Fansided

30 best soccer rivalries in the world

By Andrew Dowdeswell

MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 23: Shirts bearing the names of Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF are seen on display at a merchandise stall prior to the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 23, 2014 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 23: Shirts bearing the names of Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF are seen on display at a merchandise stall prior to the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 23, 2014 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
30 of 30
Next
during the Superleague match between Panathinaikos FC and Olympiacos at Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium on February 22, 2015 in Athens, Greece.
during the Superleague match between Panathinaikos FC and Olympiacos at Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium on February 22, 2015 in Athens, Greece. /

1. Olympiakos vs Panathinaikos

The Derby of the Eternal Enemies tells you all you need to know about the fiercest rivalry in all of football. Based in the Greek capital, the two clubs, like many on this list, represent greater conflicts between political and social faction within Athens. Panathinaikos is seen as the establishment’s team, with vast investment from the hierarchy within the Greek parliament. Olympiakos, however, represent the working class Athenian, based around the shipyards of the city. The differences in political class led to differences on the football field, and as the years have passed, the rioting, fighting and intense conflict has only increased.

The intensity of such a hatred has resulted in some of the most frightening scenes in soccer history. Games are now played without away fans after the volatile 2003 derby, where Olympiakos full back Dimitris Mavrogenidis was hit in the face by a container filled with water. The match was ended early, which is a common occurrence between the sides, and the pitch was awash with missiles, petrol bombs, stadium seats and anything else fans could get their hands on.

In March 2014, Panathinaikos manager Yiannis Anastasiou collapsed due to being struck in the face with a liquid filled plastic cup. It was only this February that Greek sporting authorities intervened and suspended all three top-tier leagues in Greece due to severe violence in the ‘Mother of All Battles’.

This is by far the most violent fixture in world football. A simple google search will display violence of a scale that is unheard of in any walk of life, never mind in a sporting stadium. Fire bombs are like confetti, explosions like music, flares like flood lights. Very rarely is a full 90 minutes played. Very rarely is it safe. Very rarely is the city peaceful. But often is it intense, violent and hostile, and is most definitely the fiercest soccer rivalry in the world.

Home/Soccer