, and although Liverpool has won more trophies overall, Manchester United has more head-to-head victories in derby matches.

The Argentine Superclasico is the only South American derby on our list. It earns its spot because the animosity between Boca Juniors and River Plate fuels one of the biggest international football rivalries. Boca and River played the first game in 1913, with both teams originating from La Boca, the working-class area of Buenos Aires.

However, in 1925, River Plate moved to an affluent district, adding a socio-economic aspect to the rivalry. Over the years, many legendary Superclasicos have been played at La Bombonera and El Monumental amidst colorful banners, bouncing fans, and never-ending pyrotechnics.

The Rome Derby or The Derby della Capitale also ranks among the best rivalries in football , given the proximity of the two clubs and the passion of Italian football fans. The animosity between Roma and Lazio goes back to the actual foundation of the clubs, with Lazio resisting the merger proposed by Mussolini.

This intra-city derby is among the fiercest in European football, with both sets of fans causing riots and clashing with police in and outside the stadium because the winner gets the right to represent central Italy against the rich clubs from the north, i.e., Juventus, Internazionale, and AC Milan.

The Old Firm used to be the biggest derby in the world for a long time, but the decline of Scottish football saw it fall behind. Nevertheless, the friction between Celtic and Rangers never disappeared, primarily because Glasgow's political, religious, and social divides fueled the hatred. In other words, the Old Firm was always more than a sporting rivalry.

The Celtic and Rangers standoffs symbolize the battle between religious groups (Catholic vs. Protestant), political parties (loyalists vs. republicans), and social ideologies (socialism vs. conservatism). Thus, it’s no surprise that hostilities and bad blood rise to the surface whenever this football derby is played.

The North London Derby is a clash between two neighboring clubs, and this rivalry’s seeds were planted in 1913 when Arsenal moved from the southern to northern parts of the city. Over the years, the fierce opponents played nearly 200 official matches, with Arsenal having more wins and trophies than the Spurs.

Even though the London area has several elite football clubs, the North London Derby is among the biggest Premier League derbies. Both clubs played at the Highbury stadium in the early years, but they also shared White Hart Lane during the Second World War. Yet, these situations only added fuel to the fire, with the hatred escalating during the 1970s and 80s.

The long-lasting rivalry between Fener and Galata erupts on the day of The Intercontinental Derby, the biggest football match in Turkey. Both sides have massive fan bases, and the tensions are always high on the pitch and in the stands. Moreover, there are no friendlies between these football rivals representing the European and Asian parts of Istanbul because of the riots at the Taksim Stadium in 1934.

That’s why the animosity between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray is often called the Eternal Rivalry, and football hooliganism often accompanies these matches. Although Galata has more Turkish League championships, Fenerbahce has more head-to-head wins in the derbies. But, of course, this rivalry also includes social and religious aspects because Fener used to be the blue-collar workers’ club while the high-class society supported Galatasaray.

How about the nickname Mother of all Battles to signify one of the biggest football rivalries worldwide? In addition, a clash between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos is called The Derby of the Eternal Enemies, another nickname that leaves little room for thinking this is a friendly match. On the contrary, the two most successful Greek clubs have been at each other’s throats since the early 20th century.

Since the early days, Olympiakos, based in Piraeus, was supported by the working-class population, while the high-class Athenian society leaned toward Panathinaikos. Inevitably, the hatred grew with each season, but the class differences between the fan bases of these two Greek heavyweights have faded over the years. Nonetheless, the eternal enemies still have one of the fiercest football rivalries on the planet.

We saved the last spot for the longest-running top-flight derby in English football, a rivalry between two clubs separated only by Stanley Park. The Merseyside Derby is also known as The Friendly Derby, but the record-breaking number of red cards shows the nickname is misleading. Admittedly, you’ll often see fans sitting next to each other wearing blue and red.

This rivalry has David vs. Goliath connotations because Liverpool FC has a much richer trophy room and an enormous fanbase. However, given their legendary Scouser temperament, the Toffees will never accept Liverpool’s dominance, so the rivalry grows with each clash at Goodison Park or Anfield.