The Netherlands’ fiercest football rivalries

De Klassieker (Feyenoord vs Ajax)

De Klassieker (The Classic) between Ajax and Feyenoord is one of the biggest and most important football matches in The Netherlands. The rivalry goes beyond football and also transcends into the city rivalry between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The people from both cities have differences in attitude and culture. Whereas Amsterdam is more known for its culture and art, Rotterdam has working-class roots. Feyenoord, and other Dutch football clubs, often believe Ajax is arrogant. There’s a famous saying which highlights the differences between both cities: ‘’While Amsterdam dreams, Rotterdam works.’’ The rivalry between both clubs is very heated and has often resulted in violent clashes between fans, as well as players on the pitch. 

De Topper (Ajax vs PSV)

The rivalry between the two successful clubs PSV and Ajax is also one of the main rivalries in The Netherlands. It’s the clash between the country’s two most trophy-laden football clubs in Dutch football. Similar to Rotterdam and Amsterdam, Eindhoven and the Dutch capital also have big differences. Eindhoven is not part of the Randstad, the metropolises that comprise more than half of the country’s population, and also has a working-class mentality. Although it’s not as heated as De Klassieker, the rivalry remains intense. 

Gelderse derby (Vitesse vs NEC)

The match between Vitesse and NEC Nijmegen is one of the fiercest and most heated battles on the Dutch pitches. Menno Pot, the writer of a book on derbies in The Netherlands, described the match as the most intense one in The Netherlands. ‘’The deep feeling of hatred that you can feel at NEC vs Vitesse, is something I have not felt in any other derby.’’  Vitesse and NEC come from neighbouring cities in the east of The Netherlands and there have been multiple occasions of violent clashes between both fanbases. 

IJsselderby (PEC Zwolle vs Go Ahead Eagles)

De IJsselderby is the name of the heated rivalry between PEC Zwolle and Go Ahead Eagles. It’s not the oldest derby in the country and was mentioned for the first time in 1983. When both clubs were relegated to the second tier, where they regularly played each other, the animosity between both fanbases got more intense. Writer Menno Pot describes it as the most grim derby he’s ever visited. 

Hofstad vs Hoofdstad (ADO Den Haag vs Ajax)

Despite the big difference in quality throughout history, the rivalry between ADO Den Haag, who hails from the city where the monarchs reside (Hofstad), and Ajax, who hails from the capital (Hoofdstad), is very strong. Violent clashes between the fanbases are common. Former ADO and Feyenoord footballer Ruben Schaken, who was born in Amsterdam, said in the past that the ADO fans’ hatred for Ajax is part of their upbringing and that it is the most important match for the club. 

Other rivalries

Besides these five rivalries, there are many more rivalries in Dutch football, including the rivalry between Willem II and NAC Breda (The Brabantse Derby), SC Heerenveen and SC Cambuur (The Friese Derby), FC Utrecht and Ajax and, last but not least, Feyenoord and PSV (De Kraker). 

Now that you have learnt about the biggest rivalries in The Netherlands, why not learn about the fiercest rivalries in Germany?