For decades derbies have been the most fiercely contested matches in world football. There has never been any love loss between teams from the same area, as they all strive to own the bragging rights of the area.
Some of the biggest matches in world football during the 90's were the 'Derby Della Madonnina', which featured AC Milan and Inter Milan in the Italian Serie A, the 'Superclasico' with Boca Juniors and River Plate fighting it out for the pride of the Argentina's capital city, Buenos Aires, and... for all South African football supporters - the 'Soweto Derby' has always been the biggest fixture of the season, even for those fans whose teams aren't involved.
Other examples of some of the biggest and best derbies are the Manchester Derby, the Merseyside Derby, the Madrid Derby, the Old Firm Derby, and closer to home, the Tshwane Derby.
These matches all hold the original meaning of the word 'derby', which by definition is, 'A football match between two teams challenging for bragging rights of their local area'. Supporters, players, coaches and even families are divided on derby day, no matter how close a relationship they may have formed over the years.
However, in modern day football, the term derby has drifted slightly further away from what we've come to expect from a so called derby. In modern day football the newly derived meaning appears to be more a case of, 'A football match between rival teams who are competing for honours.'
Somehow, the El Clasico has become the most watched football match in the world, Manchester United versus Liverpool has become the most important fixture in English football, while Juventus against AC Milan has become the prime football match of the Italian Serie A.
There is no doubt that these matches provide fans with some spectacular football. They often give us moments we'll cherish abundantly for years to come. But, what these matches haven't managed to do is give a team the right to take over their city until the next fixture. To all the true football supporters, the real derbies always have and always will hold more value, thrill us with more emotion, give us more pride and no doubt make us feel more pain.
The original Soweto Derby was a great showcase of South Africa's most talented shibobo kings. The birth of the new kid on the block meant that Orlando Pirates had more competition, although in those days they had heaps of talented players in their arsenal. The mighty Kaizer Chiefs rose to become the most feared competitors and the new Soweto derby was inevitable.
January 24, 1970, marked the start of the new Soweto derby, which had a real air of feistiness about it. No football match has ever brought abundant joy, while at the same time immense pain to the same city, other than the Soweto Derby.
The importance of this fixture, has never changed in significance or transformed onto a different path. For once, we are amongst the only footballing nations that have stayed true to the real meaning of the word. Well done Mzansi! You've kept the true identity of the derby alive!
By Julian Bailey
Follow Julian on Twitter: @Kwetsa_89?
