Let’s see together how the term derby appeared, what matches can be called this way, and what confrontations based on geographic location are known all over the world.
A derby is a fundamental rivalry between teams from the same city, region, and sometimes just from the same country. The term is usually used in football, but can also be used in other sports. The history of the confrontation between teams participating in a derby goes back many years. Fans of the rivals often belong to different classes or have different political views – the excitement and passions at such matches are appropriate.
The Best Football Derbies
El Clasico
An example of a rivalry between teams from different cities being called a derby. The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona is the most famous in world football. It was especially popular when Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi played in Spain, with fans constantly trying to figure out which of their idols is the best footballer on the planet. Interest in El Clasico is added by the fact that Real represents the Spanish capital, and Barca represents separatist-minded Catalonia.
Madrid and Barcelona also have city derbies. In the capital, the rival of the “royal club” is Atletico Madrid, which is considered the favorite of the working class. And in the Catalan derby, Barca is played by Espanyol, whose fans are more loyal to the Spanish government.
Often, fans of the clubs participating in the derby feel hostility or even hatred towards each other. Footballers usually try not to join their archrivals, but there are exceptions. For example, when Portuguese Luis Figo moved from Barcelona to Real, the Catalan fans hated him to such an extent that they once threw a pig’s head at the midfielder’s feet in El Clasico.
Merseyside Derby
The capital of the English county of Merseyside is famous for two football teams – Liverpool and Everton. Both clubs have a rich history, but the “Reds” are much more titled. The uniqueness of this derby is that historically fans at matches are not divided into different sectors – the confrontation is considered friendly due to the fact that in many families you can find fans of both teams.
Manchester Derby
The history of Manchester United began in 1878, and two years later the predecessor of City appeared. At first, there was no hostility between the teams, fans could go to the stadiums of both, and the “citizens” also sheltered Manchester United at their arena after Old Trafford was damaged by bombing in World War II. But over time, everything changed. The feud began in 1970, when Red Devils legend George Best made a tough tackle that almost cost City player Glyn Pardoe his leg. From 1980 to 2012, Manchester was almost always red – in 32 seasons, Man Utd only lost two derbies. But in recent years, the City era has begun, which has only intensified the rivalry.
North-West derby of Liverpool and Manchester United
A derby between the same city always attracts attention, especially when top teams coexist
nearby. However, the internal rivalry between Merseyside and Manchester cannot be compared with the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United – many consider the North-West derby to be the most important in English football. Legendary Brazilian footballer Pele once said that the matches between these clubs are not inferior to the Spanish El Clasico.
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North London Derby
There are many clubs in the English capital, but the main rivalry is considered to be the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham. At the beginning of their history, they were relatively peaceful neighbors, but when the Gunners moved to a new stadium a few kilometers from the Spurs arena in 1913, the rivalry took on a completely different character.
Old Firm Derby
You may not know anything about the Scottish Premier League, but that doesn’t change the fact that the derby between Celtic and Glasgow’s Rangers is one of the oldest in world football. Almost 133,000 people once attended a match between the teams. The rivalry is known as the Old Firm Derby. The origin of the term is unclear, but one theory is that it arose from the commentators of the first meeting describing the opponents as “like two old, firm friends.” The views of Scottish fans differ on all fronts: Celtic fans are usually Catholic, while Rangers are Protestant; the former will wave the Irish tricolor (the club’s symbol is the Irish shamrock, and its founders are Irish immigrants), while the latter are more likely to hang out the British Union Jack.
Milan Derby
The derby between Inter and Milan is called the Derby della Madonnina, after the statue of the Virgin Mary on top of Milan Cathedral. Interestingly, the rivals share a home stadium, which is perhaps why the Milan derby is considered one of the most peaceful. Milan usually calls the stadium San Siro (the name known throughout the world), while Inter prefers the new name Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Milan has always been popular with workers and trade unions, while the Nerazzurri fans are a prosperous middle class.