Best Local Derby Matches

Celtic-Rangers: The biggest derby of UK. The Glasgow derby between Celtic and Rangers is dated back to 1888 and is referred to as the ‘Old Firm’ derby. The derby is in the spotlight now more than ever, with authorities clamping down on sectarian hatred. Celtic are considered a Catholic club and Rangers-Protestant, while political aspects also come into play. Like any other local derby, violence and abuse has always been a part of this one also as they hold the honours of having the most number of arrests. But that cannot take away the excitement from this rivalry which on matchdays can generate a worldwide audience of 150 million.

Milan-Inter: The Milan derby is contested between two of the most successful and glamorous clubs of Italy. It is often referred to as "Derby della Madonnina" in honour of one of the main sights of the city, the statue of the virgin Mary on the top of the Duomo, which is usually called "Madonnina". It is one of the few derbies where both teams share the same ground – San Siro. It is also believed that there is a certain South American rivalry between the two clubs. The Rossoneri (Milan) prefer Brazilian players while the Nerazzurri (Inter) have a liking for Argentinians.

Fenerbahce-Galatasaray: This Istanbul derby involves two of the most successful clubs of Turkey, who have 17 league titles between them. There is a class difference between the fans of the two clubs. Galatasaray fans are mainly from the aristocratic class while Fenerbahce fans are largely from the working class. There is a geographical divide also as Galatasaray is located in the European side of Istanbul, whereas Fenerbahçe is located on the Asian side. There has been no shortage of controversy in this derby with bookings, sending offs and clashes between the two sets of supporters a common thing.

Boca Juniors-River Plate: The derby between Boca Juniors and River Plate is one of the biggest in the world and possibly the biggest in South America. It is referred to as the El Superclásico and is between two of most popular clubs of Argentina. It is a clash between teams from two socially diverse backgrounds - the rich (River) and the poor (Boca). On matchday the entire country is at a standstill anticipating the outcome of the derby. The match generates worldwide popularity due to the sheer passion of the fans. The stands of both teams are loaded with passionate songs against their rivals, fireworks, flags and rolls of paper. This derby often ends in riots which are either between the two sets of supporters or between fans and the police.

Flamengo-Fluminense: This Rio de Janerio derby is arguably the biggest in Brazilian football. It is referred to as the Flu-Fla derby. The term was coined by a journalist named Mario Filho during the professionalization of Rio de Janeiro's football. Another name for this derby is Clássico das Multidões (Crowds' Derby). The rivalry between these two clubs began in October 1911, when a group of dissatisfied players from Fluminense left the club, and went to Flamengo, which at the time had no football section. It is currently played at the 70,000-seater Maracana Stadium but in 1963 both teams clashed in an epic derby that was played in front of a world record attendance of 194,603 fans at the same stadium.

Manchester United-Manchester City: Historically this local derby is not the biggest one in English football. Liverpool-Everton and Arsenal-Tottenham have much more history and are considered to be more important as the gap in success between the teams is not as huge as it is between the Manchester clubs. Now United are one of the most popular clubs in the world while City are probably the richest so the rivalry has gained new momentum.