In football, several fierce rivalries, such as the Argentina-Brazil games, exist due to several reasons. Geopolitical barriers and cultural differences are the main causes of division between two footballing countries. Naturally, contests between footballing nations does not elicit the same emotion as club rivalries since international fixtures are comparatively rare. In this article, we will look at five historic rivalries in international football.
#5 France vs Italy
Contests between France and Italy have been very intriguing in the past 20 years or so due to several thrillers. Italy have a deeply rooted footballing culture but France emerged as a major power in football during the late ’90s.
Both teams faced off in the EURO 2000 final and the scoreline was 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes. David Trezeguet broke Italian hearts with the extra time winner that gave France the title. Italy had their revenge in the 2006 WC final as Italy won the penalty shootout after Zidane infamously headbutted Marco Materazzi and was sent off.
#4 Spain vs Portugal
Spain and Portugal are two neighbouring nations whose rivalry off the football pitch stems back to the 16th century. They have met each other 37 times, including friendlies, and Spain leads the contest with 16 victories. In World Cup 2010, a goal from David Villa gave Spain the victory although it was deemed to be offside after the game ended.
In EURO 2012, the teams clashed for a spot in the final and the match went to a penalty shootout. To everyone’s surprise, Ronaldo did not take a penalty and Spain progressed. The last encounter between the two was a memorable 3-3 draw which featured an incredible freekick from Ronaldo during the dying moments of the game.
#3 Chile vs Peru
This rivalry is a direct consequence of two of the most vocal and violent fanbases in the continent. Contests between Chile and Peru have seen all kinds of violence and tensions are always high even when they play in friendlies. The games between the two are referred to as ‘Clasico del Pacifico’.
They have played each other 82 times and Chile lead with 46 victories. They recently met in the semi-final of Copa America 2019 and Peru won by a three-goal margin. Chile avenged the defeat in the WC qualifiers last year by winning 2-0.
#2 Germany vs Netherlands
The fierce contest between the Germans and the Dutch started in the early 1970s. During that period, Ajax and Bayern Munich dominated Europe while the national teams competed hard for the World Cup. In the final of 1974, Germany won 2-1 and the match also featured several legends such as Cruyff, Gerd Muller and Beckenbauer.
These two teams last met during the EURO qualifiers which the Dutch comfortably won 4-2. However, both the teams are going through a transition phase and are not favourites for EURO 2021. EURO 2012 was the last time these teams clashed in a major tournament and Germany won 2-1, thanks to a brace from Gomez.
#1 Brazil vs Argentina
Brazil going against Argentina is a mouthwatering prospect, primarily due to their international fanbase. Both the teams have always possessed players of a very high calibre which adds to the hype surrounding their matches. Brazil has won more World Cups than any other country but Argentina’s 15 Copa America titles remain unmatched.
The last time these two sides met in a friendly, Messi scored the only goal of the game. Brazil defeated Argentina 3-0 in the Copa America 2019 semi-final and went on to win the trophy. The last time they clashed it was in the Copa America final and Di Maria’s solitary strike won them the clash.
