10 of the BIGGEST rivalries in world football

Gianluigi Buffon, a man who has visited virtually every important stadium in European football, once had this to say: "Anfield, in Liverpool, that was one of the few stadiums – along with Rangers in Glasgow and Fenerbahce in Istanbul – where there was such commotion for the first 15-20 minutes that I had trouble concentrating."

Football wouldn’t be football without epic rivalries and intense atmospheres, both on and off the pitch. Here are 10 of the BIGGEST across the globe as teams jostle for geographic and historical supremacy, as well as silverware.

We’ve also mentioned some key dates for your footballing diary.

Arsenal vs Tottenham

North London Derby

“Mind the gap” was a phrase Arsenal fans repeatedly used to tease Spurs fans because of their lowly league positions. Tottenham have turned the tide this millennium, but the Gunners did do the league double over them last season.

For Gooners around the world, there’s not much that means more than beating Tottenham, especially if it contributes to a title challenge. A sight that Arsenal fans will be sick of, however, is Harry Kane doing what Harry Kane does and that’s scoring against them. He’s got 14 NLD goals, more than any other player in history.

Speaking of goals, this derby has thrown up outrageous recent scorelines like 4-5, 5-2 (twice), 4-4 and the list goes on. It’s usually a lot of fun.

There’s no love lost between the red and white halves of North London. Bookmark Sunday 24th September as the next meeting between these fierce foes in the English capital.

Barcelona vs Real Madrid

El Clásico

It’s difficult to envisage a more glamorous club football fixture, beamed to billions of fans around the globe each time it rolls around. Regardless of the players on show and how these giant clubs are faring in European competition at the time, it’s a glitzy occasion that always has eyes peeled and tongues wagging.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Gareth Bale and Luis Suárez are just some of the legendary match-winners in this illustrious occasion’s storied recent past. With Pedri, Gavi, Jude Bellingham and Vini Jr now some of the stars of this show, a new generation awaits.

On the weekend of Sunday 29th October, another instalment of El Clásico will unfold at Camp Nou.

Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates

The Soweto Derby

With Mamelodi Sundowns now the preeminent force of South African football, Soweto’s giant clubs Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are doing their best to get back where they belong. Sundowns have won each of the last 6 league titles on offer, but the BIGGEST fixture on any South African calendar is still the Soweto Derby.

If you’re ever in Soweto, Johannesburg or its surrounds near derby day, attendance is a must. You can expect a colourful, vibrant atmosphere punctuated by the drone of vuvuzelas and a visual feast of flamboyant outfits. There’s also plenty of mixing and socialising between rival supporters, making this a rather unique occasion.

Don’t miss this iconic African occasion on 11th November.

Everton vs Liverpool

The Merseyside Derby

On Merseyside Derby Day, it’s not unusual for families to be split down the middle because of their football allegiances. You’re either blue or you’re red and there’s no grey area.

Of course, The Reds have enjoyed much more success, but Evertonians celebrate and cherish 3 points over Liverpool on the rare occasions that it happens. Cruelly for Toffees fans, they weren’t there to see their sole Anfield success this century, which occurred behind closed doors in 2021.

Iconic figure Steven Gerrard saw red twice in this fixture, meaning 25% of his career dismissals for club and country were against the Evertonians. Anfield plays host to this season’s first derby on the weekend of Saturday 21st October.

Man City vs Man Utd

Manchester Derby

This rivalry was at its most intense, in terms of title tussles, between 2011 and 2014 when United and City alternated as Premier League champions. City have undoubtedly taken a firm grip on matters in recent years, winning 5 of the last 6 titles with Liverpool the side to break that sequence. If there’s anything United fans hate, it’s seeing City and Liverpool finish above them in the table.

Erling Haaland will be eyeing up a trip to Old Trafford on the weekend of Saturday 28th October as an opportunity to build on his hat-trick against the Red Devils at Etihad Stadium last season. However, shockingly, he drew a blank and City lost at the Theatre of Dreams in the reverse match.

Liverpool vs Man Utd

England’s most successful sides

Historically speaking, these are English football’s 2 most decorated teams by virtue of top-flight league titles. United hold the bragging rights in that metric by a scoreline of 20-19.

Nemanja Vidić, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Luis Suárez, among others, have decorated this wonderful occasion down the years with passionate exuberance, sublime goalscoring antics and in some cases controversy.

Ask neutral fans which Premier League bout they love watching most and this has got to be right up there for pure spectacle and incident. Liverpool and United meet for the first time since the Merseysiders’ extraordinary 7-0 win in March on the weekend of Saturday 16th December.

River Plate vs Boca Juniors

Superclásico

There’s guaranteed to be a fiery, celebratory atmosphere at El Monumental or the iconic La Bombonera in Buenos Aires when River and Boca’s paths cross. Boca currently lead this rivalry with 91 wins to River’s 85, numbers illustrating the rich history involved.

Superstars to put their stamp on the occasion included Diego Maradona, Carlos Tevez, Juan Román Riquelme, Gonzalo Higuaín and Javier Mascherano. Look at the crowds and you’ll appreciate how ubiquitous football is in this part of the world, and understandably so, given the calibre of footballers who have taken part. This is a celebration of Argentinian football royalty.

Celtic vs Rangers

Old Firm Derby

Good luck to any team visiting the hostile turfs of Celtic Park or Ibrox with the intention of claiming 3 Scottish Premiership points or a statement win on a BIG European night.

When Celtic and Rangers collide, the hairs on your neck are guaranteed to stand to attention. It’s feisty, and the structure of the Scottish season means you get to enjoy it more often than most derbies. The sides met a massive 11 times across all competitions over the past 2 campaigns, with Celtic celebrating 6 victories.

Milan vs Inter

Derby della Madonnina

Sharing a bedroom with your younger sibling isn’t a lot of fun, now imagine sharing a stadium with your fiercest rival.

The sight of Manuel Rui Costa and Marco Materazzi standing side by side as flares rained down at San Siro in 2005 remains among football’s most iconic images. In this case, a picture really was worth a thousand words and more.

On Saturday 16th September, last season’s Champions League runners-up and the 2022 Scudetto winners square off again. They met in last season’s Champions League semi-finals, so the Milan Derby is as relevant as it’s been for some time.

Asante Kotoko vs Hearts of Oak

Ghana’s BIGGEST clash

The 2 most successful teams in Ghanaian football history have collected 46 league titles between them with Asante Kotoko doing so most recently in 2021/22.

Both finished outside of the top 3 in 2022/23 though, an unfamiliar sight to put it mildly, so they’ll be eager to take their place at the top of the tree again.

Honourable mentions

Crvena Zvezda vs Partizan Belgrade, Galatasaray vs Fenerbahçe, Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards, Al Ahly vs Zamalek, Roma vs Lazio, Benfica vs Sporting, PSG vs Marseille, Ajax vs Feyenoord

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