Rivalries exist throughout the sporting world, sometimes bringing out the best in competitors…and sometimes the worst.
Think about some of the biggest sporting rivalries in history. There was Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier in boxing, Chris Evert versus Martina Navratilova in tennis and Greg Norman versus Nick Faldo in golf.A healthy cricket rivalry continues between India and Pakistan.Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov have even made competitive chess seem exciting with their ongoing rivalry through the years.
But can any of these admittedly classic face-offs hold a candle to the colossal confrontation that occurs whenever the Red Devils of Manchester United clash with the Liverpool Reds?This could be the greatest rivalry in football, but it’s time to take a closer look at things to determine why it exists, and why it continues
1. The Northwest Derby – Matchups between the two clubs are often referred to using this moniker. Liverpool and Manchester (the cities) have maintained a healthy competition since industrial times, and that sense of one-upmanship has apparently spilled over into the football world.
2. “The Greatest English Football Club” – Manchester United and Liverpool both lay claim to the title of The Greatest English Football Club. A similar number of trophies have been won by each club, and they are also the two most successful English teams in European competition.
3. Fans and Money – The two clubs are widely-supported throughout the world and boast some of the most devoted fans in any sport.They are also ranked as two of the richest clubs in the world.
4. Player Haters – As with a lot of football clubs, the fans can be downright hostile to each other sometimes. With Liverpool and Man U, though, the hostility spills over to the players too occasionally. United striker Wayne Rooney has publicly stated how he grew up hating Liverpool.On another occasion, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard told a TV crew that, although he often exchanges shirts with opposing players, he would never have a Manchester United shirt in his house.
5. Transfers? What Transfers? – No player has been directly transferred between the two clubs since 1964; the few footballers who have played for both clubs always played in a different city in between. As recently as 2007, United left-back Gabriel Heinze expressed a desire to move to Liverpool, and a bid was made, but Man U rejected the bid and stated that Heinze would only join a foreign club if he chose to leave – all due to the age old rivalry.
The way these clubs are so passionate about their long-standing rivalry is inspiring, in a way. I suppose some people don’t understand and think the whole thing is just silly.So, are you still wondering who’s the best club in football? That’s easy. Everyone knows it’s Spurs.
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