Football rivalries in Argentina

There are a number of major football rivalries in Argentina.

Superclásico

Main article: Superclásico

The Superclásico (Superderby) is the most important football rivalry in Argentina, and the most important local derby. It is contested between Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate. It derives from the Spanish usage of "clásico" to mean derby and the prefix super is used because Boca Juniors and River Plate are the two most popular and successful teams in Argentine football commanding more than 70% of all Argentine football fans between them.[1]

The Superderby is known worldwide as one of world football's fiercest and most important derbies.[2] It is particularly noted for the passion of the fans, the stands of both teams feature fireworks, coloured confetti, flags and rolls of paper. Both sets of supporters sing passionate songs (often based on popular Argentine rock band tunes) against their rivals, and the stadiums are known to bounce with the simultaneous jumping of the fans. Sometimes the games have been known to end in riots between the hardest supporters of both sides or against the police.[3] The English newspaper The Observer put the Superclásico at the top of their list of 50 sporting things you must do before you die.[4]

Avellaneda derby

Main article: Avellaneda derby

The Avellaneda derby (clásico de Avellaneda) is the second most important rivalry in Argentine football (the two teams have many fans throughout the country) and the second most important local derby behind the Superclásico, who is contested between Boca Juniors and River Plate. It is contested between Independiente and Racing, the 3rd (Independiente) and 4th (Racing) most popular (accounting for more than 15% of all Argentine football fans between them[5][6][7]) and successful teams in terms of the total number of league championships won

It's a fierce rivalry between two clubs whose stadiums are just 200 meters apart. The derby is extremely colorful, loud, passionate, and exciting. The "Superclasico de Avellaneda" splits Avellaneda in two, and is historically dominated by Independiente.[8]

Rosario derby

Main article: Rosario derby

The Rosario derby (clásico rosarino) is the most important derby between clubs that are not based in the autonomous city or the province of Buenos Aires. It is contested between Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central, the two major teams in the city of Rosario. The teams nicknames relate from the same incident where Rosario Central refused to play a charity game for a Leprosy charity, hence their nickname Canallas (Scoundrels). Newell's Old Boys stepped in to play the game and earned the nickname Los Leprosos (The Lepers).

Huracán - San Lorenzo

The derby between Huracán and San Lorenzo de Almagro hasn't got a particular name. Is contested between Huracán and San Lorenzo de Almagro, both of Buenos Aires. This derby was regularly played in the Primera División Argentina until Huracán were relegated to the 2nd division. They were reunited in the Primera in 2007. The derby has historically been dominated by San Lorenzo.[9]

Platense derby

Main article: La Plata derby

The Platense derby (clásico platense) is contested between the two major clubs in the city of La Plata, Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.[10] The derby is fiercely contested, and the rivalry between the fans is so extreme that Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata fans have been accused of making death threats to their own team in order to make them lose on purpose to Boca Juniors in order to damage Estudiantes' chances of winning the championship.[11]

Córdoba derby

The Córdoba derby (clásico cordobés) is a closely contested derby between the two most popular teams of Córdoba, Belgrano and Talleres.[12][13] This derby is not being played currently due to the relegation of Talleres to the third division.

West derby

The West derby (clásico del oeste) is contested between the two major teams in the west of the city of Buenos Aires, Ferro Carril Oeste and Vélez Sársfield.The first game was played in the amateur era in 1920 but this derby has not occurred in official competition since Ferro's relegation from the Primera División in 2000. From the beginning of the professional era the difference between wins of Ferro Carril Oeste and Vélez Sarsfield has been 9 wins for the latter. This is one of the oldest fighting and rivalry began 11 years before the start of the professional era A.F.A. football.

Santa Fe derby

The Santa Fe derby (clásico santafesino) is contested between the two major teams in the city of Santa Fe, Colón and Unión. The derby has not occurred in official competition for several years, since Union's relegation from the Primera Division.

Tucumán derby

The Tucumán derby (clásico tucumano): is contested between the two major teams in the province of Tucumán, and it is played in San Miguel de Tucumán, San Martín de Tucumán vs. Club Atlético Tucumán, it is the most important match in the north of Argentina.

Complete list

Buenos Aires (city)

Buenos Aires (city)/Buenos Aires Province

Buenos Aires Province

Catamarca Province

Chaco Province

Chubut Province

Córdoba Province

Corrientes Province

Entre Ríos Province

Formosa Province

Jujuy Province

La Rioja Province

La Pampa Province

Mendoza Province

Misiones Province

Neuquén Province

Río Negro Province

Salta Province

San Juan Province

San Luis Province

Santa Cruz Province

Santa Fe Province

Santiago del Estero Province

Tucumán Province

References

  1. ↑ Argentine football statistics PDF
  2. ↑ BBC Academy, famous football derbies
  3. ↑ Marca America article about the violence
  4. ↑ 50 sporting things you must do before you die
  5. ↑ (Spanish) Consultora Equis
  6. ↑ (Spanish) La Nacion
  7. ↑ (Spanish) Página 12
  8. ↑ RSSSF Argentine championship statistics
  9. ↑ Statistics at BDFutbol (Spanish)
  10. ↑ Clasico Platense statistics at rsssf
  11. ↑ Amenazados de muerte at Olé (Spanish)
  12. ↑ Statistics at La Voz (Spanish)
  13. ↑ Clasico Cordobés website (Spanish)