There’s nothing quite like the excitement of a good sports rivalry. Fans of different teams pitted against each other, cheering and jeering, hoping their team comes out on top—it’s an adrenaline rush like no other. And rivalries come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes two teams are competing for the same title, like the Yankees and the Red Sox in baseball or the Lakers and the Celtics in basketball. Sometimes it’s a geographical rivalry, like the Packers and the Bears in football or India and Pakistan. But whatever the cause, the results can be pretty amazing. Here are some of the biggest and best sports rivalries in the world.
10- Yankees Vs Dodgers
Photo Credit : Forbes
The rivalry between the Yankees and Dodgers is one of the most storied in all of the sports. The two teams first met in 1913 and have played each other nearly every year since. The rivalry reached its peak in the 1950s when the two teams regularly fought for the pennant.
The Yankees and Dodgers have met in the World Series six times, with the Yankees winning four of those matchups. The most memorable World Series matchup between the two teams came in 1977 when the Yankees came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series in six games.
The Yankees and Dodgers continue to be two of the most successful teams in baseball and the rivalry between them is as intense as ever.
9- Packers Vs Bears
The Packers and Bears have one of the longest and most storied sports rivalries in the NFL. The two teams first met in 1921 and have played each other over 200 times. The rivalry is so intense that it has been dubbed the “Greatest Show on Turf”.
The Packers and Bears are two of the most successful teams in the NFL. The Packers have won the most championships of any team in NFL history, with thirteen. The Bears have won nine championships, the second most in the NFL.
The rivalry between the Packers and Bears is also a cultural one. The Packers are from Wisconsin, a state with a strong Midwestern identity. The Bears are from Illinois, a state with a large metropolitan area. The two teams represent different parts of the country and have different cultural identities.
8- Afghanistan Vs Pakistan
The rivalry between Afghanistan and Pakistan is one of the biggest sports rivalries. The two countries have a long history of conflict and animosity, which often spills over into their sporting contests.
The two teams first met in cricket in 1947, and have played each other regularly since then. The rivalry is particularly intense in cricket, as the two teams are considered to be the two best in the region. They have both won the Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament twice, and have both reached the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup.
The two teams have also met in other sports. They have competed against each other in football, hockey, and badminton. However, the cricket rivalry is by far the most intense.
7- Bulldogs Vs Tigers
What could be more Australian than a rivalry between two football teams from opposite ends of the state? The Bulldogs and the Tigers have been competing against each other since 1892, making it one of the longest-running sports rivalries in the country. The two teams come from very different backgrounds. The Bulldogs are from the rural town of Footscray, while the Tigers are from the inner-city suburb of Richmond. The Bulldogs are known for their tough, physical style of play, while the Tigers are known for their fast, attacking style.
The rivalry between the two teams is intense, and matches between them are always hotly contested. The fans of both teams are passionate about their team, and there is a lot of animosity between the two sets of supporters. The rivalry reached its peak in the 1980s, when the two teams met in the Grand Final three times in four years. The Bulldogs won two of those Grand Finals, while the Tigers won one.
6- Duke Vs North Carolina
Photo Credit: ESPN
The rivalry between Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the most famous in all of the sports. The two schools are less than 30 miles apart, and they have been playing each other in basketball since 1920. Duke and UNC have combined to win 41 national championships in basketball, and they have played in some of the most memorable games in college basketball history. The rivalry is so intense that the two schools have even developed their own chants and cheers
5- Celtics Vs Lakers
The Celtics and Lakers are two of the most successful and iconic franchises in the NBA. The rivalry between the two teams is one of the most storied in all of the sports. The two teams have met in the NBA Finals a total of 12 times, with the Lakers winning nine of those matchups.
The rivalry began to heat up in the 1980s, when the Lakers and Celtics faced off in the Finals three times in four years. The Celtics won the first matchup in 1980, while the Lakers took home the title in 1982 and 1985. The Celtics got their revenge in 1986, when they beat the Lakers in the Finals.
The rivalry reached its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the two teams met in the Finals four times in six years. The Lakers won three of those matchups, while the Celtics took home the title in 2008.
4- Australia vs England
Australia vs England is one of the biggest sports rivalries in the world. The two countries have a long and storied history, and the competition between them is always fierce.
The rivalry began with the first Test match between the two countries, in Melbourne in 1877. The Australians emerged victorious, and the Englishmen were never able to beat them on Australian soil again.
Since then, the two countries have competed in almost every sport imaginable. The Ashes cricket series is always one of the most hotly contested matches, and the two countries have also faced off in rugby, soccer and just about every other sport you can think of.
3- Yankees Vs Red Sox
The Yankees and the Red Sox have the most famous and heated rivalry in all of sports. The two teams first met in 1901 and have played each other almost 2,000 times since. The rivalry really took off in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the two teams were the best in baseball. Their rivalry is so intense that games between the two teams are often called “The Game.”
The rivalry is fueled by a number of factors. The Yankees are the most successful team in baseball, while the Red Sox are the most cursed. The Yankees have won 27 World Series, while the Red Sox have only won 8. The Red Sox also famously blew a 3-0 lead in the 2004 ALCS, which allowed the Yankees to come back and win the series. The two teams also play in different cities. The Yankees play in the Bronx, while the Red Sox play in Boston.
2- Liverpool Vs Manchester Utd.
The rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United is on of the biggest sports rivalries. The two teams have a long and storied history, and the competition between them is always intense. The rivalry began in the early 1900s when the two teams were competing for dominance in the English Football League. They continued to compete against each other in the Premier League in the 1990s and 2000s, and the rivalry reached its peak in the 2008-2009 season when the two teams met in the Champions League.
The rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United is driven by several factors. The two teams are the two most successful teams in England, and they both have a large fan base. The two teams also have a lot of history, and the rivalry is intensified by the fact that they are two of the most popular teams in the world.
1- India Vs Pakistan
There is no bigger rivalry in sports than that between India and Pakistan. The two countries have a long history of conflict, and cricket is no exception. Two teams have faced each other in numerous cricket matches, and the rivalry is always intense. The two countries have a long history of conflict and competition, dating back to the time of their partition in 1947. Since then, the two countries have fought three wars and engaged in numerous skirmishes.
The two teams first met in 1952, and the rivalry has continued ever since. The two teams have played against each other in numerous cricket tournaments, including the Cricket World Cup and the Champions Trophy. The rivalry is always intense, and the matches are always closely contested.
