Why is called a derby in football?

One theory is that the phrase comes from the Derby horse race which was founded
by the Earl of Derby in 1780, according to the BBC. Another theory also has the Earl
of Derby at the heart of it. Some believe the phrase originated from a match between
Liverpool and Everton in 1914.

Football has many exciting matches, but nothing beats a good derby. The biggest
rivalries in football create an incredible, electric atmosphere.

A derby is a rivalry between two football clubs. This term is often used to refer to a
famous rivalry and most of those have their own nickname. Every season many
supporters look forward to specific derbies giving place to legendary football games
with heated atmospheres.

RIVALRY= competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same
field

Here are some factors that contribute to creating fierce football rivalries:
Location: Many derbies are between local rivals and sometimes even from the same
city. This makes it easy for supporters of both teams to gather at a stadium, which
can make for a rough, stormy and raw atmosphere.
History: A sequence of important matches only adds fuel to a rivalry. Important
tournament matches or cup finals can stir up fierce emotions among players and
supporters.
Quality of play: Football rivalries should also be reflected in results on the pitch. Many
clubs in this list also rank high in their respective league.
1. Barcelona vs Real Madrid
El Clásico
El Clásico is perhaps the most famous rivalry in the world. Everyone knows that El
Clásico stands for the derby between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The first match
between those two clubs was in 1902, when Real Madrid was still called Madrid CF.
FC Barcelona won this friendly match 3-1.
But the derby was not yet born… The rivalry came about because of the long-
standing sensitive political background. Real Madrid is seen as representing Spanish
nationalism, while Barcelona is seen as representing Catalan nationalism. Those two
ideologies clashed and so the El Clásico derby was born.

2. Celtic F.C. vs Rangers F.C.

The Old Firm Derby
Celtic F.C. vs Rangers F.C. is one of the biggest rivalry in football. The Old Firm
Derby is contested between two of the most successful clubs in the history of
Scottish football, Celtic F.C. and Rangers F.C. This derby is one of the oldest and
most heavily charged derbies in the world. Their first match was in 1888, when both
clubs could still play each other as friends.

Over the years, friendly contact faded and hatred grew due to a difference in religion.
The city was geographically divided into a Catholic and Protestant part. Celtic had
the Catholic faith and Rangers the Protestant faith. The match also has a history of
violence with some fans involved in field invasions and vandalism. The legions of
both clubs are so involved that the Old Firm Derby is responsible for millions in
revenue for Scotland’s economy.

3. Boca Juniors vs River Plate

The Superclásico
The Superclásico is known worldwide as one of the fiercest and most famous
rivalries in the world of football. Clásico is a Spanish word for derby. And this
Argentine derby was called Superclásico because it saw the most successful and
popular clubs face each other. Some newspapers and magazines say that this derby
is an absolute must-see. It is considered one of the biggest rivalries in football.

Since 1913, Boca Juniors and River Plate have been competing for the title of the
best club in Bueno Aires. Boca Juniors is the club of the people, while River Plate
fans are mostly from the upper class. The rivalry was caused by this class difference.
In 2015, a Boca fan attacked some River Plate players with pepper spray. Go watch
this derby and a legendary football game is guaranteed !
4. AC Milan vs Inter Milan
Derby della Madonnina
Derby della Madonnina is one of the most followed derbies. The name ‘Derby della
Madonnina’ was chosen after the statue of the Virgin Mary on top of the Duomo. This
statue of the Virgin Mary is also known as the “Madonnina”. The first meet of these
football rivals was in 1909 and both clubs had one goal: to be the best club in Milan.
The derby came about because of the social divide between the supporters. Inter
Milan attracted the lower class, while AC Milan attracted the working class.

Fun Fact: Did you know that AC Milan and Inter Milan play in the same stadium when
they have a home game? The stadium is officially called Giuseppe Meazza, named
after a footballer who was incredibly successful at Inter. AC Milan supporters do not
want to hear about this and prefer to call the stadium San Siro. That is the name of
the Milan district where the stadium is located.

5. Ajax vs Feyenoord
De Klassieker
De Klassieker is a derby of Dutch origin and everyone knows the football rivals:
Amsterdam and Rotterdam. De Klassieker is high on the list of the biggest derbies in
football, next to FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid (El Clásico) and Glasgow Rangers vs
Celtic (The Old Firm Derby).

The first match between those two clubs took place in 1917, but the rivalry really
started in 1921. Ajax played first in the First Division, and Feyenoord followed closely
behind. When they faced each other on the pitch in Rotterdam, the score was 2-3 for
the Amsterdammers. Feyenoord protested and the result was ruled 2-2. Their rivalry
has been on fire ever since. Major riots take place before, during and after the
matches. Torches, fireworks and sometimes bombs are set off around the event. Will
you dare to visit De Klassieker? Then you’ll be guaranteed a legendary football game
in the stadium!
The rivalry between these two clubs goes beyond the football rivalry, transcending
into the city rivalry between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. This rivalry began when
these two cities first received their city rights in the 13th century. The football clubs
are the pride of these cities; Ajax to Amsterdam and Feyenoord to Rotterdam.
Eternal Derby (Croatian: Vječni derbi) also known as the Croatian Derby (Croatian:
Hrvatski derbi), is the name given to matches between the two biggest and most
popular Croatian football clubs Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split.

The rivalry can be traced back to 1920s when Zagreb's Građanski and Hajduk often
clashed in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia championships. After World War II, Građanski
was disbanded by the authorities, and Dinamo Zagreb was formed to take its place,
retaining its colours. The two clubs soon became part of the "Big Four" of Yugoslav
football (the other two being Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade from Serbia)
ever since the Yugoslav championship was established in 1946 (both clubs spent
their entire existence playing top-flight football). This lasted until 1991, when Croatia
declared independence so clubs started competing in the Prva HNL, which saw its
first season being played in 1992. Since 1992 Dinamo and Hajduk won 25 out of 27
Croatian championship titles, as well as 21 out of 27 Croatian Cups, which makes
them by far the most successful clubs in Croatia.

Due to various formats that were used in the Croatian championship (which currently
employs a four-round robin format) and the cup competition format (which has teams
playing one-legged fixtures even in the final game) and in addition to the games
played in the Supercup, there can be anywhere from four to six derbies per season.
Since the first official match in 1946, there have been over 200 official derbies played
in total.