The biggest derbies in South America

In South America a derby is never just another match: it's talked about all week, divides families and can save or sink a season. These are some of the continent's most intense rivalries.

Argentina: Boca Juniors vs River Plate

The Superclásico is probably the most famous club match on the continent. Boca historically represents the La Boca neighbourhood, and River was born in the same area before moving to the north of Buenos Aires. In 2018 they met for the first time in a Copa Libertadores final; the second leg, after serious incidents in Buenos Aires, ended up being played at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, and River won it.

Argentina has other huge derbies: Racing vs Independiente in Avellaneda, with stadiums just a few blocks apart; Rosario Central vs Newell's in Rosario; and San Lorenzo vs Huracán in Buenos Aires.

Brazil: the Fla-Flu and many more

Flamengo vs Fluminense is Rio de Janeiro's great derby. In 1963 a Fla-Flu at the Maracanã drew more than 190,000 people, one of the biggest crowds in history for a club match. Brazil, with its state championships, has a derby in almost every city: the Grenal in Porto Alegre (Grêmio vs Internacional), the São Paulo derby between Corinthians and Palmeiras, or the Clássico Mineiro between Atlético and Cruzeiro.

Uruguay: Peñarol vs Nacional

It's one of the oldest derbies outside the British Isles, with matches since the early 20th century. Between them they hold the vast majority of Uruguayan titles and eight Copa Libertadores trophies (five for Peñarol and three for Nacional). In Montevideo almost everyone supports one or the other.

Bolivia: the Clásico paceño

Bolívar vs The Strongest is played at the Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz, about 3,600 metres above sea level. It's the match that draws the biggest crowds in the country and pits the city's two most popular clubs against each other: the sky-blue "Academia" and the yellow-and-black "Tiger". In Santa Cruz, the Clásico cruceño between Oriente Petrolero and Blooming is Bolivian football's other big date.

Chile: Colo-Colo vs Universidad de Chile

Chile's Superclásico pits the country's most successful club against La U, which has one of the largest fan bases. Colo-Colo is also the only Chilean club to have won the Copa Libertadores, in 1991.

Peru: Alianza Lima vs Universitario

The Peruvian football Clásico has been played in Lima since the 1920s. Alianza, from the La Victoria district, and Universitario, born at the university, represent two different traditions of the capital.

Colombia: Millonarios vs Santa Fe

Bogotá's capital derby pits two of the country's most historic clubs against each other. In Medellín, Atlético Nacional vs Independiente Medellín is another fierce rivalry, and in Cali so is América vs Deportivo Cali.

Why are they so special?

Most of these derbies were born as cities grew and football became a form of identity: neighbourhood, social class, origin or simply family tradition. More than a hundred years later, that identity is still intact.

In GolDraft's Live Match you can play any of these derbies with updated squads, make the decisions in the key plays and see whether your team takes the city's bragging rights.