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The thrill of watching an encounter between two rival sports teams or individuals is at a different level altogether. The anticipation and the drama that is built up around sports rivals gives jitters down the spine. Intense competition is not only between the two rival athlete(s) or teams but also between their respective supporters.
Riveting and fast-paced action is what we expect from sports rivals - regardless of the sport. More often than not, that is exactly what we get. Most sports enthusiasts are aware of the rivalries which exist in the sport they follow. However, it will be intriguing to gain knowledge of some of the biggest sports rivalries in the world across multiple sports. Without further ado, here they are:
#10 Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic (Tennis)
The Spaniard and the Serb have locked horns on the tennis court 53 times. Novak Djokovic, who is currently the top-ranked tennis player, has a marginally better record as he has won 28 of these encounters. The remaining 25 were won by Rafael Nadal.
The quality of tennis is always top notch whenever Rafa and Djoker go head to head.
The latest meeting between the two was at the 2019 Australian Open final. Djokovic defeated his arch rival 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 to clinch his 15th Grand Slam title. The feat also helped him retain the ATP no. 1 ranking in singles.
The more characteristic match between them was when they met at the Wimbledon semifinals. The 5-set marathon match lasted over five hours and here too, Djokovic prevailed in the end.
The rivalry between the 'King of Clay' Nadal and 'The Serbinator' Djokovic is sure to entertain tennis enthusiasts around the world for at least a few more years.
#9 Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears (National Football League)
The stakes are extremely high and the margin for error agonizingly low whenever there is a clash between Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. The Packers have won a record 13 NFL Championships. Meanwhile, Chicago have 9 NFL Championships.
It is one of the longest-running rivalries of the sport and has been prevalent since 1921 - the year they first met. Since then, Green Bay and Chicago have locked horns at least twice each year, barring a few exceptions.
Green Bay Packers lead 97–95–6 if we look at the all-time series meetings. Here 6 denotes the number of ties while 97 indicates the number of times Packers have won.
The Bears have made 2 Super Bowl Appearances while their arch-rivals have made 5.
#8 Arnold Palmer vs Jack Nicklaus (Golf)
Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer ruled the links back in the 60s. The two are regarded as the game's greatest ever players. The reason why their rivalry is so unique is that they eventually became lifelong friends.
Jack, or The Golden Bear, won 18 major Championships in his career while finishing at 2nd place in 19, and 3rd place in 9. The legend stands 3rd on the list of all-time PGA Tour wins with 73 wins to his name.
Arnold, or The King, was known to be one of the most charismatic and humble human beings. This made him a global superstar in the television age. He won 62 PGA Tour titles in a career that spanned over six decades.
The Palmar-Nicklaus rivalry was one for the ages. Whenever the two got together in a duel - the galleries off the greens were filled to the brim and supporters were glued to their TV sets worldwide.
#7 New Zealand vs Australia (Rugby)
The two Trans-Tasmanian nations share one of the most intense rivalries in the sport of Rugby. The All Blacks and Wallabies have played a total of 164 matches - with the national rugby team of New Zealand winning 114, Australia emerging the victors in 43, and 7 ending in draws. The last three matches played between the rivals also ended in favor of New Zealand.
Although the statistics may seem disproportionate, the intensity of the clashes between these two powerhouses in the sport is at a different level altogether.
#6 Lewis Hamilton vs Nico Rosberg (Formula One)
Theirs is a story of childhood friends turning into foes on the track. Both Hamilton and Rosberg are fantastic drivers. Rosberg has 1 Drivers' Title and Hamilton has 5. Rosberg made 57 podium finishes in 206 Races, Hamilton made 134 in 229.
The two Mercedes teammates were extremely competitive as they dominated the sport between the years 2013 and 2016. They went on to win 54 of the 78 races as teammates.
The first incidence of a rivalry came during the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix when Hamilton and Rosberg were involved in a wheel-to-wheel encounter for victory. Many more such duels were witnessed right until Rosberg's shock retirement in 2016 after reaching the pinnacle of his career.
Hamilton mentioned in a statement "In terms of missing the rivalry, of course, because we started karting when we were 13 and we would always talk about being champions. When I joined this team, Nico was there, which was something we spoke about when we were kids. So it's going to be very, very strange, and, for sure, it will be sad to not have him in the team next year."
#5 Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier (Boxing)
Both Ali and Frazier garnered a huge fan following. Both had their own style and charisma. Both were relentless. One of the most celebrated rivalries in the brutal sport of boxing is the one between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
Ali was the undisputed champion back in the day...that is until Frazier came along and handed him his first defeat in 1971. It was termed as the 'fight of the century'.
Smokin' Joe had overpowered The Greatest - leaving the world stunned. Frazier had won via a unanimous decision after 15 grueling rounds of intense boxing.
The two fought only two times more - the Super Fight II in 1974 and the Thrilla in Manila in 1975 - and Ali won both.
The anticipation and hype around their matches were beyond explanation. The speed of Ali and the hooks of Frazier made their fights an instant sellout. They were watched by millions across the globe.
It remains the most brutal trilogy there ever was in the sport.
#4 Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics (Basketball)
Whenever LA Lakers' and Boston Celtics' players step afoot on the basketball court, we can only expect a lot of drama. There is a lot of history behind the two successful NBA teams.
While the Celtics have a record 17 NBA Championships, the Lakers have claimed 16.
There is a renewed intensity about the rivalry ever since LeBron James signed with the Lakers in 2018.
In their 364 meetings overall, the Celtics have won 203 matches while Lakers triumphed 161 times. They have also met in a record 12 NBA finals - with Celtics winning 9.
A recent battle between the two was on 8th February 2019 with the Lakers winning 129-128. This scoreline itself is proof that there is so little separating the two teams - ensuring nail-biting matches.
#3 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees (Baseball)
The rivalry between the two baseball clubs is over a century old now. Both are a part of North Eastern America division of Major League Baseball. This ensures that there are frequent clashes between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
Brawls are a common sight between the fans of the two clubs.
One of the most historic moments in American Baseball history is when, in 1919, Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees by Red Fox owner Harry Frazee.
What followed was an 86-year World Series title drought for Red Fox. They eventually broke the jinx in 2004.
Extensive media coverage is prevalent in all of their games. In the 2,257 meetings overall, the Yankees were the victors 1214 times (1201 in regular season series 12 in the postseason) whereas Red Sox succeeded 1029 times (1018 in the regular season and 11 in the postseason).
#2 India vs Pakistan (Cricket)
Deserted roads in both India and Pakistan are a common sight whenever there is a match between their national cricket teams.
It is easily the most intense rivalries in cricket - fuelled by the emotions of millions of fans.
Players of both teams face insurmountable pressure to win the match. Since 2008, the Men in Blue and Men in Green have squared off in only ICC events. Some of their prominent matches witnessed in excess of 1 Billion viewers worldwide.
Record in Tests: Total number of matches - 59, won by India - 9, Won by Pakistan - 12, Drawn - 38.
Record in ODI's: Total number of matches - 131, Won by India - 54, Won by Pakistan - 73, No result - 4.
Record in T20Is: Total number of matches - 8, Won by India - 6, Won by Pakistan - 1, Tie - 1.
Keeping the off-field hostilities aside, if one solely focusses on the on-field rivalry - then it has produced multiple memorable encounters. An India-Pakistan cricket match causes all activities in both countries to take a pause as people get glued to the television sets.
#1 FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid (Football)
The El Clasico can make us feel exhilarated and short of breath. Both Barca and Real are the powerhouses of Spanish football. With superstar players in both teams, riveting action is a given in their matches. It is cherished by football fans around the world.
In 275 clashes overall, the Blaugrana reigned supreme on 115 occasions while Los Blancos were triumphant 99 times. 61 of these encounters ended as stalemates.
The conflict between the two never fails to entertain. The most recent clash between the two was the 2nd leg of the 2018-19 Copa del Rey semi-final on 27 February 2019. Barcelona won 3-0 with a brace from Saurez and an own goal from Varane.
Real Madrid handed Barcelona an 11-1 drubbing in the 1943 Copa del Rey semi-final. It remains the biggest win in the fixture till date.
Argentine maestro Lionel Messi is the top goalscorer in the rivalry with 26 goals to his name. He also holds the record for the most number of assists (14).
There are countless other rivalries in football: AC Milan vs Inter Milan, Manchester United vs Liverpool, Celtic vs Rangers, Boca Juniors vs River Plate, Roma vs Lazio, Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray and for that matter Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal. However, none can match the intensity of El Clasico.
This list has been compiled on the basis of the author's opinion. Can you think of more big rivalries in the same or other sports? Do mention what you think in the comments section below.
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