Biggest Rivalries in Football: Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce

There are numerous city, local, and regional rivalries between clubs in Turkey. 

However, the match between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce is undoubtedly the biggest Turkish derby. Football arrived in Turkey during the second half of the 19th century.

British soldiers and merchants first played it in front of impressed people because the local population was forbidden to play it. 

Even Muslims who played football were arrested, but the government, faced with great pressure at the end of the century, still allowed local football enthusiasts to form their teams. 

Turkish writer Tanil Bora points out that the duel between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce is magnificent because only it can cause a great deal of collective passion among all layers of society. 

Bora claims that the derby is in Istanbul’s blood because, back in the Byzantine era, the great sports passion was the chariot race, in which the spectators were divided into two opposing groups. 

The Intercontinental Derby does not fit into the classic local rivalry. 

There is no ethnic or religious division between the clubs, although, throughout history, social class has played a role in creating the identity of the two clubs. In the 1970s, Kurthan Fisek, a leading Turkish academic of the time (Fenerbahce fan), explained the differences. 

As he said, Galatasaray is a club of the European aristocracy, and Fenerbahce is a club of the bourgeoisie. 

Galatasaray was founded by students in the same name school in 1905.

Fenerbahce followed in the footsteps of their future rivals in 1907 when a group of players from Kadikoy (the name of the meadow where the first matches were played in Istanbul) joined together.

The first derby was played in 1909, marking the beginning of a brutal rivalry that continues to this day.

The intensity of the rivalry culminated in May 2013, when a Fenerbahce fan was tragically killed after the game. 

Another controversial moment in history occurred in 1996 when Scottish manager Graeme Souness, then the coach of Galatasaray, placed his club’s flag in the center of the Fenerbahce stadium’s pitch, after the cup final in which Galatasaray emerged victorious.

Galatasaray is the most trophy-winning Turkish club. 

In its history, it has won over 70 trophies, including 22 national titles. Fenerbahce has seven trophies less and was national champion 19 times. Almost 50 players have played for both clubs in the past.

The most famous are Emre Belezolu, Mehmet Topal, and Burak Jilmaz. The two giants have the largest fan base. 

According to a survey in which more than 1,400,000 Turks participated, 35 percent of respondents declared themselves as Galatasaray fans, while 34 percent declared that they support Fenerbahce. 

UltrAslan is the most significant and numerous fan group that cheers for Galatasaray. 

Genç Fenerbahçeliler, Kill For You, UniFeb, Group CK, Vamos Bien, EuroFeb, and Bogaz Hooligans are just some of Fenerbahce’s fan groups.

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