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In many countries the term derby is used (often in the form "local derby") to mean a sports (often Association football (soccer), rugby union, rugby league or Australian Rules Football) match between local rival teams. To name two examples, the "North London Derby" is Arsenal versus Spurs and in Australian Rules, the "Western Derby" (pronounced "dur-bee") is the Fremantle FC versus the West Coast Eagles. The term is sometimes also used to describe major rivalries in which both clubs have substantial regional or national followings.
The phrase may have originated from an all-in football game contested annually between the two halves of the town of Derby in England. This match has been discontinued, but would have been similar to the Royal Shrovetide Football Match still played every year in nearby Ashbourne.
Derbies usually have a much more heated atmosphere between the fans and often the players of the two clubs. For some derbies, an added source of tension between the two clubs can be political or sectarian rivalry.
An example of political rivalry is the derby between FC Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona in Spain. FC Barcelona represents the population loyal to Catalan nationalism and Espanyol represents the population of Barcelona loyal to a united Spain (the name Espanyol "Spanish" in Catalan), especially those who migrated to Catalunya from other parts of Spain in the Franco era. An example of sectarian rivalry is in the Old Firm derby between the two leading clubs of Glasgow in Scotland. In the matches between Celtic v Rangers, Celtic represents the catholic population, and Rangers the protestant population of Glasgow.
'Derby' is used to signify matches between teams in the same town or region. This means that matches such as FC Barcelona v Real Madrid, while considered a fierce rivalry, is not a derby match.
List of Derby matches
Argentina
Australia - Western Derby - Fremantle FC v West Coast Eagles - Aussie Rules
- The Showdown - Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide FC - Aussie Rules
Austria - The Vienniese City Derby - Austria Wien v Rapid Wien - Football
Brazil
Canada
Egypt
Germany
Iran
Italy
Japan
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom - Auld Enemy - Scotland v England - Football (world's first ever international football match)
England
Scotland
USA
Baseball
International derbies Contests between neighbouring nations also frequently take on derby status. This is particularly the case with the following pairs of countries and particular sports:
External links - FootballDerbies.com (http://www.footballderbies.com/) - a list of football derbies, as well as non-derby rivalries
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