Rivalries

Twenty-two players will take the pitch at Glasgow’s Hampden Park on April 17 with the same objective: to defeat their club’s fiercest rival.

The so-called Old Firm derby--Celtic v. Rangers--may be one of the footballing world’s most noted--and notorious--rivalries, known just as much for what happens off the pitch as on it. However, some great players have suited up for each of the Glasgow giants. Here’s a “best XI” of players who have made their mark in the memorable match-ups between the two clubs.

Luis Enrique defended his star trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar Jr after his Barcelona side lost against Real Madrid 2-1 on Saturday. 

Barcelona went into the match as the unquestioned favorites, but left it as the soundly beaten losers. Real Madrid was especially dangerous at the end of the match, even when they were down to 10 men, and Barcelona was uncharacteristically quiet in attack. Nothing exemplified Barcelona’s offensive struggles more than Luis Suarez’ shocking miss in the 10th minute. 

A fantastic new video from Copa90 highlights one of the most intense and competitive derbies in all of Mexican football, the Clásico Regiomontano between crosstown rivals C.F. Monterrey and Tigres UANL of Monterrey, Mexico. 

Contested since 1974, the two clubs have played each other a total of 106 times. Neither team holds an all-time advantage in the series, both having won 37, drawn 32 and lost 37. Los Rayados won the most recent edition of the derby, defeating Tigres 1-0 on March 5. 

Sunday marks what could be the end of an era, as the NFL sees two of its greatest players face off for likely the final time: Brady vs Manning.

NFL fans around the world should realize how lucky they've been to have watched two of football's greatest players. (The same thing said of David Bowie by Twitter's @JeSuisDean holds true for this rivalry: "If you're ever sad, just remember the world is 4.543 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as Brady vs Manning.")

Growing up in the United States, I used to hear about the intense atmosphere at European football matches. I heard horror stories of young children going to their first live match and leaving drenched in tears, sweat, and spilled beer. These matches were attended only by the craziest fans in the world, or at least that’s how they were made to seem. Only later, when I started watching live matches regularly, did I realize how blown out of proportion those stories were. 

The 15/16 iteration of Barcelona could go down as the best attacking side of all time; the 14/15 version arguably already has. This is because the front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar Jr. has been nothing short of unstoppable when they have all shared the pitch. While the three are known to get along quite well, we are going to pit them against one another. Specifically we are going to look at Messi vs. Neymar. 

An interview Cristiano Ronaldo gave back in August was released last Sunday. In it Ronaldo does nothing less than state that he believes he is better than Lionel Messi, the player widely accepted to be the best in the world.  

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi need no introduction on the field. The two play for the two biggest teams in the world, are the two best players in the world, and are the two most recognizable faces in soccer. As such, every year the debate of Messi vs Ronaldo flares up, and this year is no different. 

So, in order to provide some fuel for the fire, we here at The18 have taken up the task of comparing Messi vs Ronaldo in an assortment of ways: the basics, professionally, financially, and even a light social segment. 

Let’s begin. 

Legendary Arsenal striker Thierry Henry once said that he would have his son study Thomas Muller, should his son take to football as a passion. It was interesting, because one would think that he would have had his son study one of the two best players in the world: Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. Henry’s logic was that, while he admires Ronaldo and Messi, they are freaks of nature, inimitable.

Great teams raise their games when the stakes are highest. So do great fanbases. So do great fighters. So do members of great fanbases who are also great fighters, or at least willing fighters.

This is what happened Saturday in the Rose Bowl during the USA vs. Mexico match. The game itself was one of the most exciting clashes in recent memory. It was made even more exciting for the select few fans who got to be near/participate in this brawl.