Football is called the beautiful game. But the beauty is enhanced by the great rivalries. Indeed, without the rivalries, it would never fee...
Football is called the beautiful game. But the beauty is enhanced by the great rivalries. Indeed, without the rivalries, it would never feel the same.
Games like the World Cup final, the Champions League final and other title clashes have their own place in the football calendar but the first game an average football fan looks out for when the fixtures are made is the one against the arch-rivals.
A derby is a bread and butter big game. It doesn’t need the context of a points table or a knockout situation. It’s big in its own right, a championship within a championship.
Even in India, where football is not the most popular sport, there’s no shortage of derbies. Its century-old history is littered with rivalries, be it for regional pride, a clash of philosophies, or sheer competitive spirit. Here’s a look at some of the fiercest ones.
Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal – The Mother of all derbies
It’s simply the biggest game in Indian football.
A game first played in 1925, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal’s disdain for each other grew as the century progressed. Bagan India’s oldest club had a policy of only recruiting local Bengali players in their team. The locals had a deep dislike for the Hindu...
