Top 10 Rivalries in International Football

[Libertadores FC]

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-...international-footballs-10-greatest-rivalries

Discuss

I think Egypt - Algeria, Brazil - Argentina, England - Scotland and Serbia - Croatia are right where they belong. USA - Mexico should be lower and Peru - Chile should be higher.

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Peru and Chile are rivals?

 

[markwwfc1992]

Would have thought Turkey vs Greece would be up there. South Korea vs Japan as a rivalry? I would have many other games above this one.

USA vs Mexico seems a bit meh too. Mexico has a big following for sure but the USA don't really give a shit football (soccer) enough to have a rivalry. Again other country rivalries would be ahead of this for me (Ukraine vs Russia maybe?).

England vs Scotland is the old rivalry for sure, but I would personally class the French or Germans as a more interesting rivalry.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Would have thought Turkey vs Greece would be up there. South Korea vs Japan as a rivalry? I would have many other games above this one.

USA vs Mexico seems a bit meh too. Mexico has a big following for sure but the USA don't really give a shit football (soccer) enough to have a rivalry. Again other country rivalries would be ahead of this for me (Ukraine vs Russia maybe?).

England vs Scotland is the old rivalry for sure, but I would personally class the French or Germans as a more interesting rivalry.

I agree about Mexico and the USA. I know there is a debate nowadays about who is better in North America but I'm sure Americans don't give a shit if they lose to Mexico.

South Korea vs Japan may be a rivalry, I'm not really sure but even then it doesn't have as much history as Peru - Chile so it baffles me that they are somehow even above France - Italy.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

I'll be captain obvious and say it, that most Englishmen we'd rather beat Germany than Scotland.

Scotland dislike England, England dislike Germany, Germany dislike Holland. Far as I know that's the chain of unrequited rivalry.

Never really thought of South Korea / Japan as a rivalry, particularly in a footballing sense. And I wouldn't have thought France and Italy particularly dislike each other, although are obviously both European footballing powers who will clash a fair bit.

I can vouch that Denmark and Sweden is a bit heated. Once spent a week living and working with a couple of Danes and Swedes and they never stopped arguing! Be it about football or life in general.

 

[Spirederman]

Peru v San Marino

2 giants of the game.

 

[voltage]

I think second place to Mexico vs USA is too high. And South Korea vs Japan sounds more like a rivarly related to outside of field questions than football by itself.

Brazil vs Argentina is really a very strong rivarly in football. For me, as a brazilian myself, is the highest and I can't see it different.

 

[Stevencc]

I'll be captain obvious and say it, that most Englishmen we'd rather beat Germany than Scotland.

Scotland dislike England, England dislike Germany, Germany dislike Holland. Far as I know that's the chain of unrequited rivalry.

Never really thought of South Korea / Japan as a rivalry, particularly in a footballing sense. And I wouldn't have thought France and Italy particularly dislike each other, although are obviously both European footballing powers who will clash a fair bit.

I can vouch that Denmark and Sweden is a bit heated. Once spent a week living and working with a couple of Danes and Swedes and they never stopped arguing! Be it about football or life in general.

In terms of rivalry I'd much rather us beat Scotland actually. It would be more of an achievement to beat Germany of course, but I don't think it's as clear cut as you suggest there.

 

[Camborne Gills]

England v Argentina has to be a close 3rd (behind the Jocks and Jerries)

 

[Spirederman]

I think second place to Mexico vs USA is too high. And South Korea vs Japan sounds more like a rivarly related to outside of field questions than football by itself.

Brazil vs Argentina is really a very strong rivarly in football. For me, as a brazilian myself, is the highest and I can't see it different.

Agree on both points. Brazil v Argentina is the biggest international derby IMO. I'd have Germany v Holland in 2nd, England v Scotland 3rd and perhaps Croatia v Serbia to follow.


Peru v Faroe Islands supercede them all though, doesn't get any bigger or nastier than that.

Anyway, only logged in to celebrate our goal, ended up checking notifications and replying to this. Missed about 5 minutes

 

[mistermagic]

I'd say Germany hate Italy more than we do given what happened in 06 and 12. I don't feel any particular animosity towards the Italians as I like the people, the clubs (yes, even Juve) and pasta. Most of my friends loath the Italians though so it's probably right in that it is a two-way rivalry albeit not a very big so 10th is about right.

Was expecting to see Iran/Irak in there. Ah well.

 

[mente captus]

prussia vs bavaria

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

I'll be captain obvious and say it, that most Englishmen we'd rather beat Germany than Scotland.

Scotland dislike England, England dislike Germany, Germany dislike Holland. Far as I know that's the chain of unrequited rivalry.

Never really thought of South Korea / Japan as a rivalry, particularly in a footballing sense. And I wouldn't have thought France and Italy particularly dislike each other, although are obviously both European footballing powers who will clash a fair bit.

I can vouch that Denmark and Sweden is a bit heated. Once spent a week living and working with a couple of Danes and Swedes and they never stopped arguing! Be it about football or life in general.

Nah mate, nothing better than beating the Scots. Never will be.

Also: Holland-Germany is FAR from a one way rivalry.

 

[blademan89]

In terms of rivalry I'd much rather us beat Scotland actually. It would be more of an achievement to beat Germany of course, but I don't think it's as clear cut as you suggest there.

I fully agree with you. Scotland at wembley is the only game id ever go to wembley for and the away game in glasgow last year was absolutely superb i thought my head was going to explode and it was only a friendly.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

If I could beat any country in the world, it would be Scotland. That will always be our biggest rivalry in my book.

 

[Cmon Norn Iron]

The 2 irelands is a huge rivalry more so now that they are allowed to steal our players

 

[blademan89]

The 2 irelands is a huge rivalry more so now that they are allowed to steal our players

Is it fuck. When you played each other in a friendly a few years back there was no one there , you took about 500 to the aviva

 

[Alty]

Is it fuck. When you played each other in a friendly a few years back there was no one there , you took about 500 to the aviva

TBF it was a friendly and the NI fans were boycotting in protest at the aforementioned player stealing.

 

[blademan89]

TBF it was a friendly and the NI fans were boycotting in protest at the aforementioned player stealing.

Fair enough on the n.i part but even if its a friendly a so called huge rivalry doesnt have about 12k there in a 50k stadium

 

[Alty]

Fair enough on the n.i part but even if its a friendly a so called huge rivalry doesnt have about 12k there in a 50k stadium

I wouldn't claim it's one of the great world football rivalries, but the attendance at a random meaningless friendly is not really a fair indicator.

Look at the game between the two sides in Belfast in 93 when the Republic needed a result to qualify for the World Cup. Far more ferocious atmosphere than at most games between England and Scotland, I'd wager.

Also, on the Netherlands vs Germany...I'd always thought the dislike came mainly from the former towards the latter without really being reciprocated?

 

[Cmon Norn Iron]

I wouldn't claim it's one of the great world football rivalries, but the attendance at a random meaningless friendly is not really a fair indicator.

Look at the game between the two sides in Belfast in 93 when the Republic needed a result to qualify for the World Cup. Far more ferocious atmosphere than at most games between England and Scotland, I'd wager.

Also, on the Netherlands vs Germany...I'd always thought the dislike came mainly from the former towards the latter without really being reciprocated?

Yep.yor're right alty,said match was boycotted,the 93 qualifier was ferocious but the 88 qualifier was probably worse

I hope and pray they don't qualify for france,firstly for the player situation and secondly arseholes from both sets of fans are gonna ruin it,trust me

 

[blademan89]

Yep.yor're right alty,said match was boycotted,the 93 qualifier was ferocious but the 88 qualifier was probably worse

I hope and pray they don't qualify for france,firstly for the player situation and secondly arseholes from both sets of fans are gonna ruin it,trust me

I hope they dont too cant stand em.

 

[mistermagic]

Also, on the Netherlands vs Germany...I'd always thought the dislike came mainly from the former towards the latter without really being reciprocated?

Thought to too and having lived 2 years in Munich, I didn't feel like they hated them as I think the current rivalry is more towards Italy due to recent results. Germany/Holland looks like a swings and roundabouts rivalry really.

Yep.yor're right alty,said match was boycotted,the 93 qualifier was ferocious but the 88 qualifier was probably worse

I hope and pray they don't qualify for france,firstly for the player situation and secondly arseholes from both sets of fans are gonna ruin it,trust me

I hope they don't qualify because I'd rather watch Bosnia this summer. Watching Ireland is torture.

 

[SALTIRE]

If I could beat any country in the world, it would be Scotland. That will always be our biggest rivalry in my book.

Good to hear so many Englishmen on here say that we are still the country they'd like to beat the most. I know we aren't on the same level football-wise but its good to hear its still important for the fans to get one-up on the auld enemy.