For every football groundhopper, experiencing the most intensely-fought rivalries across the globe is at the top of the wishlist, but which derbies are the best to visit as a fan?
With Der Klassiker between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and Lazio and Roma going head-to-head this weekend, witnessing the Derby della Capitale at the Stadio Olimpico in particular is on the bucket list of many football fans, but where do these fixtures rank among the world’s best derbies?
While some rivalries pit together the best teams in world football, others are notorious for the atmosphere and bitter hatred among the two sets of supporters, while others are located in stunning cities that are well worth a visit on their own.
This article will rank the 10 best rivalries in world football to attend as a fan, judging factors such as the stadiums they take place in, the quality of the players on show, the animosity between the two sets of fans, and how good the cities that the clubs are from are for football tourists.
The 10 best derbies to attend as a football fan
10th: Eternal Derby (Red Star vs Partizan)
The Eternal Derby in Belgrade sees Serbia’s two strongest clubs go head-to-head in one of the most intimidating atmospheres anywhere in world football.
While the level of the Serbian top flight is a long way below that of Europe’s top-five leagues, any football fan who does not mind a raucous atmosphere, fireworks and pyrotechnics must witness this fixture once in their life.
Belgrade itself is not among the most glamorous of places in the Balkans, but the atmosphere of the Eternal Derby would make for a worthwhile trip, especially at Red Star’s menacing Rajko Mitic Stadium.
Stadium(s): 5.5/10 (Partizan Stadium 4/10, Rajko Mitic Stadium 7/10)
Quality: 3/10
Animosity: 10/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Location(s): 6/10
Total: 34.5/50
9th: Derby of the Eternal Enemies (Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos)
Greek football fans are famed for their intense love of the game, and the atmosphere they create both at home and when travelling to away games in Europe.
That makes the Derby of the Eternal Enemies between dominant Greek forces Olympiacos and Panathinaikos a special fixture to witness as a fan, with it being another game that produces a highly-charged atmosphere every time the two take to the field against one another.
Once more, the level may not be quite as high as others in the list on the field, but the city of Athens is a brilliant place to visit as a tourist, and this fixture could even move up the list when Panathinaikos move into their impressive new stadium next year.
Stadium(s): 5/10 (Georgios Karaiskakis 6/10, Olympic Stadium 4/10)
Quality: 5/10
Animosity: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Location(s): 8/10
Total: 36/50
8th: The Old Firm (Celtic vs Rangers)
The best derby in British football, the Old Firm rivalry may not be up to the standard football-wise of many in English football, but the meeting of these two Scottish giants is always a very noteworthy occasion in the calendar.
A rivalry based on political and religious differences, this spills over into football, and makes for an intense hatred between fans of the two clubs, which plays out on derby day, and every other day of the year.
While there are certainly more pleasant places than Glasgow on this list, Celtic Park and Ibrox are among two of the finest stadiums in the UK, and with titles often on the line when these two meet, it makes for a brilliant atmosphere and an engrossing match more often than not.
Stadium(s): 9/10 (Celtic Park 9/10, Ibrox 9/10)
Quality: 5/10
Animosity: 10/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Location(s): 5/10
Total: 38/50
7th: The Intercontinental Derby (Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce)
Two clubs which share the same city but separate continents, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are the best Turkey has to offer, and their football-crazed supporters make this derby one of the biggest in the world.
Turkish football has had its peaks and troughs over the years, but these two clubs are usually always competitive at the top of the Super Lig, and with someone of Jose Mourinho’s stature currently at the helm for Fener, that illustrates the stature these clubs have in European football.
Istanbul is a fascinating city, and for the average football fan, it is a perfect destination, as the majority of the locals will also be huge fans of the sport, but it would be wise to state your neutrality to avoid upsetting anybody!
Stadium(s): 6/10 (Rams Park 6/10, Sukru Saracoglu 6/10)
Quality: 6/10
Animosity: 10/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Location(s): 6/10
Total: 38/50
6th: Der Klassiker (Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund)
The biggest game of the year in the German football calendar will take place this weekend, when Bayern and Dortmund go head-to-head at the majestic Allianz Arena, and fans from all over Germany and wider Europe are expected to make up some of the 75,000 in attendance.
Both the Allianz and Dortmund’s famous Westfalenstadion make this fixture a must-see for any keen football traveller, as they are among two of the best purpose-built football stadiums anywhere in the world, hosting a World Cup and European Championship semi-final each.
The quality on the field is not too bad either, with Bayern often the dominant force in Germany, while Dortmund usually offer the nearest challenge, and even though BVB are not in the title race this season, they could seriously hamper the hopes of the Bavarians of winning the Bundesliga this time around.
Stadium(s): 10/10 (Allianz Arena 10/10, Westfalenstadion 10/10)
Quality: 8/10
Animosity: 6/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Location(s): 7/10 (Munich 8/10, Dortmund 6/10)
Total: 40/50
5th: Derby della Capitale (Roma vs Lazio)
Taking place in one of the world’s finest cities, the Derby della Capitale in Rome, contested by Roma and Lazio should be on the bucket list of every football traveller.
While the Stadio Olimpico can be criticised for not being a football-friendly venue, the supporters of Lazio and Roma make up for that with stunning tifosi, marvellous choreography, and a raucous atmosphere that is not for the faint-hearted.
These two clubs are also among the biggest in Italy, making for a high-quality, if sometimes cagey, affair, and the meeting between the two this weekend could have huge implications in the race for the top four.
Stadium(s): 6/10
Quality: 8/10
Animosity: 8/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Location(s): 9/10
Total: 40/50
4th: Le Classique (PSG vs Marseille)
The culture in French football means many of their high-profile derbies are often supercharged, but none more so than Le Classique, which sees the current dominant force Paris Saint-Germain take on the former giants of the game in the country, Marseille.
While the gap between these two clubs seems to get wider every year, it still makes for a fiercely-fought rivalry, with animosity between the two clubs being no secret, despite being located around 500 miles apart.
Paris and Marseille as destinations have their issues, but the Parc des Princes and Stade Velodrome are phenomenal places to watch football, and drama is often in store when the two clubs go head-to-head.
Stadium(s): 9/10 (Parc des Princes 9/10, Stade Velodrome 9/10)
Quality: 8/10
Animosity: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Location(s): 6/10 (Paris 6/10, Marseille 6/10)
Total: 41/50
3rd: Derby della Madonnina (AC Milan vs Inter Milan)
While the Derby d’Italia between Juventus and Inter Milan is famed for their hatred of one another, and the world-class teams they have assembled over the years, the Derby della Madonnina between Inter and city rivals AC Milan edges it out in this list.
Watching football at San Siro is the sheer reason why this has made the cut, on top of the fact that Milan and Inter are so often two of the strongest clubs in Italy, with the stadium being world famous and treated as a footballing cathedral by many groundhoppers.
The two sets of supporters also regularly put on fantastic choreography when it comes to derby day, and no fan would feel short-changed after witnessing the fixture at San Siro, before heading into the fantastic city of Milan for some aperitivo in Navigli.
Stadium(s): 9/10
Quality: 9/10
Animosity: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Location(s): 8/10
Total: 41/50
2nd: El Clasico (Barcelona vs Real Madrid)
The most famous derby in world football, El Clasico sees the two biggest clubs on the planet go head-to-head in a fixture that so often produces some of the most high-quality action anywhere, in two of the most stunning venues in the game.
While also being held in two wonderful cities, the Bernabeu and, once it reopens, the Camp Nou are must-see stadiums for any football fan, and to see them packed to the rafters with almost 100,000 people in attendance for El Clasico would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many.
There is no love lost between the two sets of supporters, who have had near-duopoly control over Spanish football in the past three decades, and they are set to face off in the Copa del Rey final later this month, which must not be missed.
Stadium(s): 10/10 (Bernabeu 10/10, Camp Nou 10/10)
Quality: 10/10
Animosity: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Location(s): 8.5/10 (Madrid 9/10, Barcelona 8/10)
Total: 43.5/50
1st: The Superclasico (Boca Junior vs River Plate)
Being held halfway across the world in Argentina makes the Superclasico something of a mythological beast to many football fans, and exposure to the fixture and access to see it is slightly more complicated.
However, it is one fixture that is certainly worth the lengthy trip to South America for, regularly topping the list for the world’s greatest and most fierce footballing rivalry, between two clubs who fight tooth and nail for supremacy in Buenos Aires.
A lesser-seen city for many Brits and Europeans, Buenos Aires provides a mix of Latin and European culture and is a stunning place to visit, while La Bombanera and the Monumental can rival any stadium on Earth as being among the finest.
No rivalry in Europe conjures up an atmosphere quite like the Superclasico, and the cacophony of noise would leave even the most hardened football travellers trembling slightly, but that only adds to the occasion in what is the world’s best derby to see as a fan.
Stadium(s): 9/10 (La Bombanera 9/10, Estadio Monumental 9/10)
Quality: 7/10
Animosity: 10/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Location(s): 8/10
Total: 44/50