Match Reports

Top 50 biggest Football Derbies in the World

De Twaalfde Man - top 50 football derbies
Written by De Twaalfde Man

After the 40 greatest football stadiums in the world, now presenting the top 50 biggest football derbies in the world. For a couple of weeks you had the opportunity to vote for your top 5. These votes together with those of the Dutch football culture website In de Hekken formed the result below. Recognizable result with a few remarkable surprises.

Earlier this year football magazine Four Four Two presented their top 50. For me the motivation to have a little research on my own. Goal is to come to a list with the biggest football derbies in the world based on rivalry, history and prestige.

What is a football derby?

A question which resulted in quite the discussion during my research. Not a surprise. It might be the longest discussion in the history of football as there seems no clear explanation. I chose the following starting point. A football derby is match between two clubs from the same city or region (province) with a proper rivalry between the two. Not everyone agreed on this explanation.

You had the opportunity to add your own football derby to the list. Both Hrvatski Derbi (Hajduk v Dinamo) and De Klassieker (Feyenoord v Ajax) were added and received a substantial amount of votes. According to the explanation above, both not real football derbies despite called so. Nonetheless, I maintained these matches – as well as a few others – in the final results, as you decide!

De Twaalfde Man - top 50 football derbies

Chauvinism

Both a the search for the greatest football stadiums, as well as looking for the top 50 biggest football derbies chauvinism is key. Support your local when voting for your favorite football derby. Fantastic to see the importance of football, what it means to people.

The number one of the list is a football derby from India. They captured my poll to show everyone their pride for club and country. Sharing their football passion with the rest of the world. Very respectable. Nonetheless, voting is based on personal opinions, so the result is purely subjective. But I can say, the top 50 biggest football derbies of the world has become a proper bucket list for every football enthusiast!

Top 50 biggest football derbies

Eventually I received over 21.000 votes from just over 10.000 voters. Thank you for your cooperation!

1. Kolkata Derby – East Bengal v Mohun Bagan
The biggest derby in India for sure. Over a century of derby history, but the ultras scene and rivalry developed since 2016.

2. Eternal Derby – Rode Ster v Partizan
This eternal rivalry puts a whole country on high alert when derby weekend starts. The two biggest, most successful and most supported clubs of Serbia provide a clash with unreal scenes on the stands.

De Twaalfde Man - top 50 football derbies

3. Superclasico – Boca Juniors v River Plate
The number one on the bucket list of every football lunatic. Life is not complete if you haven’t visited Superclasico. Despite the fact that away fans are not allowed, still mentioned as the biggest match in the world. No one will disagree that this is actually the biggest derby. The fierceness of the rivalry caused a remarkable fact in recent history. The final of the Coba Libertadores had to move to another continent because of the heat in Buenos Aires.

4. The Old Firm – Celtic v Rangers
One of the oldest football derbies in the world and definitely one of the fiercest rivalries. This rivalry has it all. Politically sensitive, differences in religion, social classes and the most successful clubs of the country. On the derby day it is not only code red for Glasgow or Scotland. This rivalry goes beyond borders.

Check my derby report here!

De Twaalfde Man - top 50 football derbies

5. A Derbi – Ferencvaros v Ujpest
Another surprise in the top 5. The derby of Budapest, Hungary. A rivalry with a proper history, but gets much more attention the last few years because of the craziness on the stands. Who remembers this crazy pyro show by the Green Monsters in 2019?

6. Dublin Derby – Bohemian FC v Shamrock Rovers > check my derby report!
7. Derby della Capitale – Lazio v Roma
8. Mechelse Derby – KV Mechelen v RC Mechelen
9. The Intercontinental Derby – Fenerbahce v Galatasaray
10. Eternal Derby of Bulgaria – Levski v CSKA > check my derby report!
11. Casablanca Derby – Raja v Wydad
12. Sarajevski Derbi – FK Željezničar v FK Sarajevo > check my derby report!
13. Antwerp Derby – Royal Antwerp v Beerschot
14. Derby of the Eternal Enemies – Olympiacos v Panathinaikos
15. Paulista Derby – Corinthians v Palmeiras
16. Kohlenpott Derby – Borussia Dortmund v Schalke 04
17. Derbi Campineiro – Ponte Preta v Guarani
18. Avallaneda Derby – Independiente v Racing Club
19. Dockers Derby – West Ham v Millwall
20. Classico GRE-NAL – Gremio v Internacional
21. Holy War – Wisla Krakow v Cracovia
22. Clásico Rosarino – Newell’s Old Boys v Rosario Central
23. Merseyside Derby – Liverpool FC v Everton FC
24. Derby della Madonnina – Inter v AC Milan
25. Hamburger Stadtderby – HSV v Sankt Pauli
26. Slaget om Kobenhavn – Brøndby IF v FC Copenhagen > check my derby report!
27. Mostar Derby – Velez v Zrinjski > check my derby report!
28. Derby of Northern Greece – PAOK v Aris > check my derby report!
29. North-West Derby – Liverpool v Manchester United

De Twaalfde Man - top 50 football derbies

30. De Klassieker – Feyenoord v Ajax. > check my derby report!
31. Manchester Derby – Manchester United v Manchester City
32. Derby de Lisboa – Sporting CP v SL Benfica > check my derby report!
33. FLA-FLU – Flamengo v Fluminense
34. Hrvatski Derbi – Hajduk Split v Dinamo Zagreb
35. El Clásico Paisa – Atlético Nacional v Independiente Medellin
36. Porteño Derby – Huracán v San Lorenzo
37. Derby della Lanterna – Genoa v Sampdoria
38. Tvillingderbyt – AIK v Djurgården IF
39. Vienna Derby – Rapid v Austria
40. Uruguyan Clásico – Nacional v Penarol
41. Main Moscow Derby – Spartak v CSKA > check my derby report!
42. Derbiul României – Dinamo Bucharest v FCSB
43. Plovdiv Derby – Lokomotiv v Botev
44. El Gran Derbi – Sevilla FC v Real Betis
45. Big Two Derby – Glentoran v Linfield
46. Dérbi Campineiro – Guarani v Ponte Preta
47. Duel Super Klasik Indonesia – Persib v Persija
48. Derby of Santiago – Universida v Colo Colo
49. Le Derby – Lyon v Saint-Etienne
50. Łódź Derby – LKS v Widzew

De Twaalfde Man - Football Derbies

About the author

De Twaalfde Man

Passionate about football. Loves the game, especially al that happens around the pitch. Prefers to attend matches between the fanatics, the ultras, to experience football how it should be and if possible capture the passion on pictures telling the story. Crazy about authentic football culture, old stadiums and has a soft spot for the Balkans. Travels all around Europe and has been named "derby specialist" bij Panenka Magazine.

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