The history and stories of football derbies
Football derbies are where passion and rivalry meet. All the stories from matches in Glasgow to the duel between Real Madrid and Barcelona have left marks in the hearts of fans. The rivalry between teams can have roots in historical events, regional tensions, or other socio-cultural factors. Football derbies are therefore not just about competition on the field, but also about strengthening identification with the team and creating unforgettable moments that shape the rich history of football.
The Spanish derby El Clásico
El Clásico is one of the most prestigious football derbies in the world, featuring the clash of two Spanish giants, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. It takes place at least twice a year in the Spanish league, but both teams can also meet in the Copa del Rey or UEFA Champions League.
The mutual rivalry is influenced not only by the battle for football dominance but also by history, politics, and a socio-cultural phenomenon reflecting Spanish society.
The rivalry caused by Alfredo Di Stéfano
The rivalry between the two clubs dates back to World War I, when Madrid won in the semifinals of the Spanish Cup after a long hiatus. Barcelona unsuccessfully argued that the goal that made it 4-2 was offside.
The disputes culminated in 1953 when both Madrid and Barcelona simultaneously signed a contract with Argentine player Alfredo Di Stéfano. FIFA controversially settled the dispute. It determined that the clubs would loan the player to each other for two years. Barcelona rejected such a solution and gave up the player. Alfredo Di Stéfano then won the European Cup five times with Real and became its biggest star in history.
Messi and Ronaldo in modern derbies
In more recent history, the most watched rivals became players Lionel Messi (Barcelona) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid). During their time, many club records were broken. In the seasons, they alternated as the top two scorers in La Liga and the Champions League. Ronaldo won the Golden Boot three times and Messi five times. Similarly, Messi won the Ballon d'Or five times and Ronaldo four times. In their nine years at their respective clubs, they scored a total of 922 goals, with 38 in El Clásico matches.
As of 2023, Ronaldo holds the title of all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League. Messi, who follows him in second place, boasts the title of top scorer in La Liga with 474 goals. Both players contributed to their clubs' dominance in Europe. Their era ended in 2018 when Ronaldo left Real Madrid and Messi injured his arm.
The English Northwest derby
The Northwest derby is one of the high-profile rivalries between the English professional clubs FC Liverpool and Manchester United. Players, fans, and the media consider the match between these two rivals to be the biggest European competition, primarily based on the close proximity of the two major cities they represent.
Both clubs are among the most successful English teams in domestic, European, and world competitions, where they collect various awards.
A Historical Look Back
The history of the Northwest derby dates back to the 19th century when British football was shaped through historical encounters. Their rises and falls constantly alternated. The first direct clash occurred in 1962 when Liverpool advanced under the leadership of Bill Shankly. The manager became the founder of the so-called 'Boot Room dynasty,' a center for planning tactics and team development for Liverpool.
Subsequently, both clubs shared four league titles between 1964 and 1967.
While Manchester experienced 26 years without major success from 1967, Liverpool enjoyed a golden era from 1972 to 1992. The successful career of manager Bill Shankly, who secured eight trophies in fifteen years, was followed by the equally capable Bob Paisley. In nine seasons, the club collected twenty trophies.
Between 1990 and 2020, the roles reversed again. This time, Manchester United dominated with 13 league titles, 23 domestic cups, and five European trophies.
Rivalry among players leading to broken legs
The rivalry also spread among the players, who openly expressed it. Wayne Rooney, a Manchester player from 2004 to 2017, admitted to a lifelong hatred of Liverpool. Steven Gerrard from Liverpool showcased a collection of jerseys he exchanged with rival players to filmmakers. However, he admitted that he would never accept any from Manchester United. One of the most notable acts of rejection was the gesture of Liverpool defender Neil Ruddock, who broke both legs of Manchester striker Andy Cole in a reserve match. Later in an interview, he admitted that he only intended to break one leg.
The derby della Madonnina is a football city derby between the two biggest Milanese clubs, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
The name Madonnina refers to the statue of the Virgin Mary that crowns the cathedral in Milan, highlighting the historical and cultural connection between the clubs and the city of Milan. City competitions take place about twice a year through league matches.
However, it has also expanded into the Coppa Italia, Champions League, and Supercoppa Italiana. All derbies are held at the same stadium, San Siro, which both clubs consider home. What happened in history
In the past, there was only the AC Milan club, founded in 1899.
Later, several dissatisfied members broke away to form the rival club Internazionale. Thus began the beginnings of Italian football rivalry. That's how the beginnings of Italian football rivalry started.
The differences between the clubs grew due to social conditions. Inter Milan was seen as the club of the Milanese bourgeoisie, who could arrive at the San Siro stadium on scooters. Meanwhile, AC Milan was primarily supported by the working class, who used public transport. Nowadays, property preferences have shifted to personal or family ones.
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Pyrotechnics at San Siro
As mentioned, football fever hits the hearts of fans even more intensely when the derby of their favorite clubs takes place. And as everyone knows, actions influenced by emotions do not always align with reason. One such situation, where fans couldn't keep their emotions in check, occurred during the 2004/2005 derby. The match between the city’s Milan clubs turned into chaos after Inter fans repeatedly threw pyrotechnics onto the San Siro pitch. Referee Markus Merk interrupted the game twice to request an end to the disturbances. However, after goalkeeper Dida intervened, Merk immediately canceled the match. UEFA decided on a victory for AC Milan. The behavior of the fans was condemned by both sides and the European governing body.
Scottish Old Firm derby
The Old Firm Derby is the name for football matches between the two most popular Scottish clubs based in Glasgow, Celtic FC and Glasgow Rangers. They compete every season for the title of Scottish league champion. Their rivalry primarily stems from religion and history. While Celtic aligns with the Catholic Church, Rangers adhere to the Protestant faith.
A Historical Look Back
The first mutual match took place in the distant history of 1888 in the form of a friendly game, where Celtic defeated Rangers 5-2. Due to the religious differences between the clubs, an unwritten rule prohibiting the recruitment of players with Catholic faith was in place from the 1930s to the 1990s. However, in 1986, coach Graeme Souness broke this rule by bringing in player Maurice Johnston from Celtic.
The Old Firm derby was played in the Scottish Football League continuously from 1890 until 2012, when Rangers were removed from the competition for economic reasons. They subsequently returned in the 2016/2017 season.
By May 2022, 430 derby matches had taken place, with Rangers narrowly ahead with 168 wins compared to Celtic's 161 victories.
As an interesting fact, the Scottish flag does not appear at matches in the stadium. Rangers honor the flag of Great Britain, while Celtic honors the Irish flag.
Skull fracture resulting in death
Although derbies are characterized by great emotion and passion among players and fans, serious injuries or deaths rarely occur. On September 5, 1931, however, a tragedy occurred during the classic match between Celtic and Rangers at Ibrox Park stadium in Glasgow, witnessed by 80,000 spectators. John Thompson (Celtic) collided headfirst with the knee of Sam English (Rangers), resulting in a skull fracture and a ruptured artery in his right temporal bone. Although most fans believed Thompson would come away with at most a concussion, he succumbed to his injuries in the hospital and died.
Argentinian derby Superclásico
Superclásico refers to the football matches between the two largest and most popular Argentine clubs, Boca Juniors and River Plate, which have their home stadiums in Buenos Aires. Boca Juniors play at La Bombonera, while River Plate play at El Monumental.
According to the media, Superclásico is among the best and most passionate derbies in the world.
A glimpse into history
Both football clubs have roots in La Boca in Buenos Aires. River Plate was founded in 1901 and Boca Juniors in 1905. Even in these clubs, social differences prevailed after River moved to the wealthier neighborhood of Núñez in 1925. Boca Juniors remained known as the working-class club, with a large portion of its fans being members of the Italian immigrant community known as Xeneizes.
Before their first official match, Boca Juniors and River Plate played two friendly matches in 1908 and 1912. The match then took place on August 24, 1913, at Racing Club's stadium, where River won 2-1.
In 2000 and 2001, Boca eliminated River from the Copa Libertadores, winning titles and reaching the finals in 2004. In June 2011, River was relegated to a lower division for the first time, only to return in 2012. Subsequently, the tables turned, and River Plate eliminated Boca Juniors in the Copa Sudamericana 2014, Copa Libertadores 2015, Supercopa Argentina 2017, Copa Libertadores 2018, and Copa Libertadores 2019, winning the trophy in all matches except for Copa Libertadores 2019.
Tragedy at Gate 12
Superclásico also has one controversial experience among fans. On June 23, 1968, 71 spectators died and another 150 were injured after a tied match at El Monumental. Most of the victims were also young, with an average age of 19 years. The disaster is among the worst in the history of Argentine football and one of the most severe in the entire sports world.
The exact cause of the incident is not known. Some claim that Boca fans were burning newspapers to celebrate the draw and throwing them into the lower stands. Others describe it as burning flags of the opposing team. According to the then-president of River Plate, William Kent, the police began to push back the rival supporters after they threw bottles filled with urine at them.
Panic then broke out among the fans, and they rushed to gate number 12, which was locked. In the chaos, dozens of young people were trampled, and over a hundred were injured.
After three years of investigation, the police were unable to identify any culprit. This day remains recorded in history as the Tragedy at Gate 12 (Tragedia de la puerta 12).
The Manchester derby is a football match between the two most significant football clubs in Manchester, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Both clubs play in the prestigious Premier League, boast a rich fan base, and their encounters always bring tension and anticipation. Manchester United plays its home matches at Old Trafford stadium, while Manchester City plays at Etihad Stadium.
A glimpse into history
The English football clubs of Manchester first clashed in November 1881.
The game ended with a score of 3-0 in favor of Manchester United (then known as Newton Heath LYR). At that time, the match did not play a significant role, as both teams were lost among other emerging clubs in Manchester. By the end of the 19th century, they were gaining dominance and joined the Football League in 1892. The first meeting between the clubs at the highest level of English football took place in December 1906.
The first meeting between the clubs at the highest level of English football took place in December 1906. K dalším častějším společným utkáním docházelo následně až pár let po druhé světové válce.
V osmdesátých letech začala narůstat dominance Manchesteru United. Svůj náskok si držel ještě v dalších sezónách, než byl poražen Manchester City 5:1 v roce 1989. Byla to však jejich poslední výhra na United po dalších 13 let.
V 90. letech dominoval United derby po celé desetiletí. V dalších sezónách se vítězství vedoucí k dalším ligovým úspěchům několikrát vystřídalo. City se dokonce podařilo do roku 2020 vyhrát ligu čtyřikrát ze šesti sezón. A United většinou končil těsně na druhém místě. V derby zápasech klubů i nadále pokračovala soutěživost a nepředvídatelnost.
Kuriózní okamžik
Just like with the previous football clubs, there have been several surprising events with Manchester as well. For example, let's recall one from the 1970s when a tackle by George Best from Manchester United caused a broken leg for City player Glyn Pardoe. The severity of the injury almost led to the Manchester City defender having his leg amputated, but fortunately, everything turned out well in the end.
