FOOTY FAIR

Football Rivalries - Racing and Independiente

2016-05-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Formed in 1891, Argentina's Primera Division is the oldest football league in the world outside of the United Kingdom.

The distinguishing feature of the Primera Division is that the competition is now comprised of 30 teams evenly split into two zones of fifteen sides. The one zone encompasses the Greater Buenos Aires area, while the other zone and it's fifteen clubs are spread elsewhere throughout the country.

The season ending winners of the two zones then play off against each other in a neutral ground hosted final to decide a national champion.

This unusual structure, and the fact that so many clubs are based in and around the Argentine capital, means that there are numerous hotly contested derbies to look forward each season.

While the rivalry between Boca Juniors and River Plate is known throughout the world, the derby between Independiente and Racing Club makes up for what it might lack in international recognition with an intensity that often spirals into violence.

Based in the port of Avellaneda, the grounds of these two rivals geographically could not be much closer with only a few hundred metres separating Independiente's Estadio Liberatadores de America from Racing's Estadio Juan Domingo Peron. Only Dundee and Dundee United in Scotland can lay claim to having major grounds that are so close together.

With both clubs coming into existence in the first decade of the twentieth century, the first Avellaneda derby took place in 1907 with Independiente taking home the spoils. But it would be Racing Club who would dominate the early years of Argentine football, claiming seven league titles in a row between 1913 and 1919, before returning for an era of dominance in the 1950's.

While it took rivals Independiente a little longer to gain a foothold in the league, it was internationally where they would make their mark. Back-to-back wins in the prestigious Copa Libertadores in 1964 and 1965 was followed by an unprecedented run of four straight titles between 1972 and 1975. The club won their still-record seventh South American club crown in 1984.

While River Plate and Boca Juniors are the two best supported clubs in the land, the Avellaneda sides are very much the country's third and fourth biggest. Now who edges ahead in terms of size depends on who you ask.

Since the early 1980's the passionate support for both sides quite often results in violence in and around the grounds on derby day, making this very much a fixture that the Argentine Football Federation and the police mark on the calendar as one to be wary of.

One of the more serious incidents between the clubs occurred in 2002, when a massive brawl between the two sets of Barras resulted in 25 people being sent to hospital and the shooting death of a 22-year-old Independiente fan.

Another notorious meeting in 2006 saw fighting in the stands during a Libertadores match result in Racing fans attacking the police and having the match, which Independiente were winning 2-0, abandoned.

As a result of this match, and a pattern of violence across several derbies across the country, the Football Federation banned all away supporters from matches in the top four divisions for the rest of the season.

While the two club's footballing success has declined a bit in recent years, with the notable exception of Racing's 2014 Primera Division title, this very much remains the second biggest derby in the country.

Derbies and Rivalries Posters by Pedro Cabellos (Gallery)

2015-01-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Rivalries is one of the most beautiful aspects of football around the world and it seems that Pedro Ceballos a graphic designer from São Paulo, Brazil agrees with that. Ceballos designed this set of rivalry posters for clubs from various leagues around the world.

Weekend Recap - What a True Derby Looks Like (Juventus v. Torino)

2014-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

I must admit that when it comes to Serie A football, I personally am as intrigued by it as by any other league I follow less than often. Of course, as a true football man I keep an eye on the action knowing that it is indeed one of the better leagues in the entire world. So when I sat down to watch the Turin derby this past weekend I knew that more likely than not I was in for a treat.

I wasn't wrong, that's for sure. A rivalry that doesn't get played every season due to Torino's bouncing around between relegation and promotion back to the top tier, the Derby della Mole is intense every time nonetheless and this season's first meeting between the two was no different.

Not surprisingly home side and Serie A leaders Juventus enjoyed the majority of possession and looked deservedly the better team on the pitch. But once the final whistle blew I couldn't help but feel that Torino deserved at least a draw in this match; a match that was won by the otherwise mediocre on the day Andrea Pirlo with what was practically the last shot of the match.

The passion and intensity both clubs played with however was really the highlight of the weekend for me personally. A true derby dynamic both on the field and in the stands; the derby buzz was apparent to those watching on TV, and I can only imagine the electric atmosphere experienced by those who were lucky enough to be in the city, or even better, in the stands.

The Bianconeri went ahead after just 15 minutes, at which point I was sure Torino would not be able to get a hold of the match. But the Granata did not give up. Just 7 minutes after Juve went 1-0 up, Torino managed to do what they could not achieve since for over 12 years when they last scored against Juventus. Aside from braking their terrible scoring record against city rivals Juventus, Torino not only scored, but managed to secure what will likely be one of the best goals of the year thanks to Bruno Peres' incredible individual effort to put his team level. The Brazilian full-back took the ball deep in his own end and dashed to the right wing. With a burst of speed he left Juventus players "in the dust"so to speak, right before slotting the ball into Juve's net from just inside the box. (see goal highlight below)

The celebration said it all. It was a moment that was very dear and important for the supporters of a team who had not scored against their bitter rivals since February of 2002.

It was two former Juventus footballers who nearly gave Torino a 2-1 lead just after the restart when Amauri and Quagliarella combined, just for Quagliarella to put the ball on the wrong side of the bar.

Juventus would have the very last laugh however, as none other than Andrea Pirlo would slot in a scorcher with no time left on the clock. The stadium erupted in a fashion that would be acceptable for a championship winning goal. That's how important derbies are for football fans. (Pirlo's goal below)

I sat satisfied after the final whistle. Not because I prefer Juve to Torino and perhaps not even because the football was the best quality I have ever seen. I was happy because I watched two clubs who understand the importance of an otherwise not so important middle of the season match between league leaders and a club that is mediocre at best (at least in the standings); a match that would otherwise go under the radar to fans outside of Italy if it were not a local rivalry.

FULL HIGHLIGHTS

Juventus - Torino (2-1) - Full Highlights 30-11... by musicandother2014

Football Rivalries - Derby du Rhône - Lyon vs. Saint-Étienne

2014-10-20T15:00:00.000-04:00

Although the name Derby du Rhône may not be a correct title in the eyes of Saint-Étienne supporters for this rivalry, the matches between these two sides have been the most interesting and intense in French football for decades.

Saint-Étienne is not really located in the Rhône region and does not sit along the Rhône river. Nonetheless, the name was given is still widely used for when these two clubs clash due to the close proximity of the two town.

Only 50 kilometers apart, the blue collar town of Saint-Étienne was always a big rival of mostly white collar Lyon. AS Saint-Étienne enjoyed great success domestically for a long stretch, winning the French league ten times between 1957 and 1981. But once the most successful club in the country, Saint-Étienne hit a wall of mediocrity with other clubs taking over as power-houses.

Olympique Lyonnais's glory did not come until much later, with the club winning its first domestic title in 2002. With 6 more championships in the next six consecutive years, the first decade of the new millennium was by far Lyon's most successful time in the French league.

Saint-Étienne's dominance in the 1950's, 60's and 70's meant that the club had a much better record between the two, but during Lyon's decade of superiority the record has almost evened out and has swayed Lyon's way in recent years.

Because of the rivalry between the two club, only few footballers have switched sides between the two sides. French international forward Bernard Lacombe spent 9 years with Olympique Lyonnais before joining Saint-Étienne in 1978. More recently, goalkeeper Grégory Coupet and striker Bafetimbi Gomis were popular names to switch sides the other way, going from Saint-Étienne to Lyon.

The fan bases from both cities dislike their opposition and at times these clashes can become quite heated both on and off the pitch. Both clubs are very well supported and meetings between these two clubs are always great to watch even from a neutral point of view.

12 Red Cards in Argentinian 3rd Division Match

2014-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

This week we have seen a bit of everything in football, even drone’s flying over stadiums, Euro qualification match being stopped due to a brawl, Balotelli being critical of his formal national team coach, well maybe that one was not as surprising as the others.

But continuing in the spirit of the Serbia vs Albania match, where the game had to be suspended due to a drone flying over the stadium and the ensued brawl between the players and fans, this video comes to you from Argentina. A game between Deportivo Roca and Cipolletti of the third division had to be suspended due to a massive brawl between players of both teams that ended with 12 players seeing a red card.

This time no flags or drones were involved but a huge lack of common sense and chivalry took over and the result was the game being abandoned in the 2nd half and 12 players being ejected.

It all started with a harmless foul but it soon broke out to a full on brawl that included players of both benches. The referee could barely contain the players and had no choice but to red card 12 of them which forced the game to be suspended, like the fight itself wasn’t enough for any person with common sense to call it a day and send everyone home.

As you can see from the video below, everything goes with the exception of the kitchen sink.

Football Rivalries - Ruhr Derby - Schalke 04 v Borussia Dortmund

2014-09-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

The Revierderby, also known as the Ruhr Derby, is arguably the biggest rivalry in German football.

As early goals Joel Matip and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting led Schalke to a 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, it moved Gelsenkirchen ahead of Jurgen Klopp's side in the standings.

It was just the latest installment of the battle between the two Ruhr based sides with a history pre-dating the Bundesliga by some forty years. Whereas the Munich derby isn't much of a contest, with Bayern being a much stronger and richer side than 1860 for virtually all of their history, the Ruhr derby is incredibly competitive.

The clubs began their rivalry back in 1925 and was dominated by Schalke in the early years, with the club winning 14 matches of their first 16 meetings with Dortmund, with only one loss and a draw.

In the post war era, Dortmund began to establish an edge as they would lose only 7 of their 32 meetings with Schalke in the period from 1947 to 1963.

With the advent of the Bundesliga, the meetings between the two sides have been completely even with each side triumphing 29 times over the other and 21 of their matches ending in draws.

The contests between the two sides feature incredibly passionate crowds and like a lot of the best rivalries in football is driven by fierce local pride in this highly industrial part of Germany.

An interesting fact is that although Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park boasts a higher capacity than the Veltins Arena, Schalke's membership numbers are much higher than that of their neighbours.

Whereas Dortmund have won 5 Bundesliga titles, Schalke have never won the league and suffered the ignominy of having Dortmund beat them on the final day of the 2006/2007 season to deny them their first title.

Even one of Schalke's greatest triumphs, that of beating Inter Milan to win the UEFA Cup in 1997, was overshadowed the next week when Dortmund won the Champions League.

So needless to say, Schalke's fans will more than savour their victory yesterday.

6 Matches to Watch This Weekend - Derby Weekend

2014-09-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

There aren't many things in this life more exciting for a football fan than a good derby. Rivalries are as much a part of the game as anything else, and this weekend there are exciting derbies all across Europe.

Usually we suggest 5 matches to watch in the upcoming weekend, but to make sure we cover all the derbies coming up, we give you 6 Matches to Watch This Weekend.

Rapid Bucuresti vs. Dinamo Bucuresti (Bucharest Derby - Saturday, Sep 27)

We start with the smallest of the seven, and that is one of the Romanian capital city derbies. While perhaps not as big as the derbies that include Steaua Bucharest, this rivalry does pack a punch. and supporter clashes when the two meet are almost inevitable.

Monaco vs. Nice (Derby de la Côte d'Azur - Saturday, Sep 27)

OK, so maybe this one is not as heated as the others on this list, nonetheless, the French Riviera derby does have its intriguing history. The derby has been contested since the early 1950's with Monaco holding a slightly better overall record. In 2010 clashes between Nice supporters and Monaco players were center stage in a match between the two clubs.

Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur (North London Derby - Saturday, Sep 27)

Around for over 100 years, the North London Derby is always an exciting fixture in the EPL calendar. Arsenal holds a much better head-to-head record, but the all-time top scorer in the derby is still playing. Tottenham's Emannuel Adebayor had scored a total of 10 goals in meetings between the two clubs and in league action specifically has netted 7 total, 5 for Arsenal and 2 for his current club Tottenham Hotspur.

Schalke 04 vs. Borussia Dortmund (Revierderby - Saturday, Sep 27)

An important derby to both sets of fans and both clubs from the Ruhr region in Germany, the Revierderby has been contested since 1925 and has seen the two sides face-off on more than 140 ocassions. Schalke holds a better record of the two in all-time head-to-head meetings and has also recorded the largest victory between the two with a 10-0 drubbing of BVB in 1940. This season however, Schelke has only managed to win once in their first five matches of the season, surely a welcome statistic for the Dortmund faithful.

Cracovia Krakow vs. Wisla Krakow (The Holy War - Sunday, Sep 28)

The name says it all. The Holy War of Krakow is an intense derby that has been around for over a century. Meetings between the two clubs are always high intensity both on the pitch and between supporters and the city is at a standstill when the two meet. With the Ultras movement in Poland being a predominant fixture in local football, clashes between the fans and police occur almost always when the two sides meet.

Liverpool vs. Everton (Merseyside Derby - Saturday, Sep 27)

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the Merseyside derby and the meetings between the two almost never disappoint. In their last meeting in January of this year Liverpool came out on top in a one-sided affair with a 4-0 final score victory. But The Reds have struggled to start the season and although the first five match-days were not all too friendly for Everton either, The Toffees will surely see this as an opportunity to secure their first win at Anfield since 1999, in a match that saw Everton win 1-0 and three red cards handed out (two of them to Liverpool).

Notable Mention:

Although not really a derby, Legia Warsaw and Lech Poznan play each other this weekend also. And even though this one cannot be classified as a derby because the geographical proximity does not apply, the two are bitter rivals and is a match always worth checking out.

Football Rivalries - Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders

2014-09-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

While the Cascadia Cup is an intriguing three-way rivalry between football clubs in Portland, Seattle and Canadian side Vancouver, the specific "derby" between the first two is perhaps the most bitter of all football club clashes in the United States.

Portland versus Seattle is a rivalry that predates the Major League Soccer era and has been contested in various leagues, starting with the North American Soccer League (NASL) when the two met for the first time in May of 1975.

The Portland Timbers are represented by the Timbers Army supporters group, established in 2001, while the Sounders' predominant fan base is known as the Emerald City Supporters who are around as an organized group since 2005. While violence is rarely on display between the two passionate supporter groups, an incident in which a Portland fan was abused by a number of Seattle fans who were said not to be a part of the Emerald City Supporters, took place in 2010.

Meetings between the two clubs are always passionate both in the stands and on the pitch, with the players' knowledge of the rivalry always on display as goal celebration and match pace always at a higher level than in other fixtures.

Since 1975 the two have met eighty-eight times to date, with Seattle enjoying the majority of victories with forty-six to Portland's thirty-two. The Sounders also hold the record for largest win between the two clubs after a 6-1 victory over their rivals in 1985.

Football Rivalries - Zurich Derby - Grasshoppers vs FC Zurich

2014-09-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

The only rivalry between two clubs from the same city in Switzerland, the Zurich Derby is one of the oldest rivalries in the whole world.

Grasshopper Club Zurich was established in the largest Swiss city in 1886, with FC Zurich opening their doors ten years later.

The rivalry began on the back of the idea that FC Zurich was the club of the "people", or the working blue-collar class, while Grasshoppers were the club of the upper classes. Although the distinction no longer plays the same role as it did in the past, the rivalry between the two clubs remains strong.

Grasshoppers enjoy the better head-to-head record and the better overall success in Switzerland, but FC Zurich is known to be a more popular club with the crowd. FC Zurich have won 12 league titles and 8 Swiss cups to date, while Grasshoppers have won 27 league championships and 19 cups. While Grasshoppers won their last league title in 2003 however, FC Zurich have been the champions of Swiss football three times since then.

The two clubs also share the same venue, the 25,000 seat Letzigrund stadium since 2007. While the Letzigrund stadium has been FC Zurich's home since 1925, Grasshoppers played in the Hardturm stadium from 1929 to 2007.

El Super Clásico - Football Rivalries - Peñarol vs. Nacional

2014-09-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

In Uruguay there is one match that comes above all else when it comes to rivalries between clubs, backgrounds and supporters.

The fixture between Club Atlético Peñarol and Club Nacional de Footbal is a heated affair that is well known all over the Americas, and although it may not be as popular outside its continent, it is one of the biggest in South America.

This rivalry is so old, it is actually known as the oldest derby outside of the British islands and is said to have started in 1900 when the two clubs from Uruguayan capital Montevideo met for the first time on July 15th of that year.

The yellow and black Peñarol holds a slight lead in head-to-head record between the two clubs and is arguably the most popular team in Uruguay. However, since the beginning of this century Nacional, who's colors are blue, white and red, has been a lot more successful in the domestic league having won 8 titles since 2000.

Recently the two clubs even shared the national Estadio Centenario stadium until Nacional decided to return to an older venue they once before called home, the Gran Parque Central.

Peñarol holds 49 Uruguayan titles and 5 Copa Libertadores championships, while Nacional has 44 and 3 respectively.

Derby della Capitale - Football Rivalries - Roma vs Lazio

2014-09-01T06:00:00.001-04:00

Arguably the fiercest derby in Italy, the Derby della Capitale is often described by Romans as "More than a game" or "The Eternal War".

A.S. Roma came into existence in 1927 with the forced merger of Roman FC, SS Alba-Audace and Fortitudo-Pro Roma SGS by the ruling Fascist government who sought to create a strong club in the Italian capital who could challenge the dominant northern sides.

A fourth club in Rome, S.S. Lazio, resisted becoming part of the merger and thanks to club member General Vaccaro, who was also an executive at the Italian Football Federation, they maintained their independence. Thus a cross town rivalry was created between the two sides that has raged for decades.

Lazio, formed in 1902, initially played out of the Prati neighbourhood of Rome, which is north of the Vatican, while Roma were based out of the southern and working class Testaccio area of the city.

As a result, with both clubs eventually residing at the Stadio Olimpico, Lazio's ultras traditionally occupy the northern end of the ground (Curva Nord) and Roma's ultras take up the southern end (Curva Sud).

The two clubs first played each other in December of 1929, which resulted in a 1-0 win for Roma and since that time they have met 174 times across all competitions, with Roma winning 64 times to Lazio's 48 and 62 matches ending in draws.

Although neither club can claim to have matched their northern Italian rivals of Milan, Inter or Juventus in terms of success, Roma has won Serie A three times, while also winning nine Copa Italia's. Lazio for their part have won two Serie A titles and six Copa Italia's.

Besides the on-pitch action, the tension in the stands is typically at a fever pitch for the Roman Derby as the fans look to get one over on their opposite numbers and claim local bragging rights.

Lazio have been marred in recent decades by displays of far right attitudes and blatant racism from some sections of their support and that has unfortunately come to the fore during the derby, with Roma's non-white players coming in for some horrible abuse. Roma though are not innocent in this themselves and have displayed signs and banners that are equally racist in nature.

Both clubs though have tried to separate themselves from this stain on the Italian game.

In terms of violence between supporters, in 1979 the first death of a supporter at a ground due to violence occurred when a Lazio supporter was struck in the face with a flair. Since that time many matches have been marred by stabbings, often in the buttocks of rival fans, fascist salutes and riots. The police are also known for coming down with a heavy hand on the two sets of fans if they even get a hint that trouble may be stirring.

In terms of colourful displays and noise though, you would be hard pressed to find a derby anywhere in the world that matches the colour of the Derby della Capitale, and although the two sides are not as decorated at the big three northern clubs, some of the football on offer will be amongst the best you'll see in Italy.

5 Matches to Watch This Weekend

2014-08-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend there is a large amount of "juicy" fixtures to look forward to. We suggest these five, four of which go on Sunday, so enjoy your weekend!

Schalke 04 vs. Bayern Munich (Bundesliga - Saturday, August 30)

It's Bayern's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer against his former club Schelke. For those that remember, these clubs hate each other so much that Bayern fans did not want Neuer to join their club from the rival outfit. Of course, by now that has been forgotten because Neuer is a national hero, nonetheless, meetings between these two clubs are always exciting.

Villarreal vs. Barcelona (La Liga - Sunday, August 31)

Sure it's only week 2 in Spanish top tier football, but after a fairly easy win in week 1 action, Barcelona now face their first real test. After losing out in the title race to Atletico Madrid last year, Barca will look to take out everyone on their way to regaining the champions status. Villarreal did well in their first week win and will surely look to give the Spanish giants a tough time at the alwasy tough El Madrigal stadium.

AC Milan vs. Lazio (Serie A - Sunday, August 31)

The Italian league gets under way this weekend and this one is a great week 1 match. AC Milan (now without star striker Balotelli) will look to get off to a good start after a miserable campaign last year. But without any European football on their schedule this could be the perfect year to get themselves back up the standings in Italy.

Benfica vs. Sporting CP (Liga ZON Sagres - Sunday, August 31)

First big derby in the Portuguese league this year comes via the O Derby Lisboeta (Lisbon Derby) this Sunday. Both rivals are still undefeated in their first two matches and these fixtures are crucial meetings every single year. Nani is back with Sporting and whether he will make the impact everyone is hoping for is yet to be seen. Benfica on the other hand are looking to defend their domestic title and will have to pick up full points in order not to fall back.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool (EPL - Sunday, August 31)

The Spurs are off to a great start under the management of Mauricio Pochettino. In their first two matches not only have they won both, they have not allowed a single goal. Liverpool on the other hand are coming off a 3-1 loss to Manchester City and will look to bounce back in order to not lose ground on the opposition if they are going to come anywhere near the achievements of last year. Will acquisition Mario Balotelli make a difference, or even feature in this match?

O Derby Lisboeta - Football Rivalries - Benfica vs Sporting CP

2014-08-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

There are few things that can make a soccer-mad nation stop dead in tracks like a fantastic derby, and the upcoming 293rd edition of the Lisbon Derby between the eternal rivals Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Sporting Clube de Portugal will surely do just that.

Benfica was formed in 1904 and was actually known then as Sport Lisboa (a future merger in 1908 with a cycling team led to the creation of the current version of Sport Lisboa e Benfica). Sporting was created in 1906 when a number of unsatisfied Sport Lisboa players left the club to create a new one. Thus, the rivalry was instantly born when Sporting was formed. Benfica has traditionally been known as a club of the working class, and this was no more apparent than how the original Estadio da Luz was contructed – with monetary donations from the clubs’ supporters as well as donations of bags of cement from various construction organizations. Sporting was constantly referred to an aristocratic club, one where the elite came to play at. The main founding father of the club, Jose Alvalade, came from noble roots.

The first derby between the two Lisbon giants occurred on December 1, 1907, which resulted in a 2-1 win for Sporting. Benfica wore their traditional all-red kit while Sporting donned a half green, half white strip. The winning goal was not scored by a Sporting player; rather, one of the founding fathers of the Sport Lisboa club, Cosme Damiao, scored an own-goal that led to the victory of the verde-e-brancos. Sporting and Benfica would both go on to become the most pre-eminent Portuguese clubs in the 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s. By the time the 1959/60 season finished, each club had amassed a total of 10 championships each.

In 1960, however, a key event would occur that would lead the encarnados to be the squad who would amass European glory, and would fuel the fire of the already heated Lisbon rivalry. The famed Eusebio was a Mozambican center forward who was plying his trade with a Sporting farm team when a Benfica scout had seen him play. In an effort to get O Pantera Negra to play for the reds, the team had negotiated his transfer with the players’ former team and his father, brought Eusebio to Portugal and had him hid in the southern portion of the country, the Algarve. A week after arriving in Portugal, Eusebio had signed his contract tying him to Benfica and the rest, of course, is history. Eusebio would become a major factor in many Lisbon derbies, amassing a total of 27 goals in 29 matches. This tally is second only to Sporting’s famed striker Peyroteo, who scored 31 goals in a total of 29 derby matches.

Over the past 100 years, Sporting and Benfica have played a total of 301 matches over various competitions. Benfica has won a total of 132 matches, with Sporting amassing a total of 110 victories and the other 59 matches finishing in a draw. Incredibly, the two Lisbon giants have only played in eight Portuguese Cup finals, with Benfica winning six of the finals. The Portuguese Cup has been battled over twice, with each club taking one apiece, and the League Cup was contested once in 2009, with Benfica winning in penalties. Some of the more famous matches between the two clubs were the 7-1 Sporting victory at home on December 4, 1986; the Benfica victory away to Sporting 6-3 on May 14, 1994; a 3-1 Sporting victory away in a Portuguese Cup match in 1999 and a 5-0 Benfica thrashing at home in a Portuguese Cup QF match in 1986.

While the majority of the clashes have remained on the pitch, off the pitch it can get testy. Both clubs have passionate supporters, with Sporting’s main supporter group the Juventude Leonina and the main Benfica supporters being the No Name Boys. Each supporter group does it best to ensure that their respective voices are heard, and it is quite common to see huge placards, flags and banners displayed over their sections of the stadiums. Clashes commonly occur outside the stadiums in which the derby is played and the away supporters often have police escorts that lead them to their section in the stadium. Unfortunately, the derby has also brought out the worst possible outcome that could occur. In the 1996 Portuguese Cup final disputed by both clubs, Sporting supporter Rui Mendes was killed when a firecracker lit by a Benfica supporter, Hugo Inacio, hit him in the chest.

While both clubs now ply their trade in world class stadiums, with world class players on the pitch, the one main aspect that has not changed, however, is the deep-rooted rivalry that is well over 100 years in the making. It’s always the most looked forward to match on each respective supporter’s calendar and will continue to be as both teams look to retain bragging rights throughout the season.

De Klassieker - Football Rivalries - Ajax vs Feyenoord

2014-08-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

De Klassieker ("The Classic") between Ajax of Amsterdam and Feyenoord of Rotterdam is arguably the biggest and definitely the nasiest rivalry in the Netherlands.

The rivalry between these two great Dutch sides is often seen as the battle between the artists and intellectuals of Amsterdam against the working class fans from Rotterdam. In fact, a common saying amongst the people of Rotterdam is that “While Amsterdam dreams, Rotterdam works”.

Rotterdam is indisputably the industrial heartland of the Netherlands, whereas Amsterdam is more renown as a city for tourists. Feyenoord fans view their rivals from Ajax as arrogant and lazy, while the Amsterdam locals consider the Feyenoord faithful as knuckle dragging simpletons.

Violence between the two sets of fans from the 1970's up until recent years had been fierce, however a notorious incident in 1997 has resulted a major police crackdown whenever the sides meet up. That year the two sets of fans were involved in what has since become known as The Battle of Beverwijk. With Feyenoord's S.C.F. and Ajax's F-Side meeting up for a pre-arranged battle in a meadow off of the motorway near Beverwijk, the two groups tore into each other with baseball bats, knives, claw hammers, tasers, and iron bars in some of the worst football related violence the country had ever seen. During the fighting, Ajax hooligan Carlo Picornie was killed after taking a claw hammer to the head. S.C.F. member Leonardo P. Panton would later serve five years in prison for his murder.

On the football side, a rivalry of sorts had existed between the two sides since the 1920's, it didn't really reach a fever pitch until the 1960's. At the dawn of a great period for Dutch football, both sides emerged as not only the best sides in the Netherlands, but also two of the stronger sides in Europe.

In 1970, Feyenoord defeated heavily favoured Celtic 2-1 in the European Cup Final to signal a shift of the balance in power in European football. Not to be outdone, their great rivals from Ajax then won the next three European Cups in a row with the brilliant Johan Cruyff in their ranks.

The two clubs would go on to provide the bulk of the Netherlands side that finished as runners up at the 1974 World Cup.

Besides Ajax's three straight victories in the European Cup in the 1970's, they added another European title under Louis van Gaal in 1995, while Feyenoord have been unable to add to their solitary triumph. Domestically, Ajax has won an incredible 33 League Titles to Feyenoord's 14.

In the always tense meetings between the two sides, Ajax has won 78 matches over their rivals, with Feyenoord winning 55 and 42 of their matches ending in draws.

Although in recent decades PSV has emerged as another major force in Dutch football, there is still nothing quite like De Klassieker. With tickets to matches between the two clubs very hard to come by, and the fixtures often helping to determine the destiny of the title, it's a rivalry that every football fan should try to see live at least once in their lifetime.

The Cairo Derby - Football Rivalries - Al-Ahly vs. Zamalek

2014-08-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

The most fierce and biggest rivalry in not only Egypt, but arguably all of Northern Africa, is the Cairo Derby between Al-Ahly and Zamalek.

In Andy Mitten's brilliant book, Mad for It, he argues that "Cairo boasts a footballing rivalry that can genuinely claim to dwarf Real v Barca and Boca v River Plate. Al-Ahly v Zamalek goes beyond fanatical. It is part football match, part political rally, part history lesson and generally a good excuse for the locals to hurl rocks at each other.”

Like many of the fiercest rivalries in the world of football, the Cairo Derby was shaped by historical, political and economic factors. With both clubs located within Egypt's capital, Zamalek were perceived to be the club of Egypt's wealthier families and Al-Ahly were given the mantle of being the club of the people.

The rivalry took on a political spin in the 1940's, as Ahly became the de facto club for Nationalists in Cairo, and Zamalek supporters were seen as Royalists.

The complicated political climate through the years in Egypt has often carried into what occurs in and around the stadiums, and there's no better example of that in the highly charged atmosphere between these two great rivals. Political discord stemming from the frustrations with the Egyptian government have become entangled with supporting these two big sides and violence in the stands is often a result.

Ultras of both sides often engage in fighting each other and security forces on derby day, leading to this fixture being one of the most dreaded for authorities on the Egyptian football calendar.

On the actual football side, with mistrust running high between the two clubs, foreign referees are typically brought in to handle their matches. The perception is that an Egyptian referee would likely favour one of the sides over the other and can't be trusted.

The derby is typically held in the 100,000 seat National Stadium with the results between these two sides often determining the destiny of the league title. Al-Ahly and Zamalek are the two most successful club sides in not only Egypt, but all of Africa and were ranked as number 1 and 2 respectively as the Best African Club Sides of the 20th Century by the CAF (Confederation of African Football).

Much to the Zamalek supporters chagrin, Al-Ahly hold the edge in the meetings across all competitions between the two with 89 wins to Zamalek's 52 and with 70 of their matches ending in draws.

Al-Ahly also holds the record for most Egyptian league titles with an astounding 37 to Zamalek's 11 titles. Both clubs have also had success outside of their own borders with Al-Ahly winning the CAF Champions League 8 times and Zamalek winning it 5 times themselves.

Expectedly, both sides have formed the backbone of Egypt's national side over the years with many great players like Hossam Hassan, Ibrahim Youssef, Mohamed Aboutrika, and Emad Moteab playing for one, or in Hassan's case both, of the clubs.

This bi-annual derby, known as Likaa El Kemma, which translates as "The Meeting of the Best", will continue to define Egyptian football for many years to come and holds a worthy place in our list of the world's greatest rivalries.

401 Derby - Football Rivalries - Toronto FC vs. Montreal Impact

2014-08-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

It may seem minuscule compared to some of the football rivalries on other continents, but the hatred between Toronto FC and Montreal Impact is one that has grown on the back of many other rivalries in various other sports.

The most popular of course, being in Canada, is the one between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League, dating back to their first ever meeting on Boxing Day in 1917.

Although the rivalry between the French speaking city of Montreal and the English speaking Toronto has been contested with previous professional and semi-pro clubs, the "derby" (as it is referred to even though the clubs don't share the same city) was reignited in 2008 with the inclusion of Toronto FC into the MLS and the creation of the Canadian Championship which saw the first Canadian Major League Soccer side face Impact de Montreal for a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.

The hatred for one another was apparent from their very first meeting which Toronto was able to win 1-0. And to this date meetings between the two are considered to be fairly hostile, with some levels of violence apparent between the two sides when the two clubs meet.

To add fuel to the fire that is this rivalry, both Montreal and Toronto were able to defeat their rivals by large margins, with Toronto winning in Montreal by a score of 6-1 in 2009 and Montreal returning the favor with their own 6-0 win four years later.

To date, Toronto FC holds a better record between the two with 10 wins to just 4 for Montreal, with the two sides drawing on 5 occasions. In their last meeting this past weekend, Toronto FC came out victorious by a final score of 2-0, in Montreal. The two will meet once more in October, a date that is always important for the two clubs regardless of their position in the standings.

Tel Aviv Derby - Football Rivalries - Hapoel vs Maccabi

2014-07-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

It may seem "small-time" to football enthusiasts outside of Israel, but the Tel-Aviv derby between Hapoel and Maccabi is a very heated one, and one I have attended in the past.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is the most successful domestic side in Israel with 20 league titles won in the club's history, while Hapoel is not too far behind with 13 of their own. The rivalry between the two sides dates back to the 1930's when the two sides met for the first time in league play in 1931.

Maccabi, a name associated more with the middle-class status compared to "Hapoel", a worker class distinction for the Israeli population with the word "hapoel" meaning "worker", having more of a blue-collar supporter base.

Overall Maccabi has enjoyed a bit more success both in league titles and meetings between the two associations. And while the rivalry stretches further than just football, in basketball Maccabi has been in the elite of Israel's league and European competition, Hapoel is known best for its football program and its incredible European run in the 2001-01 UEFA Cup season in which they managed to defeat Lokomotiv Moscow, Chelsea and Parma, before losing in the quarter-finals to AC Milan in a close margin 2-1 on aggregate.

Supporter clashes between the two clubs are not uncommon. Fans of the two sides often engage in disputes inside and outside of the stadium both on match-days and otherwise.

Hapoel Tel-Aviv's home ground is the 14,000+ Bloomfield Stadium, which the "Red Devils" of Israel have occupied as their home since 1962. And while Maccabi has played their home matches in that same field earlier in their club's history, they had a ground of their own for a few decades. But in 2000 it was decided that Maccabi Tel-Aviv would return to Bloomfield stadium and have it as their home-field venue; a decision that likely sparked an even higher degree of hate between the two rival clubs.

When the derby takes place in Bloomfield, sections 4 and 5 are occupied by the Hapoel Ultras, while on the opposite side sections 10 and 11 are reserved for the Maccabi fans.

Some notable figures in the derby include: Ghanaian footballer John Paintsil who has played for both clubs and waved an Israeli flag after scoring a goal during the 2006 World Cup, Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama who has also played for both clubs but spent 4 years with Hapoel, compared to the one loan season with their rivals, Welsh international striker who had spent time with Maccabi and of course former Chelsea FC manager Avram Grant who had coached Maccabi on two occasions. The son of Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, Jordi, is currently the sporting director at Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

El Clásico Peruano - Football Rivalries - Club Alianza Lima vs Club Universitario

2014-07-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Meetings between capital city rivals Club Universitario de Deportes (or simply Universitario) and Alianza Lima are the biggest rivalry in Peru, known as the El Clásico Peruano (The Peruvian Classic).
OTHER RIVALRIES >>

The two clubs have been contesting this rivalry since 1928, and have had the pleasure of playing against one another over three hundred time since that very first heated battle.

In the very first match between the two clubs, Alianza were heavy favorites. Having won the Peruvian championship the year before, the title holders were a sure bet against Universitario, a club that was in their first year in the top division, and had only been established four years prior (Alianza were in their twenty-seventh year of existence at that point). The match started off well for “El U” with the referee awarding the club with a penalty-kick within the first ten minutes. With Universitario converting from the spot and taking a 1-0 lead, the match became violent with the official having to abandon the meeting about 10 minutes from time after issuing five red cards on Alianza and fans clashing in the stands.

The derby has been a very heated and passionate rivalry since that September day in 1928, with the Alianza supporters going as far as calling themselves the “Comando Svr”, replacing the letter “U” in the word “sur” (south), because it is the initial of their rival squad. Universtario’s largest supporter group (although not as large as that of Alianza) is known as the Barra Oriente.

Clashes between these sets of supporters are not uncommon before, during and after meetings between the two teams, and take place both inside and outside the stadiums.

Although a newer club, Universitario has enjoyed 25 Peruvian league titles to date, compared to the 22 of Alianza.

OTHER RIVALRIES >>

International - Football Rivalries - Argentina vs. Brazil

2014-07-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

The Argentina-Brazil football rivalry is the biggest in South America involving the two biggest countries on the continent. This rivalry is often called “Battle of the South Americans”.

These are two countries in which the passion for football is part of their DNA, so it is only natural for perhaps the best two footballing countries in South America to have a deep hate and animosity towards each other when they compete on the football field.

Origins

The rivalry between these two countries has been around since football started to be played in South America. This rivalry extends to all sports, but the one that gathers the most attention is football. The rivalry started as the two countries had political differences and feud over social and national issues deemed relevant to both countries political parties that eventually escalated to the football grounds. The rivalry became so intense that after 1946 the two countries did not play a football match between each other for 10 years. They would decline entering a competition if there was a chance they would have to meet each other.

Game Statistics

These two countries have played ninety five matches against each other, with Argentina winning thirty six of those matches and Brazil winning thirty five. They have tied twenty four times. During those matches Argentina scored 151 goals while Brazil scored 145 goals.

Brazil has won 5 World Cup titles, 8 Copa America, 4 Confederations Cup, 5 U20 World Cup and 3 U17 World Cup, for a total of 25 titles. Argentina has won 2 World Cup titles, 2 Olympic Gold, 14 Copa America, 1 Confederations Cup and 6 U20 World Cup for a total of 25 titles. Even in the total titles won by both countries they are even.

The last time these two teams faced one another was in 2012 during the Superclasico de las Americas. The first match was played in Goiania, Brazil and the hosts won 2-1. The second leg was played in Buenos Aires and Argentina won 2-1, so since the series ended in a draw they had to decide the winner by penalty kicks, and Brazil won them 4-3.

Pele vs. Maradona

Another aspect of the rivalry between these two footballing nations is the rivalry between their two biggest icons, Pele and Maradona. Plenty of ink has been used to describe both players and their achievements, but the debate continues as to which one was the greatest footballer of all time.

Everyone in the Brazil camp gives the nod to Pele, and everyone in the Argentina camp gives the nod to Maradona.

Pele has won several awards, including Athlete of the Century, South American Football Player of the Century amongst others. He was voted by former Ballon d’Or winners as the Best Player of the Century. Maradona has received great accolades as well, his goal was voted World Cup Goal of the Century, but he has claimed many times that his past issues with drugs and FIFA has prevented him from winning awards. He claims that Pele is FIFA’s golden boy while he is treated as a bastard child.

Many famous world footballers have taken sides in this argument of who was best, the camps are very divided on it, and this is a rivalry that will never end as long as football will live or until someone better than the two comes along.

Club Rivalry

The rivalry between these two countries extends to the clubs as well. It is not only between the national teams. Argentinian clubs have 22 Libertadores while Brazilian clubs have won 17. Overall Argentinian clubs have won 62 club trophies while their Brazilian counter parts have won 55.

The numbers are very close, and the difference between them is minimal, but the rivalry goes beyond which country has the most successful clubs, but also which country has the club with the most fans. In Argentina, Boca Juniors fans claim that they are the biggest club not only in South America but the world, while in Brazil, Flamengo claims similar honor, so the matches between these two clubs during Libertadores are always surrounded by violence and disturbance.

Boca Juniors has celebrated 3 of their 6 Libertadores titles in Brazilian soil, giving them the nickname “Los Cazadores de Equipos Brasilenos” or The Brazilian Team Hunters for those that don’t speak Spanish.

This rivalry will surely be continued throughout the years to come, and will only be adding new chapters to its history.

International - Football Rivalries - Mexico vs. United States

2014-06-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

The CONCACAF region has one rivalry above all others, and that is between it's two major powers in Mexico and the United States of America.

The two bordering nations share a complicated and somewhat contentious history, with several major armed conflicts between the two countries in the 1800's, often stemming from territorial disputes, to go along with political and economic differences, and the continual issues between the two over immigration.

On the football pitch, the two countries first faced each other on May 24, 1934 in the unlikely venue of the Stadio Nazionale in Rome. The match was a final qualifier for the 1934 World Cup in Italy and saw the Americans emerge as 4-2 winners.

This win, which propelled the US into that years tournament, did not provide an accurate picture of what was to come though as Mexico took a stranglehold on the fixture and did not taste defeat to the US for another 46 years.

This period of Mexican dominance encompassed several heavy beatings of American sides that were largely made up of amateurs, including a pair of 7-2 and 7-3 defeats in 1937.

With Mexico due to climate and altitude always being a tough place to play, and with many matches between the sides in America taking place in cities with large Mexican-American populations, the US often found themselves up against it even within their own borders. Football or soccer as it's more commonly called in America wasn't ingrained in the culture like it was in Mexico.

One of the key differences between the sides was the strong domestic league in Mexico which contrasted sharply with the lack of such a structure in the United States. Throughout the 20th Century several attempts were made to launch and sustain a successful professional soccer league in America, but all attempts eventually floundered. In a country like the United States, with already well established baseball, basketball and American football leagues in place, many questioned if there was a market for professional soccer at all.

The US National sides were largely picked from College players and amateurs that were no match for the much stronger teams Mexico were able to field. Although the North American Soccer League, NASL, had enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the 1970's and early 1980's, it didn't quite produce the number or quality of domestic players America would need to challenge Mexico's dominance in the region.

Things began to change though with the birth of Major League Soccer, the MLS, in 1994. In the last twenty years America has slowly began to turn the tide in their rivalry with Mexico as more American's were given the opportunity to play professional soccer on their own soil and bolster the ranks of the national side.

With the emergence of the US side as a stronger force in the region, particularly following the United States 2-0 victory over Mexico in the 2002 World Cup Round of 16, a real intensity has been sparked between the two sides and there have been a few controversial incidents in recent years.

Prior to an Olympic Qualifying match in Guadalajara in 2004, Landon Donovan of the US was accused by the Mexican press of urinating on the local stadium's pitch during training. The angry Mexican crowd at the match following this incident chanted, "Osama, Osama, Osama", at the US players in reference to Osama bin Laden and the attacks of 9/11.

There was also an incident in 2009, when Mexico's assistant coach Paco Ramirez slapped the US's Frankie Hejduk in the tunnel after a match. Despite the rivalry though, most matches between the sides do pass without major incidents between players and fans.

Although Mexico still holds a huge advantage in their head to head record against the US, with 33 wins, 14 draws and 18 losses, America is gaining on them and holds an impressive 9 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses on home soil since 1999. The US even finally managed to win a match in Mexico, with a 1-0 win at the Azteca in 2012, their first in over 75 years of play south of the border.

Besides the rivalry between the two national sides, there's also a healthy rivalry between Mexico's terrific domestic league and the MLS now, with their club's frequently doing battle in the CONCACAF Champions League. The Mexican sides have a stranglehold on that competition at the moment, and that's something the tops sides in MLS would like to topple.

With the impressive performances of both National sides in the group stages at the World Cup, the strong love of the game in Mexico and the growth of soccer in the United States, this is a rivalry that will only get better and better in the coming years.

International - Football Rivalries - Croatia vs Serbia

2014-06-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Some would say that the rivalry and even the war between these two countries was first seen in the stands of football fields in both countries.

Croatia and Serbian share many things, a border, family bonds, history, war and also a deep hatred for each other. In the pre-war era, that hatred was most often seen in the football grounds, especially when both countries play each other.

Dinamo Zagreb-Red Star Belgrade Riot

On May 13^th, 1990 at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, Croatia, a riot would take place involving the Bad Blue Boys (Dinamo Zagreb Ultras) and the Delije (Red Star Ultras) that would mark the rivalry between these two countries. This incident happened weeks after Croatia’s first multi-party elections in nearly 50 years. In this election the party favoring Croatian independence had won and that was not taken lightly by the Serbian supporters.

Fights between both sets of supporters had started outside the stadium, hours before the match had even began. Once inside the stadium the Delije were located in a segregated area, unable to move and being hit by stones thrown by the BBB, they decided to destroy the advertisement boards and broke the fences that separated them from the Zagreb supporters.

The police tried to keep both sets of fans apart but they were unable to control both sides and the violence escalated beyond any control. During this chaos some of the Dinamo players remained on the field. Red Star players had abandoned the grounds due to security concerns. Zvonimir Boban, the Dinamo captain, kicked a police officer that was hitting one of the Dinamo supporters with his club. Seeing this, the Bad Blue Boys, came to the aid of their team captain. For his actions he was seen as a hero in Croatia and a villain in Serbia.

This riot marked the beginning of the end of the Yugoslavian First league. By 1991-92 the league broke apart. This riot is seen as the start of the war between both countries, even if the war wasn’t to happen 1 year and a half later.

Croatia vs. Serbia

The first official match between Croatia and Serbia (FR Yugoslavia) happened in 1999 during UEFA Euro 2000 qualification stages. Both teams were in group 8. The match was held in Belgrade with the game ending with a 0-0 draw.

The first match between them as Serbia already an independent country came 14 years later in March 22, 2013 as part of Group A qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Croatia won the game 2-0, and there were no incidents to be reported with both teams acting very cordial on and off the field. Croatia would end up finishing second in the group behind Belgium and qualifying for the World Cup. Serbia finished third place and out of contention.

The rivalry between these two countries has been considered as the fiercest in the world. When you have two countries that share a violent history, it is only natural for the underlined hatred to be transplanted on to the football grounds.

The rivalry between Croatia and Serbia will always exist, I just hope it can be a healthy rivalry with no place in it for violence.

International - Football Rivalries - England vs Scotland

2014-06-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

Every Monday we bring you Football Rivalries. We talk about some of the biggest, oldest and in many cases the most violent rivalries in club football history. But since the World Cup is now in full swing, we decided to cover some of the best international rivalries for the next few weeks.

England and Scotland have a long rivaled history on and off the pitch, so what better international rivalry to start with than that of the two countries that played the first ever international match.

Notable Matches

England and Scotland played the first ever football match contested between two countries on November 30, 1872 at Hamilton Crescent a cricket field in Glasgow, a match that ended at a 0-0 draw. They have since met on 111 other occasions. From 1872 up until 1989 (not including the two world wars) the two sides have played each other every spring, in a yearly match called The Annual Series. England enjoyed most of the success in the early years, but in the 1928 edition of the series Scotland was on the winning side with a final score of 5-1, that year’s Scottish team is to this day referred to as the Wembley Wizards. In 1961 the two teams played a match that still holds the record as the heaviest defeat in this series, with England coming out with a 9-3 victory. In 1967, Scotland managed to win their annual match against the Three Lions less than one year after England won their first (and still only) World Cup title.

Then, in the 1996 European Championships (hosted in England) the two were drawn into the same group, a match that the rival squads and sets of fans looked forward to eagerly. England came away with a 2-0 victory at Wembley Stadium in front of over 75,000 spectators. The two were again drawn against each other, this time in the qualifying playoffs for the 2000 European Championship. England progressed to the tournament after a 2-0 victory in Glasgow and a 1-0 loss to Scotland at Wembley four days later.

Clashes

Fan clashes inside the stadium and post-match in the streets is quite common when these two meet. In 1977 after an Annual Series match that ended in a 2-1 victory for Scotland, the Scottish supporters invaded the pitch at Wembley Stadium, tearing down everything in their way, including the goal-posts. In 1999, after Scotland’s playoff victory at Wembley, English supporters attacked the Scottish ones at Trafalgar Square, where the Scottish have been celebrating their 1-0 victory, although it did not provide them with the aggregate win in the playoff series after a 2-0 loss at home. The newspapers reported that about 50 Englishmen tried to charge at approximately 300 Scots that evening, but the police handled the situation well, with no serious damage done at the end. In 2013, the two sides played a friendly match, which coincidentally was their first meeting since the one at Wembley some 14 years earlier. England won at Wembley by a score of 3-2, but the Scottish fans left their mark yet again, and again it was the “taking over” of Trafalgar Square that made the tension rise once more.

The England vs. Scotland rivalry runs deep in the veins of the two sets of supporters. Be it the history of the two nations, the geographical proximity or just the fact that these two played the first ever international match. While organizing committees have tried to separate the two nations during draw procedures on previous occasions, England and Scotland is a tradition that will go on for ever. The question is: when will they play each other next?

Fla-Flu - Football Rivalries - Flamengo vs Fluminense

2014-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

The Flamengo vs Fluminense derby, also know as Fla-Flu derby, is one of the largest in the world. In 1963 the match between these two bitter rivals set a record attendance of 194,603 people.
In this weeks edition of Football Rivalries we will take a look at one of Brazil's most heated derbies.

Flamengo and Fluminense are two of the biggest clubs in Rio de Janeiro and also two of the biggest in Brazil. Flamengo is the most successful team in Rio de Janeiro by a small margin, having won 32 state championships while Fluminense has won 31 times.

Matches between these two rivals are played at the iconic Maracana stadium, located near downtown Rio de Janeiro. Maracana has a 95,000 capacity and on derby days it is full to the rim.

Early Years

The rivalry between these two giants started in October 1911, when a group of unhappy players left Fluminense and went to Flamengo, which at the time didn't have a football department. The first derby was played on July 7 1912 with Fluminense winning the match 3-2 in front of 800 people.

One of the most famous matches in the early years of the derby was in 1941 and became known as the "Fla-Flu da Lagoa" (lagoon's Fla-Flu). In that game Fluminense needed a draw to win the title, but they managed to score two goals in the first half to go up 2-0 on Flamengo. Just before halftime, Pirilo scored for Flamengo putting the result at 2-1 at halftime. The same player would score Flamngo's second in the 83rd minute, putting pressure in the last minutes of the match on Fluminense. The Fluminense players hoping to shake off the pressure they were receiving, started to kick the balls out of the stadium into a nearby lagoon. Hoping this tactic would not only waste time, but that they would also run out of balls to play with.

Flamengo's rowing team would go into the lagoon to retrieve the balls so the match wouldn't have to be stopped. Fluminense saw one of their players sent off, and the referee added 12 minutes of time at the end of the match. The game ended in 2-2 with Fluminense winning the title, and the goalkeeper Batatais being considered a hero for keeping the game leveled during the last 20 minutes of the match and playing with a dislocated collarbone from the 85th minute on.

Torcida Jovem do Flamengo

Torcida Jovem do Flamengo was created in 1967 and it is the oldest supporters group in Brazil. They were formed by members of the Charanga Rubro-Negra that left that group and formed their own. Jovem Fla was first known as Poder Jovem (Youth Power), inspired by the north american black movement. This new group was allowed to do things they couldn't while part of Charanga, like protest high ticket prices, bad performances or anything they didn't believe it was right or helping the club.

They have since grown and now have small satellite clubs of the group spread not only all over Brazil but also the world, they call these groups "Pelotao" (platoon). Their motto is "Nada do Flamengo, tudo pelo Flamengo", which means nothing from Flamengo, everything for Flamengo.

Young Flu

Young Flu was started by a group of young friends that besides going to school together shared a love for Fluminense. It is believed that they currently have 191,000 members, making them one of the largest supporter groups in Brazil and the world.

The recognition for all their efforts during football matches came in November 10th 1995, when they received from the Rio De Janeiro Legislative Assembly the "Motion of Praise".

They have grown even outside of Rio De Janeiro, currently having satellite clubs that they call "Nucleos" in several Brazilian cities as well as in other countries. USA and Argentina are two of the countries in which they have a strong presence.

Rival Brands

The rivalries between the supporters and fans of both these clubs extends beyond the football fields. Fluminense currently has a deal with Adidas until 2015, and instead of renewing the deal, Adidas went to Flamengo and signed a new 10 year deal with them. This was not taken lightly by the Flu supporters.

Young Flu started a campaign to get Adidas off their uniform jerseys and force the club to move to Nike or any other manufacturer. the campaign was known as #FORAADIDAS. Soon after the launch of the campaign posters and pictures started to appear on social media sites like Twitter and Instagram.

As you can see the rivalry between these two incredible clubs has a long history and there are new battles being fought daily, either on the fields, streets or on the internet. In the end, it is about the beautiful game and what does to people. The passion it ignites and the love that it brings, and those feelings can't be better expressed than at the Maracana during derby day.

Superclásico - Football Rivalries - Boca Juniors vs River Plate

2014-06-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

In this weeks Football Rivalries we look at a derby that is believed to be the biggest in the world. The Observer in England once said that "derby day in Buenos Aites makes the Old Firm game look like a primary school kick-about".

A derby of this nature had to be included in our weekly series Football Rivalries. Time to look at this historic match and find out a bit more about it.

The two clubs originated in La Boca, a working class area of Buenos Aires. River was founded in 1901 and Boca in 1905, while both clubs have a strong following in the lower classes of Buenos Aires and Argentina, Boca is known more as the club of the people, while River, nicknamed Los Millonarios, have a more upper class fan base.

The first superclasico was a friendly in 1908 that Boca won 2-1, but the first official match was in 1913 and River won 2-1.

The superclasico is not only played on the field, but also in the stands, one of the many reasons that makes this game so special is the color that the "barras bravas" bring to the match, with all their flags, smoke and confetti. They also sing and jump for 90 minutes making the game one of the most colorful and entertaining sporting spectaculars you can see.

La Doce

La Doce, which means The 12, is the name of the barra brava from Boca. They have been known to not only support their team at home and away games but also to be involved in illegal and criminal activities.

One of their iconic leaders, Rafa Di Zeo, once said that La Doce was the Harvard of hooliganism. This is a statement that shouldn't be taken lightly, considering Di Zeo served prison time for his involvement in violence that led to the death of 5 River fans in a fight between supporters of Boca and River.

Currently the Boca supporters are divided between the ones that support Di Zeo, and the ones that support Martin, who took over La Doce for Zeo while he was in jail. Now both men are fighting for the power of leading one of the largest if not the largest groups in the world.

Los Borrachos del Tablon

Like their Boca counter parts, River's barra brava is also involved in violence and crimininal activity. Los Borrachos del Tablon, or in english the drunks of the leaderboard, are no different then their counter parts. Not only they have a history of violence with their rivals Boca and other Argentinian clubs, they also have a long history of internal violence.

In 2007 during an inner struggle for power, Gonzalo Acro, was shot three times as he was walking home from the gym. Acro's relatives said that he wasn't involved in the power struggle but his association to one of the leaders of the group made him a target.

Most of Los Borrachos influential leaders are behind bars or wanted for murder and criminal activity, but that is not to say that the group is not as strong as it has been in the past, believing that would be a dangerous mistake.

Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona is one of the most iconic players in the world, and some would argue the best player ever to play the beautiful game. He is not only a symbol of the Argentinian football but also a symbol of Boca. He played only one season and a half at Boca, from mid 1981 to 1982 and he won the league title with Boca. He has been a fan of the club since he was a child and it was his dream to one day play for his club of heart. His relationship with the supporters has always been one of respect, and when Maradona he retired with the Boca jersey, La Doce had a fireworks display and a huge banner to honor their beloved hero.

Puerta 12 Tragedy

June 23rd 1968, in El Monumental following a game between both teams, 71 fans were crushed to death and 150 were injured in an accident at gate 12. The average age of the victims was 19, and this was and is the worst disaster in Argentinian football history.

There have been many claims that either side was responsible for the accident, but after a three year investigation by the government nobody was found guilty.

River Relegation & Resurrection

River was relegated to the 2nd division of Argentinian football in 2011. This put the rivalry between Boca and River on hold for a season, but it didn't cool it off. River was able to bounce back and win the 2nd division of Argentinian football and find its place among the elite once again.

In 2014, River won their 36th official national title and were back on top. This only adds fuel to the fire that burns between these two incredible rivals.

These 2 giant clubs of South America will always hate eachother, regardless of which division they play in, or what calendar year we are in. Their history, their players, their titles and their fans have lived this hatred rivalry for many years and will continue to do so. In a country where supporting your team sometimes is synonymous with violence, Boca and River fans see themselves as modern gladiators defending the honor of their clubs and their city.

While violence in sports is not something to condone, in Argentina, the violence and crime will never be washed away from the beautiful game, and while supporters add beauty to the game we all love, sometimes they also add horror and fear in a symbiotic harmony impossible to separate.